Buddy Rich - Birdland - 14 July 1978 • World of Jazz

Arguably the greatest drummer of all time, the legendary Buddy Rich exhibited his love for music through a dedication of his life to the art. His career spanned seven decades, beginning when Rich was 18 months old and continuing until his death in 1987. Immensively gifted, Rich could play with remarkable speed and dexterity despite the fact that he never received a formal lesson and refused to practise outside his performances. In this 1978 concert, with maybe his best band ever, he shows how unique he is as a performer and bandleader. The show was recorded in 1978 during the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Congresgebouw, The Hague, the Netherlands.
Line up: Buddy Rich (Drums), Tom Warrington (Bass Guitar), Bob Kaye (Piano), John Marshall, Mike McGovern, Mark Ohlsen, Chuck Schmidt (Trumpets), Dale Kirkland, Glenn Franke, George Moran (Trombones), Steve Marcus, Gary Pribeck, Chuck Wilson, Andy Fusco, Greg Smith (Saxes)
Birdland (Zawinul-Hendricks Music Inc)
Full concert at World of jazz
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[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

"A letter, addressed "To the world's greatest drummer", arrives at the home of Louie Bellson. He takes one look at it, and says, "well, this is obviously not for me", and forwards it to Gene Krupa. Krupa also takes one look at it, and also says, "well, this is obviously not for me", and he forwards it as well. The letter makes the rounds of famous drummers' homes, until it finally winds up at the home ofBuddy Rich. He takes one look at it, and says, "well, this is obviously for me", rips it open, and reads: "Dear Ringo...."

[@kathleenconery1139]

thanks for that!

[@92jwiener]

World's greatest drummer? He isn't even the best drummer in the Beatles!

[@papabrtrk]

😂👍👍

[@carterpochynok4874]

That's great. Totally stealing this for my arsenal of drummer jokes I tell students.

[@LAKER49]

@@92jwienernah this is a wild take

[@jamiemorgan4146]

My Mom lived in the same apartment building. Buddy did practice. He played on radiators, pots, pans. Then his drums. He played Vaudeville. The Rich’s didn’t have a lot of money and my Grandmother fed him all of the time. When he played with Frank, he sent a limo for my Mom and GrandMother. His parents were at my Mom’s wedding.

[@mackedelia2154]

Man that's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing.

[@bobbysands6923]

If you're disappointed that he didn't take a long, flashy solo, this is a clinic on how to "set-up" a big band, and its brass section. His fills before the accents and how he uses the entire kit is brilliant, as usual, but really shines here. I studied with a guy who knew him very well, and said "his solos don't impress me as much as 'what he does' with his band.''' And he is an example.

[@richardlafata9415]

Brilliant observation Bobby!

[@ericanderson2987]

Rich IS such an amazing and INCREDIBLE Drumer Here...and as flashing as they are, his Solos are a bit much.

[@trumpetprofessor]

My grandfather was one of his arrangers in the early days of Buddy's career, and got to see his playing evolve as time went on. Even back in the 40s when i listen to the recordings that have my grandfather's arrangements, Buddy's fills are absolutely masterful

[@martincoronado9232]

I love you for that. I had to admit that I started to not like buddy, because I realized that it was always just about him where other jazz drummers worked with different bands, but they were part of that group and wherever they went, they made a good thing of it. Buddy Rich always just had his own band.

[@mwilliams5849]

That soprano sax solo was fucking INSANE. I died, came back to life, died again, and that solo resurrected me and turned me into superman. It has the power!!!

[@Rob_Kates]

The masterful Steve Marcus!

[@MrRezRising]

Pretty much the only time Buddy wasn't eyef**king the band.

[@onemoremisfit]

Around 2004 I saw Steve Marcus plus Andy Fusco with Steve Smith on drums doing a thing they called Buddy's Buddies at a small club called Martyr's in Chicago. I was seated a table with Steve Marcus playing his soprano sax just like that right in front of me. Blew my mind.

[@belovedone151]

His hair was also quite impressive.

[@mikel5582]

Dude nailed it. Bassist delivered the goods too.

[@tntkop]

Bass player...awesome!

[@phillipronan1994]

he better be good standing that close with the ampeg behind buddy

[@christopherfischer6998]

Tommy Warington I think

[@continentalgin]

@@phillipronan1994 Yup. Right next to Buddy's ear. No guts, no glory, and this bass man has guts!

[@gasfiltered]

Yeah... imagine standing right there watching the band leader/slash drummer and still missing so many downbeats. Especially after the solo you can see Buddy giving him the evil eye for dragging over and over.

