Great drum solo by Buddy Rich.

[bluesjunior]

I wonder if this was where Ginger Baker got his inspiration for Toad from?. Either way Buddy could have walked into Cream.:omg
9esWG6A6g-k&feature=related

[shg]

Rich could probably have walked into ANY BAND in ANY GENRE in ANY DECADE.

[ToneBrokerBill]

Nice. I love listening to the old Buddy Rich / Gene Krupa drum battles.

[tommyg]

One word is all that's needed....


WOW!

[johneeeveee]

He wasn't a young man in this clip either... which makes it even more incredible... that single stroke roll at 3:35 is reeefukndiculous!

[RSRD]

Buddy is considered to be the best of all time by ACTUAL drummers for a reason. I know Neil Peart worships at his alter.

[TNJ]

Rich could have walked into ANY BAND in ANY GENRE in ANY DECADE and OWNED IT.

Fixed.

S.j

[Neer]

There has never been a better drum soloist than Buddy Rich.

[ToneBrokerBill]

The rolls at the 2:00 mark are mind-boggling:

wgaD54YcXpA

[illinimax]

Best ever, no doubt

[Clifford-D]

There was an album made called "Dynamic Drums" and it was a three way dialog
between Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Dave Black.
Dave Black played with everyone from Ellington to Ella to Charlie Parker.
He dropped from the scene to raise his kid in a family situation. Hid kid was fricken nuts
and my good friend when I was a teen.
So every week we got a ride into S.F. to go to the Filmore West or Winterland or Family Dog and Dave Black had his steady gig at the world famous Finnochios for 20 yrs.
He shared stories incliding the Dynamic Drums sessions. My friends were rockers and didn't care for that "old peoples music" but I paid attention and remembered. And when I found out who Ella and Parker and Ellington were I was blown away.
There is very little of Dave Black to listen to but here are two videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uen-QmKffg8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QThXDgFAdb8

Buddy respected Dave and vise verse, they recorded together and they could kick each others ass on drums.

The important thing is to not be the best drummer, it's to be the best drummer you can be.

Dave was Buddys friend and I'm proud to say he was my friend.

[hawes]

In a league all by himself.

[3 Mile Stone]

Did you ever hear that tape of him chewing out his band on the bus. He didn't tolerate teh boys "blowing clams" very well.

[rwe333]

Nice. I love listening to the old Buddy Rich / Gene Krupa drum battles.

Indeed - and Buddy was always respectful of Krupa for all he did for the instrument. Never tried to burn him (as Buddy did to most others).
Buddy had incredible facility, a flair for showmanship and could certainly drive a big band.

[thehtm]

I had read the Bill Graham autobiography, and there was a bit in there about how he was getting tired of the indulgent drum solos that bands had in their sets. He apparently had Buddy Rich opening for (I think - I could be off on this) Ten Years After. Buddy Rich went up and played a fantastic set, blew everyone away. Graham stuck his head in the TYA dressing room, looked at the drummer and said "Have a great set" - no drum solo that night . . . .

[thehtm]

Sounds like a lot of fun to play for him . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ssZeOZkWU&feature=related

that said, his rant is on par with one of Earl Weaver's.

Did you ever hear that tape of him chewing out his band on the bus. He didn't tolerate teh boys "blowing clams" very well.

[GerryJ]

"Either way Buddy could have walked into Cream"

Buddy Rich could have sleepwalked into Cream, and all 3 of them would be the first to attest to it.

Re Gene Krupa, a quote from Buddy Rich : "He's still the best."

Re the bus tapes - As part of the transcripts said, Rich didn't need the money, to live on a bus playing one-night stands at high school auditoriums (and pay the cost of a big band) ("I could be sitting on my ass in Palm Springs"). A lot of guys would burnish their chops for 1-2 yrs, when they were ~20 yrs old, with 1-2 yrs on the road with Rich. Jimmy Bruno was one of them.
On his deathbed, Rich, having heard about the recordings, said "I'd like to hear the tapes".

Beyond talent and practice, his neuromuscular system had to be beyond normal, like some athletes have.

[DrumBob]

Buddy is considered to be the best of all time by ACTUAL drummers for a reason. I know Neil Peart worships at his alter.

You are actually right. We all bow in Buddy's presence. He was the greatest drummer who ever lived. There simply is no one out there, with the possible exception of Ed Shaughnessy, who can pull off those single stroke rolls at that speed and with so much style and technique. Buddy started playing drums in a vaudeville act before he was two years old, and at his height in the 30's, was making $1500 a week. That was huge money back then. Hell, it's good money now.

Ginger Baker couldn't wipe Buddy's butt.

Buddy was on a whole other level. There are a lot of great drummers, but only one Buddy Rich. I'm glad to say I saw him twice and talked to him both times, albeit briefly. When I met his daughter, Cathy Rich, a few years ago, she said, "Was he nice to you?" Yes, he was.

[Tone_Terrific]

and the band is right back in with minimal cueing! (to me, anyhow)

[jgyn]

I prefer Tony Williams. More polyrhythmically interesting.
Buddy's a great 'drummer,' but there are many, many more in jazz I would prefer as musicians.

[Neer]

I prefer Tony Williams. More polyrhythmically interesting.
Buddy's a great 'drummer,' but there are many, many more in jazz I would prefer as musicians.

Well, of course, there are better drummers, especially small group drummers, but as far as big band players and soloists, Buddy is king. As time marches on, others will come along with even greater skills, but with the decline in big bands, we may never see a better player in that world.

[Pietro]

Amazing. One I've heard that came close was the drum solo Roy Haynes played when he toured with Chick Corea on the Bud Powell thing. He played a short (maybe 2 minute) solo if I recall... but only on the snare... the side, the bottom, everywhere... he made more sounds out of that snare than most drummers can from a whole set...

...Rich was, however, amazing...

[Kingby]

Sounds like a lot of fun to play for him . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-ssZeOZkWU&feature=related

that said, his rant is on par with one of Earl Weaver's.

Sounds like every Hockey Coach I played for. Sounds like a pretty normal chewing out on a bad night for any "team". Only difference is we would be skating sprints for a couple of hours the next day to helps us "think" about our bad game.

What I don't know is how he acted before gigs or after gigs that went great. The tapes don't give any insight there. Its easy to put someone in a certain light if you show only one side. Hope there was a balance there. Who knows.

[Neer]

A good friend of mine was the lead trumpet in Rich's band right after he graduated from Berklee, from about '83 to '85. While I'm sure he has his share of stories to tell, he has never spoken ill of Rich in my presence, and he knows I love the juicy stuff.


In fact, here's a clip of that band, with my friend in the solo chair:

6vg9CNCPxKY

Tony Levin and Jimmy Bruno are also alumni from the BR band.

[Clifford-D]

Is Buddy the best

NO!!!!!!!!!!!, what are people saying? No one is better in humanity and Buddy's the best ever??

Buddy was the best at being Buddy, He was NO better than Dave Black, but he was a BETTER ENTERTAINER, that made him special to the masses, that big smile that radiates, the smile has nothing to do with drumming skills but it is an advantage when communicating with an audience.
Dave is more like someone you watch, you wont be entertained with a smile, you will observe him go deep into his mind, MORE THAN BUDDY,
they were contemporaries back then and shot for some of the same gigs. Some acts didn't want the attention to drift to the drummer.
Buddys solution was to become the head of the act. Dave was always a utility player. And again none of these inside pro moves have to do with the skill of playing

This thing about Buddy being the best is just wrong, Buddy and Dave were in a time before big polyrhythmic playing from cats like Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers.

All these folks should be respected and we could learn from them all.
And if Ginger wants to play some jazz then that's fine, I dig those Bill Frisell recordings.

Any skilled musician can hear who can do things better and they chose the drummer that can pull it off without saying so and so is better. That's playground kid stuff. imo

[Neer]

Is Buddy the best

NO!!!!!!!!!!!, what are saying? Humanity is excluded and Buddy's the best ever??

Buddy was the best at being Buddy, He was NO better than Dave Black, but he was a BETTER ENTERTAINER, that made him special to the masses, that big smile that radiates, the smile has nothing to do with drumming skills but it is an advantage when communicating with an audience.
Dave is more like someone you watch, you wont be entertained with a smile, you will
observe him go deep into his mind, MORE THAN BUDDY, they were contemporaries back then and shot for some of the same gigs.

This thing about Buddy being the best is just wrong, Buddy and Dave were in a time before big polyrhythmic playing from cats like Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers.

