[Dixielandjazz] FW: Al Belletto: A Celebration of Life

[Charles Suhor]

Al Belletto was certainly one of the few indispensable figures in the growth of modern jazz in New Orleans. At age 18, his all-city teen band won a national Look Magazine contest for the best young amateur big band. His Biloxi-based sextet in the 50s was well known in N.O. through his recordings on Capitol's Stan Kenton Presents series. The combo became a band-within-band with Woody Herman. As musical director of the new local Playboy in the early 60s, he hired the best modernists in town and lead the first openly integrated jazz combo. (True anecdote: When he told Hugh Hefner that they might get trouble from the police, Hefner said,. "Go ahead. I've got better lawyers than the state of Louisiana has/") Al was a key advisor and a performer in the earliest Jazzfests, and the most visible public advocate of modern jazz until the late 80s. He continued to lead fine combos and big bands until Katrina struck the city and his health declined. Another thing--he was a nice guy, through it all. That's just as sampler. 

Charlie