[@ColdayNurnberg]

i just love how jaco inspired some bass players just a couple years after he started playing for weather report...

[@john_in_denver_colorado_usa]

I was in a community big band that played this arrangement, and I'd like to offer my apology to all of the musicians in this band. We did our best!

[@user-vt2uj3qk1u]

Hey! Do what you do. Every half decent musician has something to offer, maybe even something unique. The world would be a sadder place if we all shut down in the face of greatness.

[@Cubsfan122112]

the more you play the better you get! keep practicing! i'm no where near the best but keep playing in my community combo as often as i can and always learn new stuff.

[@ZombieMadam]

What band was it?

[@verifiedtoxicangel2411]

@@Cubsfan122112 "keep practicing" is used as a magic mantra just like "get therapy" is used. It will resolve any problems right ? i suggest you again read the description where it says Buddy refused to practice so its apparent that he got to that level because of something you'll never understand and even if someone explained it to you you'll never accept.

[@ConwayT91]

the way he's eyeballing the horn section.. dang i feel stressed already

[@rickdavenport9538]

He always turned his head that way. It's the Killer force dude. Nobody was getting reamed. These guys could play.

[@tntkop]

Rick Davenport Have you not heard the infamous bus tapes? Buddy Rich would definitely ream their ass. He’d curse them out mercilessly. He’d call them every name in the book, and then some.

[@bs.music.kyi9]

@@tntkop I’ve only been involved in jazz for a few years... is reamed similar in meaning to “whiplash-ed”? In other words, what does it mean to get reamed?

[@Drchainsaw77]

@@bs.music.kyi9 Buddy Rich was infamous for his abuse of his musicians, and others as well. There's a clip of him just _trashing_ country music around 1970 on the Dick Cavett show somewhere on YT. But "The Bus Tapes" are a series of cassettes of him, made secretly in hotels and tour buses in the late '70s and early '80s just tearing everyone in the band a new asshole. Pure abuse.

[@paullevine1813]

@@tntkop Only if they didn't play the same 125 % he did. Plus it's his band & you best be better than good.

[@matthewgoeller3490]

the always spectacular Steve Marcus, soprano sax like no one else ever

[@billcarlson6178]

Would like to hear any other soprano soloist perform anywhere close to Steve Marcus. Fantastic solo!

[@cwinsten1]

John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter.

[@jordanchen23]

I've never seen a drummer lead with such electrifying presence.

[@dynasticlight1073]

Should, have witnessed Him 'Live' .No ne compare.

[@robbdrums]

Another way of putting that is.... everyone else in the band looks completely terrified.

[@Drumnerd86]

Band looks tense

[@stephencammilleri270]

You'll change your thoughts after listening to Vinnie Caliuta!

[@jamesdrynan]

I like how Buddy positioned himself right in front of the Ampeg. Usually an amp would face the audience. Another great arrangement! Although Rich was a hard taskmaster, it must be remembered that he played with Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Charlie Parker, Les Brown, Harry James to name a few. He knew excellence and demanded it from his players.

[@spirit3936]

Always..never satisfied..pushing and keep pushing.. that's what's make legends..listen to this...I can hear ever single instrument..

[@continentalgin]

No one else had that kind of big band experience.

[@vichy7661]

On your resume, looking for a gig, the perspective employer has a line of dozens of people to interview for some upcoming band, your #87 in line, finally you get there, exhausted, weary, bluesy. Interviewer same. She says, resume pleazzze, drawing out wearily slow, she's a hottie, she notices you included several gigs with Buddy Rich, you're HIRED. interviews are over.

[@Rob_Kates]

Right, it was his name on the marquee, and if his band screwed up, it reflected poorly on him.

[@onemoremisfit]

A speaker cabinet is directional at close distance, while the acoustic instruments in the band are pretty much non-directional. Because a drummer sits inside of his instrument, in order to get a mix he needs the speaker cabinet behind him, not alongside. The audience will still hear it at longer distance out in the room as the dispersion pattern widens with distance, especially with low frequencies.

[@dalts_music5906]

0:03 when you’re deciding which horn player to 💩 on after the gig...

[@marcdedouvan]

IS LIKE: "DON'T DARE TO STAB ME IN THE BACK BY LOSING THE TEMPO! I'M WATCHING YA ALL!"

[@louisd95714]

In this particular video the soprano sax solo was the star of the show. The performer made the sax sound like an electric guitar in a hard rock concert!

