Rock Falls gearing up for third annual Bellson Music Fest

ROCK FALLS – The third annual Bellson Music Fest on Saturday, June 8, will commemorate the life of a Rock Falls native who went on to become a nationally known jazz drummer.

From 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. that day, several bands, as well as former Journey drummer Steve Smith, will perform in RB&W District Park in Rock Falls during a centennial celebration in honor of Rock Falls native Louie Bellson’s 100th birthday. The event is free to attend.

Bellson, born in 1924 in Rock Falls, was not only a jazz drummer. He also was a composer, arranger, bandleader and jazz educator. He is credited with pioneering the use of two bass drums and is a six-time Grammy nominee.

During his career, he performed on more than 200 albums, with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louie Armstrong and many more influential jazz musicians of the time.

Bellson died in Los Angeles in February 2009 from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 84. Survived by his wife and manager, Francine Bellson, he was buried in Moline, Illinois. In 2010, a memorial headstone, designed by Francine, was unveiled and dedicated at his gravesite.

Bellson never forgot about Rock Falls and came back to visit quite often, according to a news release from Rock Falls Tourism. Francine, now residing in Silicon Valley, California, is scheduled to attend the celebration.

The event will begin with a drum clinic hosted by Smith from 11 a.m. to noon at the McCormick Event Center in Rock Falls. Smith is best known for the time he spent as the drummer for rock band Journey. He was voted the No. 1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row by Modern Drummer magazine readers and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Several bands are scheduled to perform live music at the RB&W District Park from noon to 9:30 p.m. The opening musician to play at noon has yet to be announced. The remainder of the schedule includes:

• 2 to 3:30 p.m., Yorkville Big Band. The band consists of 19 players, including two vocalists, and covers a wide genre of staple sounds from the 1940s and 1950s.
• 4 to 5:30 p.m., Rock River Jazz Band. The band will play big band, swing and more, as well as music composed by Louie Bellson.
• 6 to 7:30 p.m., Josh Duffee & His Orchestra. The band has specialized in music from the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s for the past 20 years in the Quad-City area. As returning performers, it will play music from the 1940s and compositions written by Bellson in the 1950s and ‘60s. Duffee will perform on the Bellson drum set given to him by Francine Bellson.
• 8 to 9:30 p.m., Steve Smith and Vital Information. Headlining the festival, the band is an American jazz fusion group led by drummer Smith and includes Manuel Valera and Janek Gwizdala.

The event is hosted by Rock Fall Tourism in collaboration with Francine Bellson and Duffee.

For information, visit the event page online or email Melinda Jones, director of Rock Falls Tourism, at director@visitrockfalls.com.