American jazz drummer and bandleader Buddy Rich, born September 1917, is still considered one of the most influential drummers of all time.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he discovered his affinity for jazz music at a young age and began drumming at two years old!
He began playing jazz in 1937, working with acts such as Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Harry James. From 1942 to 1944, Rich served in the U.S. Marines. From 1945 to 1948, he led the Buddy Rich Orchestra. In 1966, he recorded a big-band style arrangement of songs from West Side Story.
He found lasting success in 1966 with the formation of the Buddy Rich Big Band, also billed as the Buddy Rich Band and The Big Band Machine. Rich was known for his virtuoso technique, power, and speed.]
He was an advocate of the traditional grip, though he occasionally used matched grip when playing the toms. Despite his commercial success and musical talent, Rich never learned how to read sheet music, preferring to listen to drum parts and play them from memory.
Since Rich’s death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, the album features performances of Rich staples by a number of jazz and rock drummers such as Joe Morello, Steve Gadd, Max Roach, Billy Cobham, Dave Weckl, Simon Phillips, Steve Smith and Peart, accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band.
A second volume was issued in 1997. Phil Collins was featured in a DVD tribute organized by Rich’s daughter, A Salute to Buddy Rich, which included Steve Smith and Dennis Chambers.
01. Let’s Fall In Love
02. Me And My Jaguar
03. Just Blues
04. Sweets’ Opus No. 1
05. Strike It Rich
06. Sportin’ Life (a.k.a. Sweetie Pie)
07. Sonny And Sweets
08. Willow Weep For Me
09. The Two Mothers
10. Yellow Rose Of Brooklyn
11. Easy Does It
12. All Sweets
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It
14. Barney’s Bugle
15. Now’s The Time
16. You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me
17. Back To The Land
18. I’ve Found A New Baby
19. I Cover The Waterfront
20. Somebody Loves Me
21. I Want To Be Happy
22. The Man I Love
23. Mean To Me
24. Peg O’ My Heart
25. Buddy’s Blues
26. Bernie’s Tunes
27. Gene’s Blues
28. Sweethearts On Parade
29. I Never Knew
30. What Is This Thing Called Love
31. I’ll Never Be the Same
32. Makin’ Whoopee
33. Hallelujah
34. Perdido
35. More Than You Know
36. How High The Moon
37. Lover, Come Back To Me
38. Topsy
39. Undecided
40. Broadway
41. Jumpin’ At The Woodside
42. Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)
43. The Casbah
44. Sleep
45. Figure Eights
46. Yesterdays
47. Big Foot
48. Limehouse Blues
49. Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye
50. Jumpin’ At The Woodside
51. It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)
52. Duet
53. Night Train
54. King Porter Stomp
55. Perdido
56. Evolution
57. Hawaian War Chant