[@markjohnson-sl9qf]

I have to give love to that bass player.

[@veenoir1991]

Tom Warrington really using the awesome sound a fretless bass guitar has in a big jazz setting here. Such a phenomenal performance.

[@MrBongoagogo]

Tom now lives in New new Zealand and teaches there.

[@Dave-ti2ue]

As great as he was, I don't think I could have worked for Buddy.

[@gabebabe1]

Because you’re a deadbeat?

[@pauls4742]

Wow, the bass player totally nails the Jaco licks. The soprano sax is amazing... Wayne Shorter would have been impressed. Buddy was clearly a Weather Report fan.

[@burningxdimx]

I aspire to play bass like that with someone like Buddy being cool with it

[@davemoore4958]

They all look shit scared but that doesn’t stop this absolutely flying. And the bass player...

[@btsdrummer1]

He pushed a band like no other

[@MarkSmith-vm3cs]

Tom Warrington is SMOKIN' on this piece!

[@pilsnrimgaard2507]

I saw Buddy perform in Terra Linda High School gymnasium the year after in my junior year of high school. My band conductor who was hosting Mr. Rich asked him a question from the audience as to why most of his band was half his age and his response was" Man its the only crowd who can keep up". No lie.

[@walcoman]

Pretty rare when the entire horn section and every other musician gets nervous and intimidated by the drummer! This is a perfect example.

[@larrysmith6797]

They weren't nervous or intimidated. Jeez.

[@joksal9108]

It’s a big band. It doesn’t have a “horn section”-the horns are the band.

[@johnnyoozelius2446]

I saw Buddy in this year at the Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA and I remember this song so well. This band killed it! i mean they nailed it like nothing I had ever heard. At the time I was a trumpet player who played guitar. Now I play every instrument I can get my hands on and a good bit of my inspiration is owed to Buddy and his band being so Damn Great! Thank You Buddy and the Band!

[@continentalgin]

On the album, they super nailed it!

[@Rob_Kates]

He had said that he recruited players for his band from Berklee.

[@gustavopardiplaz4301]

Buddy 😊

[@joebloggs4369]

Absolute killer playing from everyone.Tom Warrington's playing is fabulous.

[@camotero1]

Holy crap! What a jam this turned out to be. A bunch of geek-lookin’ dudes are throwing DOWN. Buddy looks intense.

[@nicolascage9440]

The bassist looks like a supply teacher who left his house late, and got dressed whilst running to his car and drinking coffee

[@jimjackson4111]

@@nicolascage9440 ,,,,Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@christopherfischer6998]

@@nicolascage9440 Tommy Warrington!

[@ScottAbene]

This is my Fathers arrangement and I have always loved it. Buddy was the man!

[@johnclay4811]

@@nicolascage9440 Ask yourself one thing. Can he play? In this world that is all that counts

[@Geirfuglen1]

Buddy the king and that bassman☺😉 best regards from a drummer☺

[@choops4683]

Buddy Rich, great drummer and also band leader. I love the way most of the band is watching him while they perform the funky break, waiting for his direction. Classic.

[@jean-marcschroetter9789]

whaou! je ne connaissais pas cette version. Superbe!!! Tous les musiciens sont excellents! BIG clap clap! for the Bassplayer Tom Warrington :)

[@imbees2]

Buddy Rich, one of the greatest drummers of all time!!

[@idontknow1575]

I love the bass part in this song it’s so good I need to learn it in my bass

[@kawiman09]

Agreed!

[@georgebiederman5342]

Nobody could touch Buddy Rich or his band! Unbelievable!!

[@pillettadoinswartsh4974]

Hey, I think that drummer might be goin' places.

[@dynasticlight1073]

It's ,where He got and Nobody else did or Will....

[@tman651]

Buddy Rich world's best drummer

[@Gemmashowtail]

Every now and then I come here to watch real musicians kill it and Buddy rein supreme. This is absolute perfection.

[@danpatterson6937]

I saw this live at a high school gym and it lives in my head as one of the best performances I've witnessed.

[@KenFullman]

I've seen a few of Buddy's solos and yeah he's fast but I actually find this much more impressive. It fits so well.

[@gmssails]

Steve Marcus on soprano sax! One of the greatest. At one point he was in Larry Coryell's band, The Eleventh House. I used to watch these guys play up close at My Father's Place on Long Island back in the Early '70's!

[@continentalgin]

One of the great Buddy Rich band numbers. If you like this, I highly recommend the album, recorded live direct to disc, pure sound, punchy. If you want to show off your stereo and speakers, that album will certainly impress!

