The Buddy Rich Orchestra "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" on The Ed Sullivan Show

[@philipatoz]

Simple fantastic! Buddy was a killer! And what a terrific arrangement and adaptation of the Beatle's iconic song!

[@Hyslop65]

Sam Burtis is the trombone soloist. I went to Ithaca College with him. He is still playing and working in NYC. Great talent.

[@kevingoins9858]

IC alum here. Recall spinning this and other Buddy Rich LPS on WICB-FM in the 80s from this period (Pacific Jazz label). Some of the best swing discs I played.

[@gregjones2376]

Hopefully Buddy didn't excoriate him like he did some of his other musicians...up there, without all the assistance.

[@Hyslop65]

@@gregjones2376 Sam told me the Ed Sullivan show was his first gig with Buddy and Sam lasted for awhile but then left for studio and broadway work. I met Buddy. He could be charming but also very difficult ( ya think ).

[@gregjones2376]

@@Hyslop65 Sam's solo was amazing.

[@Hyslop65]

@@gregjones2376 Sam is a fine player. He left Ithaca to go to Berklee in Boston . He still plays and teaches in NYC

[@kevingoins9858]

Man does this swing hard or what! Loved Buddy's work from this period.

[@cinerama88]

I remember this performance from one of the 30-minute "Best Of Ed Sullivan" compilations

[@speedoflite1]

To This day, BR is still one the very best drummers who ever lived. (His unique speed, dexterity, power, and finesse), to name a few of his skillsets. Drumming is an artform, that changes from one artist to the next. Like a fine singer, piano player, trumpet or bassist. BR was one of a kind.

[@jpathak6227]

Greatest pair of hands of any drummer I have ever seen including the great Gene Krupa.

[@speedoflite1xspeedoflite1]

@@jpathak6227 Great feet too! Check out his Double Bass Drum Solo 1949 NY Paramount.

[@iainadam1005]

Without a doubt, a truer ever spoken or written.

[@johntechwriter]

Well, Gene Krupa was a strong influence on Buddy. Not just on playing, but far more important, at self promotion. Were these guys the greatest percussionists in jazz? Su-u-u-re.

[@johntechwriter]

A brilliant interpretation of an early Beatles song. Buddy’s drum kit is tiny, but he sounds like three percussionists working in synchrony. And he lets his band shine. Great stuff.

[@mfredricknew]

love watching Buddy when he is in "a groove"

[@ultra_toxic3131]

Exaclty why I keep coming back to this video

[@leosmith105]

What a great band. Very fun to watch Buddy in a groove like that.

[@timtebowsleftarm5368]

This was hours after the same network aired the greatest football game of all time, the Ice Bowl. Now imagining slo mo footage of the game-winning drive to that insane music.

[@anthonywilliams6764]

You should have been there in Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club in Soho London in 1970. The band closed the first set with this great song by the Beatles. It brought the audience to it's feet, and the applause lasted for five minutes after the band left the tiny stage, and went to the bar.

[@mikeriley6073]

I was there too. Had a table right in front of his base drum. Ronnie came over and asked if we’d kindly move as Buddy’s daughter was coming to the show and he would like her in front of him. Naturally, we accepted an alternative table . A round of drinks later appeared! Another time my mother in law had to be held down or I swear she would have been ON THE TABLE - she could not contain herself with that fantastic band in such a small venue.

[@davemiller4721]

No clams, boys - this is the Sullivan show!!

[@joeday4293]

If you mess up on the Ed Sullivan show, I'm going to show you what it's like!

[@BrianWrynn]

A music management company in the 1960s received a letter addressed "For the World's Greatest Drummer." Puzzled, someone said "Send it to Gene Krupa, he is still alive and I liked him." Gene Krupa got the mail next, saw it, and said "Buddy Rich is going to be mad if I accept this." So he mailed it to Buddy. Buddy got the mail and exclaimed "This has to be for me!" so he opened it. The letter said "Dear Ringo . . .""

[@LeonardSmith-qv8do]

MMMMmmmm very funny ,,,,not ha ha

[@permpress]

IDK, I got a ha! out've it 😋

[@dgf6275]

😂😂😂

[@you_tubeslonelyheartsclubband]

Honestly anyone of those drummers would've killed it(though I'm more of a Ringo, or Joe Morello fan).

