Mercy Mercy - Live at Caesars Palace 1968 (Reis) [Live]

Buddy Rich | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 25, 1997)
• Original Release Date: 1968
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B000005H7X
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,147 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #7 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz
  • #53 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Contemporary Big Band
  • #57 in Music > Jazz > Swing Jazz > Classic Big Band

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Buddy Rich was pumping new life into the big-band genre and enjoying a tremendous resurgence in popularity when he recorded this powerhouse group at Caesars Palace in 1968. It's a winning combination of enthusiastic young musicians, a few current pop tunes, exceptional veteran arrangers and soloists, and Rich himself, pressing the band to its limits with his volatile drumming. While it's the band itself that occupies center stage, there are also terrific individual efforts. Guitarist Walt Namuth emphasizes the funky dimension of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Ode to Billie Joe," while the veteran altoist Art Pepper brings soulful lyricism to the rich hues of "Alfie" and "Chelsea Bridge." Trumpeter Bill Pierce and tenorist Don Menza add several hard-swinging solos to the mix, pushed on by the powerful horn sections. From Bill Reddie's ambitious "Channel 1 Suite" to Henry Mancini's popular "Mr. Lucky," this is a great balance of big-band excitement and precision. --Adam Rains

Product Description

This 1968 live recording from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas was voted best drum record ever in a Modern Drummer Magazine poll. Not coincidentally, it was also Buddy's best-selling album. Includes Mercy, Mercy, Mercy ; the 13-minute Channel 1 Suite , and more, plus three unissued tunes. First time on CD!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Resurgence of Rich, October 26, 2004

By 

Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mercy Mercy - Live at Caesars Palace 1968 (Reis) (Audio CD)

This is probably the most consistently satisfying album of the two big bands Rich led 1966-1987. A bonus is the presence of jazz legend Art Pepper. But it does contain a couple of period pieces ("Ode to Billy Joe" was a drag to listen to even when it first became popular) and unfortunately excludes "West Side Story," the big production number that competed with "Channel One Suite" as Buddy's most popular drum feature.

Rich was a prodigy who did little to raise any doubts about his title as "the world's greatest drummer." Listen to the Mercury recording, "Buddy Rich vs. Max Roach," which pits him against the state-of-the-art "Dean of Modern Jazz Drummers." Rich is clearly in control, practically unhuman in the unstoppable, machine-like precision and force of his playiing. Doesn't matter whether it's brushes, sticks, snare, bass drum, or cymbals: he's untouchable.

Which is not to say a case can't be made against him. After 1942 Sinatra never recorded with him and brought along his own drummer, Irv Cottler, even when performing with the Rich band. Buddy didn't have the big back beat and the "deep stroke" that Sinatra derived his energy and swing from. And Buddy's time can be so symmetrical and metronomic, so unforgiving, that much of the feeling generated by a soloist working with a Blakey or an Elvin simply never finds room for expression in a Rich ensemble (the recording of the two-horn combo that he formed in the '70's between his two big bands is a case in point).

Rich rarely played drum solos so extended that there was time for the musicians to leave the stage, have a smoke, and return for the out chorus (with the exception of the 30-minute recording of Channel One Suite on a recent release, "Wham"). Probably just well, because I doubt his technical mastery alone could have held my interest for the duration (on the other hand, an unsung percussionist-genius like Frank Butler can rivet my attention for a 20-minute recorded solo, even though I'm no drummer).

But just when you start to question the dominance of Rich, you rediscover all of those Verve recordings he made with Diz and Bird, Lester Young, Nat King Cole, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Lionel Hampton, Louis and Ella. All of it so tasteful, supportive, swinging and even elegant. Then you realize that Rich encompasses as much of the tradition as someone like Miles. The guy deserves his due, which I'm afraid he has rarely received from any of the writers who pretend to represent the "authentic" jazz tradition and its primary movers.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Buddy Rich Performance, September 23, 2001

By 

Dale N. (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mercy Mercy - Live at Caesars Palace 1968 (Reis) (Audio CD)

Simply the best: I mean the best recorded Buddy Rich performance as well as the best his band ever played. This should be your first choice when selecting music by Buddy. The Channel-One Suite track is the greatest version ever recorded and is now the benchmark for any piece written for Jazz Drumset Solo with band. I only wish I could have been there that night to witness this event live. Also, no one ever mentions this, I must give an A+++ to the original engineers for the quality of the orignal LP as well as those who worked on the re-master. For original analog recordings from the late 60's, this stuff sounds like it was recorded yesterday. This CD has it all, Buddy Rich at is best, the band at its best along with unsurpassed recording, mixing and re-mastering make this and all of the "Pacific Jazz" albums by Buddy "Must Haves". If you have to choose just one, GET THIS RECORDING....

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mercy Mercy - Buddy Rich, February 16, 2002

By 

Norman Zierler (New Hartford, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mercy Mercy - Live at Caesars Palace 1968 (Reis) (Audio CD)

Any drummer who tells you Buddy Rich was not the most incredible
drummer to ever hold sticks, just walk away - it's not worth getting frustrated. This CD contains a solo from Channel One Suite that takes your breath away. What Buddy does on the bass drum at the end of the solo is indescribable. I play it over and over and I'm more stunned each time I hear it. Any drummer worth his salt out there knows exactly what I'm talking about. Get this
CD and put it on high volume!!!