[@GoodLifeMedicine]

Buddy Rich is a powerful force -- a superb drummer and a hard driving bandleader. His stare would cause my lip to quiver. Then he would stop playing, rise up, advance toward me, and kill me with a single motion of the drumstick through my xyphoid process straight into my heart. I would fall off the back of the bandstand as he resumed playing.

[@matthiasb7400]

Incredible musicianship - so sad that no one is smiling...

[@decay2113]

Incredible musicianship....very intense focus huh? 😂

[@claytenessilveiramorais719]

maxo o nível de concentração é tão grande desses caras que eles nem lembram de sorrir se liga no mistério homi

[@alieustiansamateh6401]

drum n bass back in the days 👌🏽

[@billyjim0733]

As a jazz guy and a metal guy this man is and always will be a fxxing legend

[@thelonious-dx9vi]

I saw this band around this time. Absolutely scary musicianship ethos. At first I thought this was a video of them playing *at* Birdland. Then the bass line kicks in and I'm like "d'oh".

[@bigal1863]

"kicks" is right! I used to own an Ampeg SVT with an 8-10 speaker cabinet. Those 8 10 inch speakers had so much punch, if you cranked the head to an 8 or higher and stood in front of it, the shockwaves would make your pants legs wave. The best bass amp I ever owned.

[@jimboasie8478]

Truly, a magnificant version of Birdland! Love it!

[@DaveBoyceVids]

That solo is straight fire! As a guitarist I am imagining that on guitar and it would be super lit as well❤

[@baselinesweb]

At the beginning I thought 'this bass player will be embarrassed by Jaco'. But no...the guy is fantastic.

[@mrJimCharles]

He's got it covered for sure

[@kindell1]

He is what every drummer should aspire to be. I love his facial expressions. He always felt the music ❤

[@xrybgfyuknnderhn9567]

That's one of the reasons he's the best technical drummer ever. I mean even his comping is just great

[@spirit3936]

Love how these guys are all suited and booted and tearing the mother up..very nice.

[@johngrobson4899]

I love his incredible wrist work his tenacious attack on the kick an Hats his incredible smooth transition between Solo's, He was Absolutely Number One in Drumming Rest in Peace Mr Rich🙏🕊

[@garylagstrom3864]

The Apprentice takes the easy and makes it look difficult while the Master takes the impossible and makes it look easy! Neil Peart regarding Buddy Rich RIP BUDDY AND PROFESSOR!

[@michaelosullivan9339]

Buddy a crazy genius

[@raystanczak4277]

I would have liked to see Buddy and the soprano sax player play alone. That guy was in the zone with Buddy.

[@jmaz1100]

the hi-hat work!

[@gliuto]

Madonna che spettacoloooooo!!!!

[@tibetan53]

I was there at this concert here in Northsea Jazz Festival , saw this amazing band .

[@imbees2]

Yasss Mr. Buddy Rich! One of the greatest drummers of all time!

[@c.a.l.269]

The BEST ,versatile and BALLSY drummer of our times ..even BONZO couldn't match this , and he's a huge influence on me !!!

[@kawiman09]

I remember watching this performance as a kid on television so glad I found it ❤

[@user-mz9vp9me9y]

I saw BR. many times nobody plays drums like Mr Rich.

[@richmanwisco]

Had the great privilege to see BR perform a couple of high school gigs (including my HS) circa '81 and '82. Amazing to see in person. Dude gigged just about all the way to the day he died. Of all the things he was great at, what most amazed me was just how intimate he was with his kit and how he could produce every possible sound out of it. For all of his speed and power, there was never a note that wasn't intended to be struck that way.

[@jamesheath7601]

RIP Buddy 🐐

[@garyharang5825]

Love this ….Rhythm Section! Everybody gets a taste!

[@russellkillick7330]

They played at Ronnie's in London prior to doing this gig. Had the privilege to hear them, was without doubt the tightest band i have heard. I recall hearing a unison rift played by the whole band and it was impossible to distinguish the different instruments, i have a good ear. They were as one. Amazing

[@bishopgeorgel.whitesr.3044]

I was 17 years old, when I seen him in Las Vegas Nevada at the Hacienda Hotel that is destroyed it is replaced with the Excalibur Hotel I've watched many videos, I've heard many recordings of Buddy Rich, but there is no justice until you see Buddy Rich live! I still say the greatest drummer ever lived!💯❗👌🏾

[@debbiemichaels4632]

Great solo with the oboe player. Now that's some jazz music for y'all 😀😀😀

[@Kj_Gamer2614]

I think you’ll find it’s actually a soprano sax, and not an oboe

[@genewilliams617]

Got a jammin percussion section!!