[@oliverganley6178]

This story is made even funnier when you consider something Buddy Rich actually said once. “Ringo Starr was adequate. Nothing more than that”.

[@jad1175]

I first saw him in 1968 at Brandi’s Warf in Philly. Never expected his incredible playing

[@malinwj1167]

Thru the 60s, Buddy seemed so chill. When the 70s came, it was "look out!", never know whom you were going to get 😬😳

[@TomElvisSmith]

With this posting, all the musical performances from this episode, the last show of 1967 (broadcast on New Year's Eve), have been posted and can be watched on this channel! The others are Jay and the Techniques "Keep the Ball Rolling", Vikki Carr "It Must Be Him", Miriam Makeba "Pata, Pata" and Gianna D'Angelo "Una voce poca fa".

[@GuppyCzar]

@Tom Smith do you happen to know who the alto saxophonist that performed the solo is?

[@jillkjv3816]

I love Miriam with Harry Belafonte. ❤

[@timhoovermusicman]

Enjoyed?

[@TomElvisSmith]

@@GuppyCzar No, I'm sorry I don't. Good to hear from you though!

[@BenneWill]

@@GuppyCzar I believe that is Steve Marcus. A legend in his own right.

[@frst9994]

Hopefully the uploader/editor see this. Please leave on the interviews and interactions the artist have with Ed at the end of Performances, these uploads are a gift but those moments/interviews don't have to be edited out. Those moments are special too, hopefully the uploader/editor will consider!!

[@jadezee6316]

one of the greatest drummers of all time, Rich's solos were legendary. It was during one of these performances in 1982 in the Dominican Republic working with Sinatra, that Rich suffered a heart attack in the middle of his solo though he finished the performance to a raucous standing ovation... a true legend, Buddy Rich.

[@thecrippledrummer]

it was actually heat stroke, not a heart attack, which would still be tough to play through.

[@robertmayer2748]

My parent's were at that show in the D.R. I saw Buddy many times. I think he was the best and there were/are alot of great drummmer's.

[@BrianH020]

​​​@@thecrippledrummer Actually, JadeZee is correct. Cathy Rich herself confirmed Buddy was having a heart attack during the Sinatra performance. If you seek out a video of her and Greg Potter talking about Buddy Rich, you'll hear it out of her own mouth. Heart attack, not heat stroke... Let me also add, via Mel Torme's book, as well as being widely known, Buddy had a series of heart attacks during his life. While this was the most famous probably, it was not the most serious which was to come. That is the one that led to his quadruple bypass surgery. Which again, he did the unthinkable by performing a mere 7 weeks after surgery. There's a wonderful clip of one of Buddy's performances and visits to Johnny Carson where he talks about this. Johnny is visibly moved to see him, after the heart attack and surgery. Tremendous clip.. And I see that you have posted that particular clip 😁

[@jadezee6316]

@@BrianH020 thanks for the affirmation....i never make a comment unless i am sure of what i say and anyone can do a simple search to confirm it was indeed a heart attack.. to add a bit to your comment it is well known that many of the musicians of the day including the drummers like Rich and Krupa....routinely if not additively used amphetamines to perform which very likely contribute to heart issues... thanks

[@jadezee6316]

@@thecrippledrummer no harm in being a crippled drummer but a crippled researcher is of no value

[@daudder]

quite good...beautiful melody from the Beatles....jazzed up

[@vincentanderson8176]

Nice to see Buddy play those Vibes chrome drums, finally got to see them!😃👍

[@timothycarter9208]

Yeah, cool kit!

[@selmonb921]

@JH Well all you have to do is look at the LUGS!! Unique to only Fibes

[@michelsimard2073]

Love the way camera is positioning and of course great performance ...

[@MrGraeme1997]

One of my favorites 2. I remember even seeing this every so often in the recent reruns on Decades and METV. This whole group is a natural and always sound like a breath of fresh air everytime I listen to them.

[@josealbinosantosnogueira6013]

Eternal Beatles!

[@MZVIRB]

He taught one of my ex-drummers (Buddy Greco Jr) some neat tricks!

[@Johnnycdrums]

Tenor man rattling it off, like he has a few of his own.

[@johndiraimo1444]

​@@Johnnycdrums That's the great Ernie Watts.

[@buddyrichman]

Love the look on the guitarist's face at the end! Amazing how the drums were recorded with just one microphone. Nowadays there would be multiple mikes covering all the individual drums and cymbals.

[@Wygruce]

Came to say the same - that little smile gets me every time!

[@mellilore]

...and the outcome woudn't sound as good, IMHO.

[@NN-ul4oy]

The guitar player missed the next to the last note! Waiting for Buddy's bawling out!

[@marbleman52]

@@NN-ul4oy I replayed that a few times and I will disagree, I think that was a deliberate musical pause...whatever the proper term is.

[@NN-ul4oy]

@@marbleman52 You should rather replay a few times the original of the Beatles and then you know. And even in Buddy's version the brass play the note that is missing with the guitar player. He missed the string!

[@jillkjv3816]

Totally awesome! 👍

[@dme1016]

Actually, this performance was pretty average for a group of good professional musicians. I was one myself. Nothing really stood out as being particularly "awesome" about this performance, except to laymen.

[@benmacdhui]

There'll never be another like him

[@kerryknauf8196]

Wow amazing

[@stvp68]

Love this arrangement

[@guyklose8416]

I think by Bill Holman.

[@Dana_Danarosana]

​@@guyklose8416 That's correct.

[@sophocles1198]

Way over orchestrated to me.

[@ferdinandwang1165]

Cannot escape the influence of the Beatles. Even Bernard (Buddy) found this song catchy.

[@jameskirkbydrums]

them fibes drums sounded lovely! :)

[@bobbyd1019]

Swinging to the Fab Four...Wow!

[@sammyvh11]

I saw Buddy in the late 1970s at University of Maryland Cole Field House. Memorable evening. Was totally jaw dropping.

[@gdwfs]

Adore this channel. Happier times. 😊

[@PeteDei]

Great band all around

[@MrDlm44]

Ernie Watts playing alto; later big on tenor with Charlie Haden, Quartet West.

[@johnhourigan6049]

Love the crane and dolly-in camera work here!

[@davidmolina5023]

Long Live The Beatles

[@therealeggplant]

I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle!

[@MostlyBrenda]

Notice how many microphones it really takes to tape a live performance. At least one for every two players.

[@WadeAustin-s2h]

Amazing!!❤

[@sammcbride2149]

I like this better than the original Beatles version. And I'm a big Beatles fan, too.

[@johnhourigan6049]

Totally agree!!

[@michaelmigliaccio1939]

Buddy was not a nice man, to say the least, but he could sure play, and his bands were highly entertaining. Thanks for these wonderful videos.

[@daleproctor3723]

The world's greatest drummer with his greatest band.

[@joeschsuster4804]

Good jazzy version of the Beatles song!

[@FenderBassDave]

Lovin the bassist!

[@lordofthemound3890]

“I’ll show you what it’s like!”

[@ahcapella]

"…up there, without all the assistance!"

[@richardandrews5013]

In my opinion, the alto sax solo was the best solo in the song.

[@edufau815]

The echoes of the memorable duel of drummers on the Sammy Davis Jr. Show in 1966 still sound, between Rich and Gene Krupa, two of the greatest in the history of this instrument...

[@brianwrynn3109]

Have a video of that?

[@edufau815]

​@@brianwrynn3109 Yeah sure, there are videos of it on KZbin, just look it up as Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich famous drum battle...

[@henryzhao4622]

This is the greatest drummer in the world? I didn’t even want to listen a second time how can he be good

[@NelsonMontana1234]

Believe it or not, your opinion does not determine what has merit and what does not. Better off to leave that to people who know what they're talking about.

[@tpdnepatsfan]

Educate yourself…plenty of Buddy Rich out there to make a decision

[@WWChampion16]

Good instrumental of a Beatles song.

[@stevefaure415]

You forget just how bizarre is it for a drummer to pull off being the band leader. There's a only a handful of examples. And Buddy did it in no half-ass way to be sure. What a maniac, with an ego to match. I don't know if it would have been possible for him to just sit back and support the band, it all had to be on him even during the horn solos. Huge talent.

[@m42037]

He's the GOAT end of story

[@georgekilroy2670]

Well he did play for Shaw, Dorsey and James to name a few, and they counted the band in not Buddy…His band he counted it in depending on his mood, which from those he played with, he mixed up to keep them on their toes. Some times the tempo was really fast!

[@scotabot7826]

But he wasted it all on his horrible personality!! He could have been so much more, so much more!!!

[@djangorheinhardt]

Anyone know if the guitar player was Walt Namuth !please .

[@robertflowers6621]

Just another day behind the set for Buddy, LOL. Helluva drummer with an ego to match.

[@tonetheman]

If there is ever a movie made about Buddy Rich the actor should be Ed Helms. He looks so much like Andy to me in this clip.

[@thebluntmonk1799]

Holy shit, buddy rich is a fuckin god on that set!

[@davehire1433]

The biggest thing on TV that day: The Ice Bowl! It is cold in Green Bay.

[@jacko222333]

smile Buddy smile.

[@jamesheath7601]

Best drummer ever

[@robertlowery5586]

Yeah, Johnny BABY- you gotta put some SWING in it MAN!!!

[@roybeckerman9253]

Buddy was 50 here. He switched back to Slingerland, the next year..

[@KeithGreenshields]

What a mystery, the reappearing disappearing guitar player.

[@dwodo21]

I’m pretty sure if you zoom in, he’s there there whole time comping quietly, sitting hidden behind one of the trombonist.

[@oldericjohnson6009]

The Band is tight and Buddy is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

[@Lewy3958]

Hi RC i put a lovely tribute to God on here last week on his birthday . And another on his find a grave site . Im coming to Westwood Park 2nd April next year where he is interred .

[@muffinman4353]

Met him in person on three occasions, what a rotten and arrogant man. My eight year old nephew at that time was so happy to see him, asked him for his autograph, he was so rude and refused. Not only was he disappointed, but also teared up. Rich was his idol, was listening to all his jazz records and was trying to emulate his style.....Rich was a creep.

[@markconrad4160]

That's how arrogant people are.

[@scotabot7826]

Yes, sadly they say, never meet you "idols"!!! There's a good reason for it too!!

[@brianchisnell1548]

Must have been you. He was kind to me. I was a huge fan. Saw him many times.

[@Selmerpilot]

It really depended on when you met him, as in, what happened 5 minutes earlier and with who. Rich did some incredibly kind things for his band members and people in general, but yeah, he was equally the opposite depending on when you caught him. Phil Woods was very much like this as well.

[@ferdinandwang1165]

Bully Rich.

[@willwagnerwaguinho]

O Pelé da Bateria ❤.

[@marvinchase4899]

I liked Buddy Rich, but before Rock'n'Roll, I was a fan of Elvin Jones

[@fredericdesalpes5824]

Amazing !! Great !! ...( why an electric bass ?? ) ... Fred/France

[@nysaxman]

The question is, how did Buddy manage to keep a big band together during the late 1960s when rock and Motown had swept the country. Only a few big bands managed to stay relevant.

[@marvinmuonekejazz]

Like Harry James said when he was once asked if the “big bands will ever return”, the GOOD bands never left and this clip is one of many great examples.

[@johnmcilroy6874]

Si Zentner's big band did pretty well I the 60's

[@saraearriazola4915]

the Beatles and buddy rich whattt

[@allenjones3130]

Way to go, Buddy!

[@grouchosays]

Trombone screws up terribly and Buddy gives him the look. Guy paid for that!

[@charlescuringa7051]

“There will no beards or mustaches in my band,and if I hear any more clams you’re all fired.”

[@recordguy4321]

those bus tapes are as great as his drumming

[@mlaprarie]

"This is not the ****** House of David baseball team."

[@jadezee6316]

@@recordguy4321 Rich cared about the music....though by the time he decided to venture out on his own..thanks to money Sinatra gave him....time had basically passed him by.....

