The Grand Master Buddy Rich

dcrigger said:
IMO for a drummer born in 1917 - top of his field during the swing era - Buddy in the 60's until his death often did very complex things - sometimes being very sophisticated (complex) rhythmically.

Of course, one must always keep that birth date in mind, when listening. To expect Buddy to be as progressive rhythmically as Tony is simply ludicrous. Tony grew up listening to the inventors of be bop - Buddy as a teen had the originators of swing. At 10 years old, Tony could've experienced the Max Ranch/Clifford Brown group... Buddy would've maybe heard Louis Armstrong's How Five or Seven.
But beyond that - one most only need listen - which I honestly feel that many people with pretty firm opinions of Buddy's playing really haven't done.

To really evaluate Buddy takes (again IMO) well... first off - forgetting YouTube - as it is almost nothing but solo clips. Buddy's true genius was while playing with the band.... the solos were essential to getting the rubes to buy tickets. The real beauty (and lessons to be learned) from Buddy's playing is again, how he drove the bus... how he played with the band.

So again - forget YouTube - head for Spotify, etc.... and check out the Pacific Jazz albums.... Swinging' New Band, Big Swing Face, The New One, Mercy- Mercy, Keep The Customer Satisfied, Buddy and Soul.... most of those albums have one - and only one solo feature. Other charts may have two and four bar breaks - but then again, so does most other big band albums.

But in any case, even in the solos, there will some very sophisticated rhythmic phrases and/or sections. IMO Buddy was way, way more than just fast...
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Something to be said about a generation (or at least two generations) of folks who don’t listen to the music. The music is the context.
 
I'm a big fan of buddy, even his nastiness was highly creative. Yes he was fast and complex but there's something else about his playing

He had a complete handle of the irrepressible beat. He hit his percussion with such authority that you can't help but get sucked in. He certainly cut quite a figure on the throne but it still comes across on his albums including ballads

Any recommendations on what albums to listen to?
 
s-l1600.jpg


has "Me and My Jaguar" on it ->
www.discogs.com

Buddy Rich - Super Rich

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the Vinyl release of "Super Rich" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com www.discogs.com

Combination/Compilation album not necessarily big bands; smaller sextets etc ->
from the 1953-54 ->
en.wikipedia.org

The Swinging Buddy Rich - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
and 1961
en.wikipedia.org

Blues Caravan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

I thought it might something interesting
(30 some years ago)
 
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Could not agree with Smith more.

“Steve Smith recommends checking out the sessions “where he’s not in the heroic mode, the albums that Buddy Rich played on in such a sympathetic role that you may not recognize it’s Buddy playing,” he says.

“For instance, listen to the albums Charlie Parker With Strings, Ella and Louis and one of my favorites, Lester Young Trio featuring Young with Nat Cole and Buddy. Sublime accompaniment. For a lesser-known album featuring explosive accompaniment, check out Sammy Davis Jr./Buddy Rich: The Sounds of ’66. The album was recorded live in Las Vegas when Buddy was starting his ‘Swingin’ New Big Band.’ The performance of ‘Come Back to Me’ is amazing!”
 
KenDoken said:
I'm a big fan of buddy, even his nastiness was highly creative. Yes he was fast and complex but there's something else about his playing

He had a complete handle of the irrepressible beat. He hit his percussion with such authority that you can't help but get sucked in. He certainly cut quite a figure on the throne but it still comes across on his albums including ballads

Any recommendations on what albums to listen to?
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Personally can't agree at all with starting to explore Buddy in settings where he quite competently served in less demanding, more understated sideman roles. It's all great stuff - but IMO the very reason to listen and study Buddy's playing is his ability to "drive the big bus". I believe there are lessons there not just about playing large ensemble jazz - but also driving other powerful ensembles.... like rock bands (it has never been a surprise to me that John Bonham touted Buddy as an influence) - and Buddy's various earlier sideman appearance just give no insight to that (as they shouldn't). So IMO once a player has sense of what made Buddy special - then branching out and listening to just how competent and versatile he was is more than interesting.... I just don't see it as the place to start.

So would I suggest? Well there are certainly plenty of later albums of Buddy's band that are quite good, and of course, lots of earlier material of Buddy as a sideman - but for me, the essential playlist would include the first four Pacific Jazz records... starting from when Buddy premiered his own band in 1966.

Earlier I said avoid YouTube - by that I meant videos clips.... but YouTube also has a bunch of these in their entirety. So....

