Buddy Rich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Buddy Rich | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Bernard Rich | |
| Also known as | Traps the Drum Wonder | |
| Born | September 30, 1917 | |
| Origin | Brooklyn, New York | |
| Died | April 2, 1987 (age 69) | |
| Genre(s) | Jazz, Big band | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, bandleader | |
| Instrument(s) | Drums and percussion | |
| Years active | 1919–1987 | |
| Associated acts |
Joe Marsala Bunny Berigan Artie Shaw Benny Carter Harry James Les Brown Charlie Ventura Jazz at the Philharmonic Nat King Cole |
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| Website | http://www.buddyrich.com/ | |
Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 Brooklyn, New York – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuoso technique, power, speed and ability to improvise.
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[edit] Early life
Rich was born to Jewish parents who were vaudevilians. His talent for rhythm was first noted by his father, who saw that Buddy could keep a steady beat with spoons at the age of one. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as "Traps the Drum Wonder". At the peak of Rich's childhood career, he was reportedly the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world (after Jackie Coogan). At 11 he was performing as a bandleader. He received no formal drum instruction, and went so far as to claim that instruction would only degrade his musical talent. He also never admitted to practicing, claiming to play the drums only during performances. He expressed great admiration for, and was influenced by, the playing of Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, and Jo Jones, among others.
He first played jazz in 1937 with Joe Marsala's group, then played with Bunny Berigan (1938) and Artie Shaw (1939). In 1939, Rich taught drums to the young Mel Brooks, and persuaded Artie Shaw to allow a 13-year-old Brooks to attend Shaw's recording sessions in Manhattan.
In addition to Tommy Dorsey (1939–1942, 1945, 1954–1955), Rich also played with Benny Carter (1942), Harry James (1953-1956), Les Brown, Charlie Ventura, and Jazz at the Philharmonic, as well as leading his own band and performing with all-star groups.
[edit] Big Band success and later life
For most of the period from 1966 until his death, he led a successful big band in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from their 1930s and 40s peak. His most popular performance was a big band arrangement of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story. In the early 1970s he commented upon how odious he found the emerging Mormon boy band, The Osmonds, especially Donny Osmond. Later, he sometimes wore a Donny Osmond badge on his lapel while performing. One of his most seen television performances was in a 1981 episode [1] of The Muppet Show, where he engaged Muppet drummer "Animal" in a drum battle. Beginning in 1962, he was also a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. It has been reported that Rich gave Carson a drumset sponsored by Matthew Scott Herning Co, as Carson was a practicing drummer in his spare time.
[edit] Personality
Although Rich was usually a helpful and friendly man, he was also known to have a short temper. In many instances, he took advantage of the high respect he commanded. While he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom actually did so and for the most part, he lauded his band members during television and print interviews. Rich's quick temper, mercurial attitude, and imposing personality are attested to in secret recordings members of his band made of some of his tantrums on tour buses and backstage.
On these recordings, one can hear Buddy Rich firing a member of his band for wearing a beard. [2]
These recordings, long circulated in bootleg form, have done much to fuel the reputation of Rich's personality. Tapes were popular with comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, who used quotes from the tapes more or less directly on Seinfeld, "If I have to tell you again, we're gonna take it outside and I'm gonna show you what it's like!", "This guy - this is not my kind of guy" and "Then let's see how he does up there, without all the assistance."
[edit] Death and legacy
Buddy Rich remained active until the end of his life, appearing with his Big Band on Michael Parkinson's British talk show Parkinson only a few weeks prior to his death. In the episode, Parkinson kidded Rich about his Donny Osmond kick, by claiming that Rich was the president of Osmonds fan club. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything he replied, "Yes ... country music!" On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. He is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.
Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, the album features performances of Rich live staples by a number of famous rock and jazz drummers, all accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997.
[edit] Buddy Rich and Popular Culture
One line of the popular Beastie Boys' song "Sabotage" reads "I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle". This could be in reference to either Rich's aforementioned temper or his drumming speed capabilities.
In Weird Al's song "Close but no Cigar" on the album "Straight Outta Lynwood, he says his heart was beating like a Buddy Rich solo.
[edit] Multimedia
- Audio sample of "I'll Never Be the Same" by Rich and Lionel Hampton
[edit] Biography
- Mel Torme, 1991. Traps,The Drum Wonder: The Life of Buddy Rich.
