Bernard “Buddy” Rich (1917-1987) is considered one of the best and most influential drummers in the world, not only among jazz drummers, but also for rock- and pop-stars such as Phil Collins and Led Zeppelins Jon Bonham. At twenty-years of age, the son of two vaudeville artists began his career as a jazz musician, at first in the big bands of Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey (including Frank Sinatra), Harry James, Woody Herman, and Count Basie. With the financial help of Sinatra, with whom he enjoyed a lifelong friendship, he founded his own band in 1946, which also featured him as a vocalist. Producer Norman Granz particularly appreciated Rich and his drumming and hired him for sessions with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, or as an accompanist on masterpieces by Louis Armstrong with Ella Fitzgerald. In addition to his famous encounters with Art Tatum, Lester Young, Lionel Hampton, Nat King Cole and Flip Phillips, Rich also played famous “duels” with his drum-colleagues Gene Krupa and Max Roach. His three albums as a vocalist are wonderful, with only a little something missing that would have made him Sinatras rival.
Let’s Fall in Love
Me and My Jaguar
Just Blues
Sweets’ Opus No. 1
Strike It Rich
Sportin’ Life (“Sweetie Pie”)
Buddy’s Blues
Bernie’s Tune
Gene’s Blues
Sweethearts On Parade
I Never Knew
Back to the Land
I’ve Found a New Baby
I Cover the Waterfront
Somebody Loves Me
I Want to Be Happy
The Man I Love
Mean to Me
Peg O’ My Heart
The Monster
Sunday
Smooth One
Broadway
Funky Blues
Indiana
Stardust
Goodbye
Salute to Pres
Swedish Pastry
Carioca
Take the ‘A’ Train
Bugle Call Rag
I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
Three Little Words
Flip’s Boogie
Goody Goody
Out of This World
Skylark
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)
Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)
Blues in the Night
Day In, Day Out
Trav’lin’ Light
Too Marvelous for Words
This Time the Dream’s on Me
Dream
Idaho
Sophisticated Lady
Flying Home
Drum Boogie
The Drum Battle
Perdido
Blue and Sentimental
Down for Double
Jump for Me
Blues for Basie
Jumpin’ at the Woodside
Ain’t It the Truth
Shorty George
9:20 Special
Yellow Rose of Brooklyn
Easy Does It
All Sweets
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Barney’s Bugle
Now’s the Time
You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me
What Is This Thing Called Love
I’ll Never Be The Same
Makin’ Whoopee
Hallelujah
Perdido
More Than You Know
How High The Moon
Cathy
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
It’s All Right with Me
Over the Rainbow
You Took Advantage of Me
Can’t We Be Friends?
It’s Only a Paper Moon
My Melancholy Baby
Cheek to Cheek
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)
I Hadn’t Anyone Till You
Everything Happens To Me
Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
Sure Thing
Glad To Be Unhappy
Ballad Medley: Over The Rainbow/ You’ve Changed/Time After Time/This Is Always/My Heart Stood Still/I Hadn’t Anyone Till You
Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing)
The Casbah
Sleep
Figure Eights
Yesterdays
Big Foot
Limehouse Blues
Toot, Toot, Tootsie Goodbye
Lover, Come Back to Me
Topsy
Undecided
Broadway
Jumpin’ at the Woodside
Indiana (Back Home Again in Indiana)
Richcraft
Sweets Tooth
Clap Hands! Here Comes Charley!
Yardbird Suite
Cherokee (Indian Love Song)
I Want a Little Girl
From the Sticks
Song of the Islands
Down The Old Ox Road
(I Was) Born To Be Blue
I’ve Heard That Song Before
I Want A Little Girl
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
You’ve Changed
Me And My Shadow
(Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young
It’s Been A Long, Long Time
I Donït Want To Walk Without You
Back In Your Own Back Yard
Brainwashed
A Swinging Serenade
Big Leg Mary
Straight, No Chaser
Bloody Mary
A Night in Tunisia
Miss Bessie’s Cookin’
Blowin’ the Blues Away
B.R. Blues
Late Date
Caravan
Young Blood
I Remember Clifford
Lulu’s Back In Town
Playtime
Will You Still Be Mine?
Fascinating Rhythm
Makin’ Whoopee
Marbles
Misty
Cheek to Cheek
Jumpin’ at the Woodside
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)
Duet
Night Train
King Porter Stomp
Perdido
Evolution
Hawaiian War Chant