Customer Reviews

Burning For Buddy: A Tribute To The Music Of Buddy Rich

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This CD is a collection of well known drummers including Dave Weckl, Kenny Aronoff, Steve Gadd, Bill Bruford and others playing with the Buddy Rich big band. It's produced by Neil Peart of Rush, who also plays on one track. This disc hasn't been out of my CD player for months! These drummers, some of whom playing well away from their usual styles, produce a well crafted and exciting run of Buddy Rich Band numbers in tribute to the man himself (who was an early inspiration to many of them). Excellent, and a "must have" for any drummer - even those who (like me) had never listened to big band jazz before. The "making of" videos which go with it reveal still more and are well worth looking out. END

Just buy this and enjoy it. I am often amused by the arguments regarding Buddy Rich and as to "who" is the world's greatest drummer. With so many exceptional and varied talents today, there is something for everyone, so why fret? I have my favorites that range from Neil Peart to Steve Smith and they are all greats, but..... I started playing in the late sixties and Buddy Rich was a frequent visitor to the Tonight Show and it was always a treat to hear him. Little did I know that no one would be able to match him over thirty years later. Buddy Rich is like Albert Einstein, Michael Jordan, and others like them in that there was only one who had "the gift" in their respective area of expertise. Perhaps there will be someone, someday to move Buddy from his throne but it hasn't happened yet. All one has to do is try to play a drum kit themselves and then watch him. But to disparage the greats of today for Buddy worship is a tremendous disservice to all the fantastic drummers that shape our music. Just buy this CD, enjoy that great, timeless big band sound and give yourself a treat!

It is incredible to hear the talent of rock drummers as they cross the chasm to the world of big band jazz. True, the rock artists add a certain edge that usually isn't found in big band jazz; however, it is an appropriate and glowing tribute to Buddy Rich's incredible career. Neil Peart might have produced this album, but prepare to be pleasantly surprised by the performances of all the drummers.

You can come at this album from a number of possible directions: as a drummer wanting to sample the styles of some of the best in the business; as a rock or pop fan curious about big-band jazz; as a jazz fan curious as to how well rock drummers handle jazz arrangements; as a Buddy Rich fan, to see whether there's any drummer in either jazz or rock that is a threat to his exhalted position in the pantheon.

I don't know of any 2-CD set that will give you a more diverse sampling of who's who in both jazz and rock drumming. Most other samplers are of either rock or jazz drummers, and seldom is there any overlap. One thing you find, especially if you read the interviews, is that many rock drummers have been aware of jazz drumming, and of Buddy Rich in particular. His appeal transcends genre when drummers have been open-minded enough to look past the fact that he came from jazz.

For the rock fan unaware of big-band jazz, or who thought it was only nostalgic "wrinkle music," this album, put together by Rush drummer Neal Peart, will have to be a surprise. Granted, the kind of "edge" in the music of a dozen or so horns is different from the "edge" of loud electronic effects; but there is definitely all the edge you could want in the Buddy Rich band. Nor do the arrangements sound archaic or out of date.

The jazz lover who thought there was little real talent among rock drummers will be pleasantly surprised and enlightened also. Many of the arrangements in the Rich book were pretty demanding, but none of the rock drummers on this tribute seem to struggle at all. Some even show some real chops, and all are enjoyable to hear.

Now for the Buddy Rich fan. Of these, there is more than one kind. There are those who, while they love Rich's work, also love that of a number of other great drummers; and there are those who simply think no one can touch him in any aspect of drumming. It really depends what you look for in big-band drumming. Some truly great drummers do best with a smaller group or with a more sedate type of band. They simply do not provide the DRIVE that a hot jazz big band needs.

In this one aspect of drumming at least, Rich was without peer. Anyone who doubts this should take this two-volume set, and find the originals of the same tunes done by the band with Rich himself on drums. Play the cut (for example, "Dancing Man") from this tribute CD, then play the orginal with Rich on drums. Do this with each of the cuts on both, and see which you find more exciting to listen to.

Notice the little ways Rich adds to and embellishes what the band is doing. While most of the tribute drummers are very good, you hear things like where a tribute drummer may do a couple of rimshots for a signal kick, Rich will do a crisp, quick little roll INTO a rimshot. Either is acceptable, but the things Rich does are often less cliched and more technically demanding.

The Rich fanatic will find himself reassured that no one threatens Buddy's place in the pantheon. But the open-minded listener will also be introduced to some fine drumming talent he may not have been aware of, from both jazz and rock. The CD is a must, not only for drummers, but for anyone who enjoys good drumming and/or good contemporary big-band music.

If you are a drummer and you want to get wiff of what cutting-edge big-band and jazz music should sound like, pick up this CD and its companion Volume 2. 18 songs with Kenny Aronoff, Bill Bruford, Billy Cobham, Steve Ferrone, Steve Gadd, Omar Hakim, Manu Katche & Mino Cinelu, Joe Morello, Rod Morgenstein, Neil Peart, Simon Phillips, Max Roach, Ed Shaughnessy, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Steve Smith, Matt Sorum, and Dave Weckl.

If the drummer list alone doesn't do it for you, then the music will. Top notch, powerful, moving, THIS IS JAZZ!

The fact that you get to hear Buddy Rich tunes played by an extremely wide assortment of players gives you a whole view on what different playing styles there are. I can compare the different interpretations by Buddy Rich and any other artist by hearing both of them play the same song. It's a great CD for any learning Jazz drummer to have.

This is Good for Neil Peart's first shot at Jazz. his song selection is strong and there is no track like "channel one suite" (see vol.2)As a Jazz trumpet player for 15 years, I must say the brass is a bit sloppy on dancing men-the first track. but the album is tight and stong with classics like cotton tail, milestones, straight no chaser, and the ever popular, pick up the pieces. If nothing else, buy the album for Neil's thought inspiring forward of buddy's genius in the jacket while listening to good jazz and sipping a 20 yr. scotch.

-"And the meek shall inherit the earth." 2112 NP

I finally purchased this nine years after release. The performances are outstanding, and it's very interesting to hear how rock drummers like Neal Peart and, to some degree, Bill Bruford, handle the complex time signatures and rolls from big band jazz. They do quite well! The biggest surprise had to be Matt Sorum, of Guns and Roses fame. He proves that rock pays his bills, but that jazz/fusion is in his blood!!!

First of all. I would like people to take the buddy fanatics with a grain of salt. They don't recognice talent in general. To the fanatic there is only one master, period. I mean how can you possibly dismiss an album featuring superb playing by Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Omar Hakim etc as something like incompetent?
Steve Gadd on track 3 is damn great, and he equals Buddy when it comes to swing and taste. There is only one Buddy, yes. But there's also only one of each of the masterdrummers featuring in this album. What makes this album very intresting is to hear all those diverse drummers interpret the style in their own way. And I have to say it again, listen to Steve Gadd, he's ultragreat. Not only Buddy is/was great. I think the songs swings, and although I personally don't like all of the playing by all of the drummers on this album, I'm not gonna say that it's totally incompetent etc, just like those radical buddy extremists would do. You can take your ridicoulus sentimentality and put up some where! By the way, Simon Phillips rules too. Just try to approach the cd with an open mind, and don't expect to hear Buddy playing when he's not even around. Try to understand it from the specific musicians point of view, and you will realize why those guys are considered great.

This is a great CD featuring many of today's most talented drummers. The energy level is kept high throughout all tracks. Several drummers were a suprise to me, like former Guns 'n Roses drummer Matt Sorem. This CD is a wonderful salute to the king of jazz drumming.