1. Swingin' New Band - (tracks 1-8) - be aware that all of these are extended release versions and that every track after the ones I've listened are outtakes.... in other words, rejects that didn't make it on the album.... oftentimes of charts that show up on later albums.... but in every case, tracks that "at the time" didn't "make the cut". (My advice - go back and listen to them later - or not at all, as there is plenty grade A stuff to listen to.)


2. Big Swing Face - (tracks 1-8)


3. The New One - (tracks 1-11) One of Buddy's band's few "in the studio" recordings.


4. Mercy Mercy Mercy (tracks 1-7)



Again - there are plenty more - this just where I would start...
 
another from
compilation super rich

and another
~
different man when with peers
Drums: Buddy Rich Associated Performer, Trumpet: Harry "Sweets" Edison Associated Performer, Trombone: Milt Bernhardt Associated Performer, Alto Saxophone: Benny Carter Associated Performer, Tenor Saxophone: George Auld Associated Performer, Baritone Saxophone: Bob Lawson Associated Performer, Piano: Jimmy Rowles Associated Performer, Bass Guitar: John Simmons Producer: Norman Granz

sensible on par not sticking out like a sore dupa
 
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Hey. Let's Fall in The Louvre....


hear (the) Philly Joe (connect back to Bud) in there..

67 small group 50s tracks in the link ->

and smaller peer big band;

that's where we can understand him in a differently way..
may even ; ) enjoy
and why they said at the time there was no one quite like it


Singing....
.in......1954 ---->

That's ^ the Best one ; )



there's ^ a stormer.
rather hear that than ..Norwegian woods
recording sounded better drums sounded better -like in the room with ya.
Long solo there ^

 
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And now you know where In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida came from.
 
Frank Godiva said:
Could not agree with Smith more.

“Steve Smith recommends checking out the sessions “where he’s not in the heroic mode, the albums that Buddy Rich played on in such a sympathetic role that you may not recognize it’s Buddy playing,” he says.

“For instance, listen to the albums Charlie Parker With Strings, Ella and Louis and one of my favorites, Lester Young Trio featuring Young with Nat Cole and Buddy. Sublime accompaniment. For a lesser-known album featuring explosive accompaniment, check out Sammy Davis Jr./Buddy Rich: The Sounds of ’66. The album was recorded live in Las Vegas when Buddy was starting his ‘Swingin’ New Big Band.’ The performance of ‘Come Back to Me’ is amazing!”
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I love "The Sounds of 66" album! It was the first Buddy Rich album my drum teacher turned me on to.

Some of the songs might seem outdated (Ding Ding the Witch is Dead comes to mind) but the band kicks butt.
 
I was fortunate to have seen Buddy 5 times live. For my money he's the best there ever was...as noted by Krupa himself... he's the greatest drummer to have ever drawn a breath. I met Buddy once briefly after one of his shows. He had just come off stage after a blistering solo, was dressed in a white robe with a towel around his neck like a prize fighter. I handed him a copy of the playbill and he signed his name right across his chest of the picture of himself on the cover... currently framed and in a place of honor in my studio. I complimented him on his performance and told him what an inspiration he'd been to me. He said hey thanks a lot man. I'm not a big fan of drum solos never have been. I find most of em boring. But not Buddy's. It was always a pleasure to see what he was going to do next. Simply put the guy had it all in regards to playing drums.
 
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Buddy and his orchestra playing Birdland in Germany 1980. He's about 63 here and clearly in a good mood this night. Even giving a shout-out to Steve Marcus after his solo. The bass player is into it and very animated having some back and forth with Buddy also. Enjoy!

 
magand said:
Does anybody master the Buddy Rich trick that jo jo mayer is talking about in one of his videos in drummerworld? Its insane. would be fun to do, to show off your skillz.
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.. Please, see here in this my Video Clips ..how.. Buddy plays some ''Rudiments'',,,: BUDDY RICH ,dr plays *Rudiments Drums - Strokes*,, Rotten Kid ,,-
,&,The Mike Douglas Shows, Live TV Shows.,1967,
a) To guess two ,,-Drums Tune...
b) Are these like *Rudiments Drums-Stroks*??),,Rotten Kid..
1967,-Away We Go ,-Norwegian Wood ,-Drums Tune
-(Rudiments Drums-Sticks),Rotten Kid..
1969,-Greensleeves -It’s Crazy
1970,-Creeping Up On You -?Unknown -?Unknown
The Mike Douglas Show,1967,-Get Me To The Church..
,-Chat ,-Little Train,,.-

-
,.-
- x -
 
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