Product Description

Buddy and his band at the height of their popularity and influence, with seven arrangements that display not only Buddy Rich's virtuosity but his unsurpassed musicianship, as well. Included is a rare example of Buddy on brushes and a brilliant rendition of his signature piece, the medley from West Side Story.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56611 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-02-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Compilation, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 60 minutes

Customer Reviews

Buddy Rich Swoings at 1982 Montreal Festival
This is another great DVD of the Great Buddy Rich and his big band. The number selection is very good showing a leader at his best. Some reviewers think that all Buddy does is do solos, but not true. He drives his bands to near perfection. I recommend this DVD to all Buddy Rich fans.

Hypnotic Drumming
I was originally going to give this four stars, with maybe a half knocked off because some of the band's arrangements were a bit ponderous and the video, which if clean and with good resolution, might be a tad better. But what the hell, forget all that stuff and just watch and listen to perhaps the greatest jazz drummer of all time at the height of his powers driving a band that looks just barely out of high school. It's hard to believe that the guy was 65 and only had five more years to live, getting cut down unexpectedly by a brain tumor. What knocked me over here is not the overall power of Buddy's drumming, but its delicacy (particularly some stunning brush work), which some superb camera work caught beautifully. And,yes, the sound is absolutely first rate.

I've mentioned that some of the arrangements seem a bit ponderous. Like Stan Kenton, who also kept a big band going during this period, there's a tendency towards a rock beat that is great on rhythm (good thing for a drummer!) and ensemble playing, and sometimes weak on melody line, what with lots of pieces all sounding somewhat alike. Fortunately, this album balances some of this with terrific swinging pieces, including Buddy's somewhat signature West Side Story one, and a terrific Carioca. And, the bonus of a much earlier Green Dolphin Street captures one incredible bit of drumming.

Buddy Rich was an original. This dvd (which I saw as demonstration for VHS over 20 years ago) is a big band treasure and Hudson is to be congratulated for bringing it out. I'm hoping that someone can find the tape of a PBS Tommy Dorsey special from about 18 years ago which featured Buddy, Mel Torme, Maureen McGovern, Buddy Morrow and Jack Jones. Buddy was at his best in one of his very last performances, and we got a hint of his work with one of the greatest of all big bands.

one for the ages
Neil Peart, in his liner notes for the tribute "Burning for Buddy," quotes the influence of the man as thus: "genius is the fire that lights itself." I used this quote to describe Stanley Kubrick in my review of his DVD collection, and fittingly so, it accurately summarizes the talent of undoubtedly the greatest, most influential drummer of the 20th century. Being a percussionist myself for 28 years, it never ceases to amaze me the fluidity and effortless motions Buddy created with a simple, 4-piece kit, from the crossover techniques and double bass patterns on a single foot pedal, to the infamous "whipped cream roll," a lick that he learned from the New Orleans jazz cats of the '30s and '40s. Truly it is a joy and a sight to behold when this man sat behind the set and made magic.

I had the good fortune to witness one of his final performances in Orlando at the Lake Eola Jazz Festival in 1986, and was summarily disappointed, in getting within 15 feet of him at the end of the show, by his arrogance and bitter attitude towards his musicians and the general public. Most misunderstood geniuses tend to be left to their own devices in person, so I guess it's no shock to discover the perfectionist in him that unleashed its wrath that day. Nevertheless, no one can deny his greatness on the skins, and the signature show at the Montreal Jazz festival affirms this. the "Channel One Suite" will always be tied to his legacy, and he treats it on this night with precision and grace. Steve Marcus and the band are in top form as usual, yet they seem forced to give up the spots to Buddy when directed. Ah, the trials of being a sideman; the star always shines brightest on the one whose name signs the checks.

I hope to see the vaults opened up one day and a comprehensive disc put together of Buddy's numerous appearances on the Tonight Show, with Ed Shaugnessy (himself a drumming legend) just sitting in the background smiling and soaking it up. Until then, we'll just have to settle for gems like this. A must for anyone who appreciates a singular musician who created a revoultion for his instrument.