My Little Tribute to BURT BACHARACH

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Andy is a drummer, producer and educator. He has toured the world with rock legend Robert Plant and played on classic prog albums by Frost and IQ.
As a drum clinician he has played with Terry Bozzio, Kenny Aronoff, Thomas Lang, Marco Minneman and Mike Portnoy.
He also teaches drums privately and at Kidderminster College

[@zenwave5272]

“This Guy’s In Love With You” (instrumental version preferred) is one of the prettiest melodies ever written.

[@Pcrimson1]

Several years ago I was rumaging thru a box of used cds for sale. I bought "Blue Bacharach - a Cooler Shaker" on the Blue Note label. I bought it as a kitch joke for a couple of dollars. Turns out its one of my favorite chill out cds to play outside on a warm summer day. After working all day in the yard, you drop this in the player and a cool beer or wine, relax and enjoy your labor, perfect! I didn't realize how great these songs are. I remember them a a kid, thinking it was corny music for my parents. Now I can appreciate them for what they are, sublime pop master pieces. A 2 buck bargin I will always treasure. Andy, thanks for recognizing other musical giants outside the prog and fusion world. You seem to appreciate many genres which some may think as unusual. But as a true music lover, it make sense to explore , recognize, and most important, enjoy many forms of music. Thx!

[@multi-purposebiped7419]

It's almost an impossible task to pick out a favourite Burt Bacharach song but I'm going to stick my neck out and say "24 Hours from Tulsa". Just. Plain. Fabulous. I don't think there's any fan of any genre who doesn't have a Burt Bacharach song they like. RIP great man.

[@herculesrockefeller8969]

Let's not forget the fantastic "Walk on by" , my favorite version by The Stranglers! 🙃

[@tonydonato8523]

His collaborations with Dionne Warwick and Elvis Costello were stunning.

[@kzustang]

This is "The look of Love" composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1967

[@Pwecko]

I didn't expect to be listening to Chico Arnez today. Life is full of surprises.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

neither did I to be honest....

[@stefanredin854]

Burt is the soundtrack of my life. Your soundsystem sounds great Andy!

[@lupcokotevski2907]

Love Burt/Hal. In my top 3 favourite songwriters.

[@ursula3438]

Thanks for the tribute Andy, Burt wrote some of the most perfect melodies ever, I just hope these genius legends are not forgotten in the future.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Thanks for listening

[@TractorCountdown]

'Emotionally advanced' - that's a good way of putting it.

[@bertiebebop7068]

There's a tribute album produced by John Zorn (Tzadik, 1997). The interpretations of the songs are all over the place, from drum solo pieces (Alfie) to surf rock (Don't Go Breaking My Heart). There won't be many people who like everything on it, but it's an interesting album and this is a good time to dust it off. Thanks for the work, Andy!

[@hakanwaerner1933]

I’ve loved his music since I was ten

[@markcapofari8419]

Thanks - a great musician JazzTimes has a nice article and snippets of him in the studio with great accompanists

[@kevinogracia1615]

I didn't know he passed. My parents had a lot of his albums. Warwick comes to mind, too. A great melodicist with his last two lyricists. And his stuff with Elvis, Yea. Check out The Stranglers "Walk on By." It's sweet. Peace on earth.

[@loucontino4804]

My late friend & drum teacher, Gary Chester, used to tell me about his work with Burt. He loved that man and said no one ever treated him better. Gary passed in 1987 and I pray he met up with Burt in Heaven. Rest in Peace.

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

Gary's two instructional books...huge influence on me. I struggled to get through them but his approach changed the way I approached the kit. A legendary drummer and teacher

[@lupcokotevski2907]

He should be as well known as Hal Blaine. He played on one of my favourite albums: New York Tendaberry (1969) by Laura Nyro.

