Customer Reviews

Mercy Mercy - Live at Caesars Palace 1968 (Reis)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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....

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!!!

Buddy's best album, no question! Best drummer in the world, at his peak, along w/ his best band and arranging. I can only describe this album as VERY INTENSE. Krank it up, let it blow you away. It has for me every time, even after listning to it over 30 years. Pac.Jazz outdid themself on engineering the original recording The CD conversion/re-master came out great also. A must for any big band jazz fan, not for drummers only.

There will never be another and this CD shows us why. All of the fills, rolls and ultra-sharp attacks, perfect timing, you name it.... it's here in this CD. What can you say about Channel One Suite...! An absolute "must have" if you are a fan of Big Band music, Jazz, Swing, etc. Nobody can top this one.

I purchased this album after its initial release. My outlook on Big Band Jazz changed forever after listening to this album. My influences on sax at the time were Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz and John Coltrane. Don Menza changed all that.

Menza's blowing and writing (Acid Truth) set the tone for this fantastic band. His performances on Mercy, Mercy; Channel 1 Suite; Acid Truth and Goodbye Yesterday changed alot of players I knew in the San Francisco Bay Area.

And the unbelievable single stroke roll and I heard (and witnessed from one of my classmates) was awesome. I began to start copying all of Menza's solos on that album, as did a lot of other players in our high school jazz band.

This has to be ranked as one of the best albums and best bands Buddy ever recorded with. With other greats such as Art Pepper, Al Porcino, Rick Stepton and the future jazz tenor Pat Labarbera, this band was an absolute show-stopper.

If you're a sax player, you'll never tire of the Channel 1 Suite classic cadenza by Don Menza. The powerful brass section on Acid Truth will be inspirational to brass players. And of course, the legendary drumming of Buddy Rich will leave you in awe. Buy this album.

This recording of Buddy's band live at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas ranks as one of the best bands Buddy ever had. Known as the Mercy Mercy band the album has a variety of music from straight ahead jazz to big band blues to a full length suite. Of particular interest is Channel One Suite. This recording was recently voted as the best drum record of all time by the readers of Modern Drummer magazine. The performances by Buddy and the individual soloists are incredible. A must have for all big band fans.

One of those rare treats combining a dynamite performance, a very "hip" crowd and a well-engineered recording, this is one of the all-time BEST big jazz-band albums EVER! The soloists are Art Pepper, Don Menza, Bill Prince, Rick Stepton and Walt Namuth, plus Buddy, of course ! ( My old high-school buddy, John Laws, is on the bari-sax chair, but with all of the talent on the band, doesn't get heard here...even though he is a superb player). These guys put the audience in a trance. Then there is TERRIFIC ensemble playing by a great band. ( Check out the "iron chops" performance of Al Porcino on lead trumpet ). This session was done around 2:00 in the morning (after the band had already played 2 or 3 sets) for an invitation-only audience of hollywood and record-industry VIP's. I score it the audience wins in overtime, because the performance was so good ! The music included another Bill Reddie compostion, "Channel One Suite" (like its predecessor, "West Side Story Medley," the Las Vegas composer's 2nd piece for Buddy was also included in Buddy's will...never to be played by another drummer). There are also charts from many of my favorite arrangers: Phil Wilson contributed the title track, "Chelsea Bridge" and "Mr. Lucky"; Allyn Ferguson (who wrote for the summer-replacement TV show the band had); Don Piestrup and Don Menza also add great charts. Just buy this and listen to it, then you'll understand why the personnel on this edition of Buddy's band became known simply as "The Mercy,Mercy Band." Crank it up and invite the guys into the living room ( along with a few hundred "close friends") and you can almost feel the room ROCK!

I bought this album because the high school marching band i am in played Channel One Suite for their halftime show. I liked this particular song, so i bought the album. It is the most amazing piece of drumming i have ever heard. It is also very fun to play along with. Every time i listen to this album, which is a couple times a day, i hear something new in the drumming that i didnt hear the time before, like a fill, a left handed roll, or whatever. Plus, Channel One Suite has a great solo in it from the man. It is my personal favorite, even more than West Side Story, and it is live, the way i like it. I highly recommend this.

Say what you want about Buddy Rich--and you could say a hell of a lot. He ignored the avant-gaurd in jazz. He was commerical. He sure as hell had ions to go in the personality department. I had a bass teacher who played me a backstage tape once of Rich yelling at his band backstage--and if were that or being at the end of a napalm attack, I'd wave in the airplanes.

But as a player and arranger and leader you cannot deny massive abilty. No more evidence is needed than Mercy Mercy, a 1960s gig for Rich.

Even the pop songs display the endless talent of Rich's crack band and his amazing drive and technique as a drummer. Even the popular songs here have beefed up arrangements that are awe inducing. Rich could have made the worst elevator pop of the 1960s sound massive and important.

But he did the same or better with advanced compositions: listen to "Channel One Suite," a cinimatic extended piece that catches the big swing you hear in so much 60s program music--think action spy romances--but could work as a classical composition

This band could do anything, and do more than enough with Rich leading on this album