All these folks should be respected and we could learn from them all.
And if Ginger wants to play some jazz then that's fine, I dig those Bill Frisell recordings.

Any skilled musician can hear who can do things better and they chose the drummer that can pull it off with saying so and so is better. That's playground kid stuff. imo

Hey Cliff, Buddy's chops, speed, technique, etc. are still revered by any drummer who knows. He wasn't an innovator, but as a soloist he was tops. Ask any drummer worth his salt and he'll tell you.

[Clifford-D]

Hey Cliff, Buddy's chops, speed, technique, etc. are still revered by any drummer who knows. He wasn't an innovator, but as a soloist he was tops. Ask any drummer worth his salt and he'll tell you.
I don't really need to ask anyone else. I have perfectly fine ability to assess it by myself and form a strong opinion.
And I further the whole thing by saying the goal is to SOUND LIKE YOURSELF
any artist that gets that, and achieves it, then you're in the club. But their is no
better because it's impossible.
Many say Miles was the most influential person in jazz, does that mean Tony Williams
was more influential than Buddy.
Just think what Miles would have sounded like with Buddy at the helm, NO it wouldn't
be the same at all.
Why?
Buddy was Buddy and Tony was Tony.
It became not who's better, but who's the better fit.

You say Buddy is better than the unknown Dave Black (Ellington, Parker, Dorsey Bros, Joe Pass, Ella, Bob Scobey,,,,,,)
and I have to respond with "better at what".
And if you want to break it down even further
I'm more than happy to help.
There is no better, just a different capable voice.

breathe


.

[Clifford-D]

Neer, did you watch/critically listen to those videos of Dave Black?
Do you have any comments on his playing?

And you're saying they were not in the same "upper layer" of drummer strata??

It's not a football game dude.


And is any of this disrespectful of Buddy Rich? Absolutely not, it's just that world
and musical humanity is bigger than one musical individual.

We could easily add to the list of contemporaries of Buddy Rich
Krupa, Belson,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Many great choices back then, and now, and tomorrow.
And they seem to stand on the shoulders of those from before.

[lhallam]

I wonder if this was where Ginger Baker got his inspiration for Toad from?. Either way Buddy could have walked into Cream.:omg
9esWG6A6g-k&feature=related

According to Ginger, American bands couldn't hold a candle to Baker or Cream. I think it was Elvin Jones that took umbrage to Baker's claims.

Got to see Buddy in HS years. Sat about 5 feet from him as he wailed away.

[todd richman]

Amazing. Buddy along with Gene Krupa were so far ahead of the competition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ5B7yqDYbA

[Stu Cats]

Did you ever hear that tape of him chewing out his band on the bus. He didn't tolerate teh boys "blowing clams" very well.


I love listening to that as much as I like listening to him play. He was the best.

[Neer]

It's not a football game dude.





OK dude

[gregc]

Buddy has been #1 in my book for decades!

[bluesjunior]

According to Ginger, American bands couldn't hold a candle to Baker or Cream. I think it was Elvin Jones that took umbrage to Baker's claims.

Got to see Buddy in HS years. Sat about 5 feet from him as he wailed away.

As Ginger like Charlie Watts was a jazz drummer prior to entering the pop world, I don't think it was big bands he was talking about more likely it was contemporary pop music bands of the time like the Beach Boys and the Doors etc.:wave

[3 Mile Stone]

Sounds like every Hockey Coach I played for. Sounds like a pretty normal chewing out on a bad night for any "team". Only difference is we would be skating sprints for a couple of hours the next day to helps us "think" about our bad game.

What I don't know is how he acted before gigs or after gigs that went great. The tapes don't give any insight there. Its easy to put someone in a certain light if you show only one side. Hope there was a balance there. Who knows.

Agreed. I never thought less of him for doing it, and the added perspective that he "could have been sitting in Palm Springs instead" is relevant. I think if they played the clams they deserved the rant, because as most of us agree, that would not be a very uncool thing to do when you are playing with someone at that level.

[zep41]

I wonder if this was where Ginger Baker got his inspiration for Toad from?. Either way Buddy could have walked into Cream.:omg
9esWG6A6g-k&feature=related

I can't believe everyone is talking about Ginger Baker when watching this solo, its obvious that John Bonham was the closest drum soloist to touching Buddy's feel and style. Bonham studied this guy's technique like mad and if you listen to some live versions of Moby Dick, Buddy's snare rolls and interactions between the toms and kick are perfected to precision when Bonham played.


