Groovin Hard

Barrett Deems | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 10, 1998)
• Original Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delmark
• ASIN: B00000DFM0
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,849 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Groovin' Hard

2. Cute

3. Best Coast

4. Superman Theme: Can You Read My Mind?

5. Well Alright Then

6. 'Round Midnight

7. It Might As Well Be Spring

8. I'll Close My Eyes

9. The Song Is You

10. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?

11. Moten Swing

12. Lady Carolyn

13. One For Otis

Editorial Reviews

From Jazziz

If you ever saw Barrett Deems perform, you knew right away what Louis Armstrong meant when he said, "Deems made coffee nervous." The man could not sit still - tap-tap-tap. Could not stop talking, fast and loud. Most of all, he could not stop banging his drums. Thank goodness. Deems passed away last September, at the age of 85, but not before he went in the studio one last time and recorded this disc, along with a hard-driving, smoke-blowing, sweet-swinging big band. And don't think for a second that old Deems was slowing down.He handles this band like a sports car, and there's no question who's in control. Listen to him sprint through Neil Hefti's "Cutie" - sticks shimmering along skins like a thousand rocks skipping water. Or if it's power you want, check out the way he storms through "Well Alright Then," a Louis Bellson tune. Deems never got the credit he deserved as drummer for Armstrong's All-Stars in the mid 1950s, and after completing his tenure in the band, he settled back in Chicago. Well, "settled" isn't the right word. He came back to town kicking and swinging and driving young musicians crazy with his relentless energy. This disc shows just how much spark he could generate with a band. With a nod to Basie, Deems likes to turn his reed section loose for a lot of rambling. When they snap to a halt, he often follows with a honey-toned ballad. On this disc, there are pretty standards, such as "'Round Midnight," and also the occasional surprise, such as "Can You Read My Mind?" from the Superman movie. As you might imagine, Deems pushed his soloists hard, too, and, on this disc, there are some wonderful performances by tenor saxophonist Frank Catalano, altoist Andy Farber, and trumpeter Manny Lopez. If the man had to go, this disc is a wonderful farewell. But, hell, you had the sense all along that Deems would keep the beat long after his heart quit thumping.

--- Jonathan Eig, JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deems' Last Stand, May 1, 2000

By 

Darien Smith (Chicago, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Groovin Hard (Audio CD)

Groovin' Hard is Deems at his final, swinging best. Even though he has passed away, he still came on strong in his last recording, laying down a hard-driving drum beat for Groovin' Hard, the title track. The entire album is a veritable greatest hits selection that is right down from lovely "Cutie" straight through to Moten Swing, swinging so hard it will make you fall out of your chair. A great remembrance for a great legend.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The World's Fastest Drummer at age 85, August 17, 2001

By 

Mack_T_Knife "dbmcsd" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Groovin Hard (Audio CD)

Amazing Elbo Room (Corner of Lincoln & George Streets, Chicago IL) performance. Last released recording of an American drumming legend a la Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. It is ironic that Barrett Deems' highest profile gig, touring with the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, found him very much out-of-place, reduced to playing in a Dixieland setting. In reality Deems had a lengthy career with other lesser-known highpoints. He was with Paul Ash's group when he was just 15 and had his own groups during much of the 1930s. Deems was with the Joe Venuti big band (1937-44), Red Norvo (1948), Charlie Barnet (1951) and Muggsy Spanier (1951-54); during that era he was billed almost accurately as "the world's fastest drummer." Deems was with Louis Armstrong during 1954-58, a period when he was criticized by many jazz writers despite giving the music his best effort. After playing with Jack Teagarden (1960-63) he settled in Chicago where he played locally with many top swing stars. Deems toured Eastern Europe with Benny Goodman's sextet in 1976 and visited South America with Wild Bill Davison. In later years Barrett Deems led a fairly modern big band in Chicago and he recorded a strong set with the orchestra for Delmark after he turned 80, his playing modelled after Buddy Rich; he died of pneumonia September 15, 1998. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide