micro-review of the Buddy Rich set

[tranemonk]

okay this set was discussed (pre-arrival) with a great deal of FUROR on this site... Now that I've got it and listened to the whole set once... I must say I like it a lot...

Upsides:

1. REALLY like the flautist and vibes on the last 3 or 4 Cds... Sam Most and Mike Manieri... Had never heard of Most before.... excellent...

2. The live Flip Phillips date.... excellent.. From what I recall some were pissed since (my understanding) this was released on the Phillips box and was re-released on the Rich set... If that's correct, I can understand being ticked. As I didn't have the Phillips set... this was new for me...

3. The band definitely swung...

4. Not as many drum solos as I feared... and many of the solos I actually liked and thought were appopriate and kinda fit musically....

5. Strong Mosaic sound...

Downsides:

1. A FEW too many drum solos... (but this is really minor as I thought there would be a LOT more).

That's it...

I haven't had (and don't know when I will have) a chance to read the booklet yet...

But a STRONG from me... as I had no Rich prior to this. Despite all the strong feelings about this set (and whether he "deserved" the Mosaic treatment), I definitely recommend this set and am glad Mosaic put it together....

Am I the only one who got it?

[dova]

I got it several months ago and have only listened to disc #1. The sound as you say is fantastic, the sidemen are all top drawer,(Sweets, Rowles, Carter,Thad, Webster,Wess,Peterson,Freddie Green,Ray Brown and many more) and being a drummer, I welcome drum solos and so far all with taste. I picked this up because I don't have the majority of these sessions(only This one's for Basie).I also like the small group sound Buddy gets with the cast of allstars as opposed th his routine Big Band groups. Some can be picked up individually in the Verve LPR series, Buddy and Sweets, Blues Caravan. I will get busy and listen to the rest of the set and post additional comments. I like what I heard on disc 1.

Dova

[neveronfriday]

Can't add much that hasn't been said yet.

a) Very good (!) sound on my stereo.

b) Being a drummer myself, I only mind some solos that are a bit too much on the "fireworks" side.

c) I was pleasantly surprised by the overall value of this set. I'm glad I bought it.

[B. Goren.]

Am I the only one who got it?

You are not the only one tranemonk. In general, I tend to agree with you. But if the Mosaic set is the only Rich material you are familiar with, I think you should listen to some of his big band recordings. Try the Pacific Jazz sessions. I believe you will enjoy it. This one is great:

Edited March 29, 2006 by B. Goren.

[Dave James]

Just got this one on Thursday so as of right now, I've made my way through the first two discs. All I can say at this point is one enthusiastic thumb up. I'm an unabashed fan of Buddy Rich, the musician. As I've IMO'd many times before, he's without peer as a jazz drummer. Nonetheless, I confess to having nothing of his in my collection up until now. I'm just not a huge fan of his big band stuff...too many flat out, full speed, over the top charts for my taste. This smaller group stuff just seemed like it might be right up my alley, so I took the plunge.

Yeah, there's a fair amount of solo work, not terribly surprising on a box devoted to a drummer, but if you really sit back and listen to what Rich is doing, it's mind boggling. His solo on a cut from the first disc called "The Monster" is absolutely massive. He jumps right in, quickly builds up a head of steam and then just explodes like a runaway freight train. This thing goes on for 4 1/2 minutes and never lets up, not even for a second. All I can say is "Wow"! Additional props to him for his more subdued work as an accompanist, especially when he breaks out the brushes. Man, that does make for some sweet sounding stuff.

In addition to some prime time Rich, there's a nice helping of Jimmy Rowles and Sonny Criss. Rowles in a most Basie-like "why play three notes when one will do" econo-Count mode and Criss, who's a bit more Parker-esque than you might expect considering the gig, but who fits in quite nicely nonetheless. Lots of tasty Harry Edison as well.

I must also mention the ballad medley on disc one. No one ever played a ballad like Ben Webster, so there's no point in commenting on his contribution. Oscar Peterson, on the other hand, has never done much of anything for me, but his take on "Time After Time" is, in a word, sublime.

Just two discs in, this one is has already made its mark.

Up over and out.

Edited March 28, 2006 by Dave James

[JSngry]

Just got this one on Thursday so as of right now, I've made my way through the first two discs. All I can say at this point is one enthusiastic thumb up. I'm an unabashed fan of Buddy Rich, the musician. As I've IMO'd many times before, he's without peer as a jazz drummer. Nonetheless, I confess to having nothing of his in my collection up until now. I'm just not a huge fan of his big band stuff...too many flat out, full speed, over the top charts for my taste.

Please allow me, a by no means avid Rich fan, to recommend this big band side as a good starting (and perhaps finishing) point:

Of all his PJ big band sides (and I've heard them all in-depth, since they were very much "in the air" when I first got into jazz as a high schooler), this one, overall, has the best charts, and most tasteful readings. Swings like a mofo on more than a few occasions, too. Good stuff, and I've even thought about rebuying it.

[sidewinder]

Another for 'Take It Away'. Definitive version of 'Diabolus' on that one. John Boise's solo trombone feature is also lovely.

Also strongly recommend this one, which is one of the albums that got me into jazz in the first place. I must have spun this LP dozens of time back around 1971/72 (picked up as a bargain bin UK Liberty issue in Woolworths sale ).

A gem of a 'cameo' from Art Pepper (who was on an aborted comeback trail at the time) and great arrangements by Msrs Piestrup, Reddie etc. All of Buddie's PJ CDs are worth getting IMO.

Edited March 27, 2006 by sidewinder

[Ron S]

Another for 'Take It Away'. Definitive version of 'Diabolus' on that one. John Boise's solo trombone feature is also lovely.

Also strongly recommend this one, which is one of the albums that got me into jazz in the first place. I must have spun this LP dozens of time back around 1971/72 (picked up as a bargain bin UK Liberty issue in Woolworths sale ).

A gem of a 'cameo' from Art Pepper (who was on an aborted comeback trail at the time) and great arrangements by Msrs Piestrup, Reddie etc. All of Buddie's PJ CDs are worth getting IMO.

Me too! My Dad picked up the original LP when it first came out in '68 (and still has it, too ) and I used to come home from school and play it over and over and over. I thought Buddy was so cool in that Nehru jacket.

[sidewinder]

Ron S - sounds like it's a small world ! My Uncle was a really big Buddy Rich fan (saw the band on UK tours and had all of the PJ LPs) and I still recall the mega-pissed-off look on his face (priceless) when my mum pulled this LP out for his inspection and mentioned she had picked it up for 50p (or was it 10s?) in the Woolworths sale rack whereas he had paid the full £3-4 or so for it at a specialist shop (quite a bit of cash at the time).

Good thing is that they still have the original, much loved LP but I found a copy of it for about £5 not too long ago to keep me happy.

Edited March 28, 2006 by sidewinder

[Ron S]

Ron S - sounds like it's a small world ! My Uncle was a really big Buddy Rich fan (saw the band on UK tours and had all of the PJ LPs) and I still recall the mega-pissed-off look on his face (priceless) when my mum pulled this LP out for his inspection and mentioned she had picked it up for 50p (or was it 10s?) in the Woolworths sale rack whereas he had paid the full £3-4 or so for it at a specialist shop (quite a bit of cash at the time).

Good thing is that they still have the original, much loved LP but I found a copy of it for about £5 not too long ago to keep me happy.

Next time I visit my parents, I'll have to pull out the ol' World Pacific LP and see how much damage I did almost 40 years ago.

Of course, I now have the CD, which adds 3 bonus tracks.

[Adam]

Just got this one on Thursday so as of right now, I've made my way through the first two discs. All I can say at this point is one enthusiastic thumb up. I'm an unabashed fan of Buddy Rich, the musician. As I've IMO'd many times before, he's without peer as a jazz drummer. Nonetheless, I confess to having nothing of his in my collection up until now. I'm just not a huge fan of his big band stuff...too many flat out, full speed, over the top charts for my taste.

Please allow me, a by no means avid Rich fan, to recommend this big band side as a good starting (and perhaps finishing) point:

Of all his PJ big band sides (and I've heard them all in-depth, since they were very much "in the air" when I first got into jazz as a high schooler), this one, overall, has the best charts, and most tasteful readings. Swings like a mofo on more than a few occasions, too. Good stuff, and I've even thought about rebuying it.

OK, I'll try it.

But a question. after years of reading critics & buying, I've become wary of anything described as "tasteful," which now seems to mean conservative & restrained. Please tell me that it's not too tasteful.

[JSngry]

Hey - it's a Buddy Rich big band. "Tasteful" is relative.

[BERIGAN]

His first big band recordings are well worth hearing as well, IMHO. And he really did sound like Sinatra when he sang!

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