[@loucontino4804]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer I spent '83 to '86 with Gary and when he passed I cried like a baby. I loved him more than I can express. I broke my behind, singing everything, playing left hand lead, right hand lead; working beat by beat, bar by bar, and line by line to flow those pages like a piece of music every week. And I taped myself and gave Gary the tapes to listen too. I was nurturing so much all at once, I didn't even realize it til years later. But, I think the real blessing for me personally was being around Gary. He wasn't always the nicest guy and he could get very salty at times, but he was a father figure, a dutch uncle and my friend. 36 years after he passed, I miss him immensely.

[@loucontino4804]

​@@lupcokotevski2907 Hal Blaine had the entire Wall of Sound behind him and that was hugely instrumental to Hal's success. Those folks made hit after hit after hit as a unit. Gary saw so many different musicians in the Brill Building down in NY where he worked as Atlantic's house drummer, that he never had the full entourage to catapult him into the limelight like the Wall Of Sound. He was hired to either play or contract the date and went in, chart, read, out. On to the next studio on the next floor. He did that for 20 years. And it wasn't always peaches and cream, especially as he got older and more know-it-all engineers came into the mix. Ya know, play these Evans Hydraulics tuned way down and oh read all the Flam Taps in the chart on the toms at 96 bpm. You gotta have some strength for that. I was hanging with Gary in '85 and we went down to see Billy Cobham and Billy knew Gary and asked Gary if he still went down to the studios to work. Gary told him, "No way. I got my money and got the hell out." Billy said I 'hear ya'! For me I was stunned, how could they feel this way. Well I'm 63 now and I can tell you, over time, it's just a job.I get it now.

[@lupcokotevski2907]

@@loucontino4804 Yep, good point and thanks for the info. I can understand the session thing: I watch Nashville's top session guitarist, Tom Bukovac, on his Homeskoolin channel talk candidly about session work. Highly recommended. Cheers.

[@2407paul]

You simply cannot do without these great songs. There is always somebody whistling, singing playing this.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

What’s it all about Andy. Burt was a great composer

[@tonyhodgkinson4586]

From an era when music had real melody, and not forgetting Hal David contributions.

[@elbib2446]

rip burt,songwriter supreme,cool version,reminds me of maynard fergusons big band

[@MrLeeBee]

Andy is so right , Lovely tribute sir !!!

[@goldenbough5574]

'Don't Make Me Over' is a beautiful song. It goes up an octave at the 'Accept me for what I am' bit. Dionne was one of the few who could hit that note.

[@martinrenzhofer8241]

This version of "The Look of Love" perfectly illustrates Bacharach's gift - his music can be played simply on an acoustic guitar or with a complex arrangement by a big band and the song works either way.

[@kzustang]

Amazing song writer and a composer. A true legend.

[@contrabandivory]

Check out a solo version of “Alfie” Burt at the piano and vocals. Sublime. Contour records have some of the best bass response mastering around. Great clip Andy

[@Emlizardo]

Dig the outro to B.J. Thomas's recording of Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head - measures of 4/4 alternating with 5/4, on mainstream radio yet!

[@aldomolinari3065]

B.J. Thomas have another gem with Burt Bacharach ; ''Long Ago Tomorrow''!!.

[@ediblehorse]

I like Chico's version! So many covers of Bacharach/David songs. I've been a long time fan but never heard the Stranglers version of "Walk on By". A true testament to a great songwriter is what a diverse span of musicians have recorded his songs. I love your comment about there being "nothing easy" about easy listening music. I have not heard that one before. So true. Cheers Andy from Chicago

[@steverogers2635]

Thank you for this nice tribute Andy. I particularly loved Isaac Hayes' covers of his tunes. He was truly one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century. RIP Mr. Bacharach.

[@preservedmoose]

The album he did with Elvis Costello "Painted from Memory" is superb - you should give that a listen.

[@richardthurston2171]

Also Bill Frisell's "The Sweetest Punch". A companion album to "Painted..." Instrumental versions featuring Bill's band with Elvis singing on a couple of tracks. Likewise check out "Great Jewish Music: Burt Bacharach" on John Zorn's Tzadik label with a host of musicians showing the love for Burt's music. Also in that series are records of Marc Bolan and Serge Gainsbourg among others.