Buddy Rich = phenomenal.

[DrumBob]

Is Buddy the best

NO!!!!!!!!!!!, what are people saying? No one is better in humanity and Buddy's the best ever??

Buddy was the best at being Buddy, He was NO better than Dave Black, but he was a BETTER ENTERTAINER, that made him special to the masses, that big smile that radiates, the smile has nothing to do with drumming skills but it is an advantage when communicating with an audience.
Dave is more like someone you watch, you wont be entertained with a smile, you will observe him go deep into his mind, MORE THAN BUDDY,
they were contemporaries back then and shot for some of the same gigs. Some acts didn't want the attention to drift to the drummer.
Buddys solution was to become the head of the act. Dave was always a utility player. And again none of these inside pro moves have to do with the skill of playing

This thing about Buddy being the best is just wrong, Buddy and Dave were in a time before big polyrhythmic playing from cats like Dave Weckl and Dennis Chambers.

All these folks should be respected and we could learn from them all.
And if Ginger wants to play some jazz then that's fine, I dig those Bill Frisell recordings.

Any skilled musician can hear who can do things better and they chose the drummer that can pull it off without saying so and so is better. That's playground kid stuff. imo


Are you a drummer, Cliff? In all honesty, I have never even heard of Dave Black, and I've been playing drums for 46 years, have been gigging for almost as long, wrote a book on drummers, have written for most of the major drum magazines, have studied the jazz drumming greats, and have a vast knowledge of past jazz drummers, their technique, and what it takes to formulate and pull off a great drum solo.

[JohnnyGtar]

I can't believe everyone is talking about Ginger Baker when watching this solo, its obvious that John Bonham was the closest drum soloist to touching Buddy's feel and style. Bonham studied this guy's technique like mad and if you listen to some live versions of Moby Dick, Buddy's snare rolls and interactions between the toms and kick are perfected to precision when Bonham played.


Buddy Rich = phenomenal.

As a drummer...:agree

[Clifford-D]

Are you a drummer, Cliff? In all honesty, I have never even heard of Dave Black, and I've been playing drums for 46 years, have been gigging for almost as long, wrote a book on drummers, have written for most of the major drum magazines, have studied the jazz drumming greats, and have a vast knowledge of past jazz drummers, their technique, and what it takes to formulate and pull off a great drum solo.
And that is my point. You haven't heard of him.
How much are you familiar with Lenny Breau or Martin Taylor or Bruce Forman?
Can you tell me the name of the latest raging metal guitarist wiz?

Just because you haven't heard of someone doesn't diminish anything. `Youtube
has proven that.

Just to clarify, I can't choose the #1 guitarist because there is none, only popularity contests. Was Buddy Rich more popular than any drummer of his time? I think so. He became a jazz superstar, but not all people can handle being a superstar. Buddy Rich made himself a superstar, he loved the light and being the man. That was his thing. He was real good at it.
But that has nothing to do with ability on the instrument, do you really think in order to be excellent on the instrument you have to be a common name. There was history before rock and roll and it's true Dave Black doesn't come up in the books that much,
perhaps he had reasons for leaving his place at such a critical time, he didn't care for
the ratings game, he stepped out of the biz in '56.

There are many "Dave Blacks" out in the wide world is my point. Buddy wins on being well known, the rest is really up in the air (where it should be) there is no technical best, they've all achieved it, all that's left is "what do they do with it"? Do they go for being a show off so it's" blow minds every night" is the gig, or is it to breathe life in the music and support the greater cause as in the way someone like Bill Frisell gets out of his people.

I've seen so many drum solos in my 57 yrs.
Sheila E and her father Pete Escovido impressed me as much as any percussive playing I've seen live, jaw dropping.
Dave Weckl once with Chic Corea, some of the most "lyrical" playing
Dennis Chambers is a powerhouse unlike any drummer I've heard (yet) and his polyrhythmic silly side where he can make the band work so hard to keep up.
And then there's people like Vinnie Colaiuta that were born to kick ass.
on and on,,,

how can #1 possibly be chosen, I would never chose a #1

And I still get to dig the hell out of Buddy Rich.

It's all good

[jgyn]

Buddy Rich's like the Paganini, or Malmsteen, within the context of his genre.