[@timchapman5567]

Wunnerful, wunnerful. Buddy might be the greatest, but is certainly one of the greats.

[@lollolorenzo143]

The horn section playing percussions is so funny 🥳🥳😂😂 What an Amazing big band was!!! Buddy Rich best ever 🥁

[@scottdunlap8668]

What a smokin’ soprano sax solo!

[@edwinearl4584]

Buddy made it look so easy. 🥁

[@Percussionist1998]

Tom Warrington has such deep pocket! Love that dude

[@txcatlady]

The guy on soprano sax is SMOKIN'

[@andrewsimineri2243]

Absolute FN Badassery!

[@Johnnycdrums]

It blows the doors off the original. After all, it’s a different interpretation, and that’s the way it should be.

[@peterwallace8441]

Nailed on!

[@christophermitchum6829]

Buddy, ❤️ one of the best!!!

[@ata1811]

Magnificent!!!!

[@richcandoit]

I want to see that Soprano Sax solo on some sheet music please! It's insane! So beautiful!

[@gutsii9660]

Found out about this from Whiplash. I fucking love jazz now

[@MatthewLiebrich]

You will find a lot of familiarity in jazz. Most of our music is directly descended from this era of music, but it's just old enough to get forgotten much of the time.

[@mrJimCharles]

This a Weather Report tune, jazz-rock fusion baby!!!

[@chrisrussell735]

One of a handful of GREAT drummers that instigate, having a combo,all working around his interpretations. Love him, just inspirational for anyone wanting to take up the ‘sticks’. Thanks for this fantastic clip. JaneR

[@partyvogelharry]

Awesome 😍😍😍😍👌🏻🔝🎶🎵

[@Slipstream0001]

I don't think I've ever heard him play a halftime backbeat like this, awesome. Also, what a scary band leader to have staring at you!

[@Seahawkess]

Saw him when just a beginner at 15 when he gave a clinic in Savannah, GA around 1972. No one can compare!

[@reginaldogomes8686]

Agradeço à DEUS por ouvir essa maravilha!!!

[@johnsauseng483]

Buddy's great tribute to one of the funkiest tunes from the Austrian Joseph Zawinul and his Weather Report with the very young Miroslav Vitos on bass

[@TigerDriver66]

Steve Marcus is incredible

[@troydowning3302]

Thats what makes him different from these guys that think because they play fast they are so great. It's playing with heart and soul.

[@martincoronado9232]

Now I like Buddy again!

[@stephenjablonsky1941]

Buddy always put 100% effort into every performance. It always seemed to border on crazy.

[@Darrylizer1]

Terrific soprano sax solo and Buddy just drives that band. Seriously great playing from all involved.

[@brianburk2559]

I wish buddy was still around to hear drummers like danny Carrey and Carter poly rythmic geniuses!!!!!

[@RandomlyDrumming]

Or Tomas Haake, Elliot Hoffmanm, Thomas Lang, Marco Minnemann, Alex Rudinger, Dave Weckl, Eric Moore...the list goes on. :)

[@mrskinszszs]

Hed probably trash them for some absurd reason.

[@alexgonzalezjr6823]

Perfect Drumming !! Amazing Everytime .

[@justindungan4419]

Get it Buddy!

[@Aakkash91]

Just awassom drumming.... Great.....

[@johnmarlin7269]

Perfect tune for this version of the Buddy Rich band. The soprano solo was amazing and the bass player was just so spot on. The Rich bands were high energy and exciting and it all comes out here.

[@jakefranklin89]

Absolutely unbelievable

[@cjgaddy]

Tpts(L-r): Mike McGovern, Chuck Schmidt(L), Mark Ohlsen, John Marshall Bones(L-r): Glenn Franke, Dale Kirkland(L), George Moran(b) Saxes(L-r): Steve Marcus, Andy Fusco, Chuck Wilson(L), Gary Pribek, Greg Smith(b) P: Bob Kaye B: Tom Warrington Buddy Rich Big Band Live - July 1978 Europe Tour (incl. N.Sea Jazz Fest.)

[@hoonaignachowaneha]

I imagine Rich staring at you like that is similar to that feeling when dad hits mom and you are next.

[@alejandrojaviergarci]

Buddy on that good ❄️

[@maxpower6765]

What a great band. That bass player was cooking thanks ✌🏼