[@F.O.H.]

Burt Bacharach was such a giant in the music world. Recently we've lost so many greats. I know no-one will replace them but will the younger generation have the talent to take their place?

[@harrycuerden5266]

Amazing how much great music he created. Long life great talent.

[@johncleary6126]

Massive fan.From the edgy meters in 'Say a little Prayer' to the absolute fucking Norfolks in 'San Jose' burt along with hal David was a proto prog genius

[@ursula3438]

But Burt's melodies were seamless. Which prog band could write melodies like that (any suggestions)? A lot of prog band's meter changes or modulations are clunky in comparison (I'm not a prog fan or expert tbh, but love Andy's channel anyway).

[@johncleary6126]

@@ursula3438 I can't disagree. However for prog-tastic yet beautiful melodies I'd recommend Oh No/Orange County Lumber Truck by Frank Zappa or say, Limelight by Rush

[@ursula3438]

@@johncleary6126 Thanks, I'll check them out.

[@onsenkuma1979]

'Walk on By' was the melody that hooked me in the mid '60s...Dionne Warwick (the best interpreter of Bacharach/David). The Stranglers' cover was cool (Bacharach meets the Doors). RIP to an utter genius of pop composition and arrangement...

[@lilyk3734]

lol about time

[@davestephens6421]

And Burt loved bebop......

[@Ed-Topo-108]

Bacharach studied under The great Henry Cowell & worked early on with Marlene Dietrich.. could definitely do both Avant Garde and Easy Listening. What a genius!

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

Close to You

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZqvg4mvoJ1kb9U

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

@@AndyEdwardsDrummer Thanks , I remember seeing this guy on TV some years ago .

[@lupcokotevski2907]

Saw him at the Sydney Hilton with my ex wife, the table right in front of him. At the end of the show he took my wife's hands and told her that he really enjoyed her, she being very attractive. The band asked us to go out with them. I graciously declined.

[@martinbroten9467]

I really loved the Bacharach stuff from the 60s. Especially the songs done by Dionne Warwick. Always loved "Anyone Who Had A Heart". I've seen this written out in at least 3 different meters (15/8, alternating bars of 5/4 & 4/4 or 6/8 & 9/8) but it flows like someone spilling their guts. Talk about complex but accessible... kzbin.info/www/bejne/p37WmnqDgK19bs0

[@zootallures6470]

As a teenager I started hearing the trumpets in his music. A lot of trumpets. Later on I started listening to the arrangements too. Great composer!

[@2407paul]

I always liked Lalo Schifrin too

[@AndyEdwardsDrummer]

I love him...check out my video next week: Prog at the Movies...

[@1eflat]

Alfie

[@croydonmassive]

Why did he disappear after the 60's, early 70's? Was it that he needed the lyrics of Hal David to pull the best out of him?

[@lindajiron2557]

He didn't disappear. He co wrote with his then wife Carole Bayer Sager, the Christopher Cross title song from the movie Arthur. I think he won an Academy award for it. In the nineties, he co wrote a wonderful album with Elvis Costello.

[@croydonmassive]

@Linda Jiron still only a handful of tunes over a 30 year period.

[@lindajiron2557]

@@croydonmassive I think he could pick and choose what he wanted to do. Don't forget he was getting up there in age.

[@croydonmassive]

@Linda Jiron Yes, I have that Costello collaboration album and it is amazing.

[@davestephens6421]

Diana Krall's version of The Look Of Love....is the definitive for me....

[@shirleymental4189]

The earliest known video of John McLaughlin is him playing in a Burt Bacharach backing band in a British TV special. Though I have to say the ledge that they have put him on looks precarious to say the least.

[@wylieroth3145]

I have a feeling you know who Ric Parnell is/was.