[@recordguy4321]

@@jadezee6316 U is Crazy.... I saw Krupa in 65, he was past his prime and Rich in 68 ,and he was on his game. YeaH I know u idiolize Sinatra and with good reason, but Buddy didnt need Frank anymore. Jack Sperling on the Capitol records and later Hal Blaine on the Reprise records were Sinatra's best drummers anyway

[@thecrippledrummer]

@@recordguy4321 he’s referring to Sinatra fronting Buddy the money to start his first big band in 1946. Big Bands we’re on there way out and his band didn’t stay together long. And your comments about “Frank not needing Buddy anymore,” aren’t based in reality. Buddy didn’t play on Frank’s solo studio recordings, so I have no clue what point you’re trying to make.

[@charliecontrino1626]

Fibes kit here!

[@richardandrews5013]

That was a great alto sax solo on this song! In my opinion, it was better musically than the trombone solo.

[@7karlheinz]

Buddy didn't have to disguise his Fibes snare drum since he is playing a complete Fibes set. Was he in between drum company promotions at the time this was taped?

[@loupiat2173]

Since this show Ringo Starr can't stop crying.

[@timothycarter9208]

Unusual to see buddy wear a tie

[@garyl8356]

Most drummers have the decency to sit behind the band

[@charleswinokoor6023]

Ernie Watts sax solo. Who played guitar?

[@Toracube]

Who is the sax player taking the solo? Does anyone know?

[@karalujo]

Ernie Watts

[@ByteDigitalPeru]

Ernie Watts on tenor sax... Wow

[@speedoflite1xspeedoflite1]

That Left hand is the best on the planet!

[@Meme-zc4cw]

Is that a Slingerland Buddy is playing?

[@josephmoodie1670]

It's unusual to see Buddy using a smaller 22 inch bass drum as he normally used a larger 26 inch bass drum.

[@stephanleo]

Ernie Watts on alto!

[@spumpstein9374]

I thought that was Ernie! His solo was a killer. He is manifesting very different style than the very popular work he did with Quartet West. Works beautifully in this context. Swinging, hard-driving, and demonstrative of his masterful command of the jazz vocabulary. That ascending run was gorgeous. Ernie just swings his ass off.

[@wilhamcobly3805]

Ernie Watts!!!

[@celticpridedrums]

in 6/8. right? cool

[@RobertCeisler]

I prefer the version by John, Paul, George, and especially Ringo. 🙂

[@CamperVanPersie]

At 1:30..when the bloke gets up to play the Saxophone,it looks like He has got a ponytail.....

[@liontone]

1:10 Stay off the bus, Guitarist

[@augustomarchand]

BR big band switched to electric bass in 67.

[@andreifinocchiaro2889]

Anyone know the name of the Tenor sax soloist?

[@smctrout4423]

No tenor soloist, only Ernie Watts on alto.

[@mundoeuniverso5123]

Now I know where Keith Moon and Bonham took their inspirations from.

[@3rdmm]

Moonie sure, Bonham nuh-uh.

[@ninety9roblems]

Kind of overshadowed, but the band is so tight.

[@fredbarnes196]

Fantastic or bombastic?

[@sebastianbernardo9900]

Bash, Bash. Bang, bang. Buddy is so full of himself to show off his considerable bio-mechanical chops that he forgot to create something musical.

[@mlaprarie]

Alto sax soloist looks like Ernie Watts...

[@nleggin]

I think it is. Watts played on Big Swing Face, which this version of Norwegian Wood was track 1. Can't tell if the trumpet in the back is Bobby Shew or Chuck Findley though....pretty sure it's Findley?

[@nysaxman]

Yeah, that is Ernie Watts.

[@thecrippledrummer]

@@nleggin it’s Chuck.

[@georgekilroy2670]

Saw him in LA in the ‘80’s and asked why he wasn’t playing alto anymore-more gigs on tenor he replied

[@johntomanio3374]

It hurts me that someone as great as Buddy Rich had self-esteem so low he felt the need to wear a toupee. Real men don't need a rug on their head. Be who you are, because God made you.

[@jorgelorenzo3135]

Does anyone know who the drummer was?

[@tpdnepatsfan]

Hahahahahahaha 😂😂😂

[@brianchisnell1548]

Fibes! Not for long though.

[@paulmccartney1654]

So gear!