The Buddy Rich Big Band - The New One!

NOT SO NEW ANYMORE BUT STILL SWINGIN'

BUDDY RICH SIZZLES ON THE SKINS, AND HIS BAND IS TIGHT, BRASSY, AND SWINGIN'. FEATURES SOME GREAT HORN SOLOS, PARTICULARLY BY ERNIE "THE GRAND WAZOO" WATTS, ONE OF THE BEST WEST COAST STUDIO GUYS FROM THAT TIME. THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE FANTASTIC. I HAVE HAD THIS RECORDING FIRST ON LP (GOT IT AROUND 1972 OR 1973, AND ON CD EVER SINCE, I CAN NEVER GET TIRED OF HEARING THIS ALBUM. AND THE CD VERSION HAS BONUS TRACKS AS WELL! IF YOU LIKE JAZZ, BIG BAND, OR GREAT DRUMMING MUSIC, YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO HAVE THIS CD IN YOUR COLLECTION. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. May 3, 2008

Great addition to any Buddy Rich collection

This is a hot cd and an excellent addition to the collection of any Buddy Rich lover. March 29, 2008

Best Buddy Rich Album by far!

The band is extremely tight, the solos are fantatic, the recording is top quality, and Buddy is Buddy, burning!! This is my favorite Buddy Rich album by far! October 7, 2006

Away we really go!

This is the Buddy Rich band at his peak. Excellent numbers from his 1967 "Away we go" TV series period with co-star Buddy Greco.
Great side-man like Jay Corre and Ernie Watts. I met Jay Corre in Amsterdam , he still blow off the roof!
My first choice for any Buddy Rich album! February 24, 2003

"The New One!" Could Be the Best One!

I've been playng this album for nearly 30 years, first vinyl and now CD. I'd have to say that, as an album, this is the best one Buddy ever made in terms of the quality of the material, the band, and the production. This was the third of I believe six albums Buddy did for Pacific Jazz from 1966-70, and the folks there really knew how to capture a big band performance. What's remarkable here is that, unlike the other five PJ albums, this one was recorded entirely in the studio, where it can be difficult to capture the spontaneity and electricity more common during a live performance. Of course, a lot of that is attributable to the musicians themselves. This could be "the best band he ever had." Standout soloists include the great Ernie Watts on alto, Chuck Findley on trumpet, and Jay Corre, one of my favorite tenors. Jay not only had the technique, but played with such a depth of feeling, he could send chills down your spine. (According to the liner notes, Buddy actually cried during Jay's rendition of "I Can't Get Started.") A tremendous talent. I don't know whatever happened to him - he sort of disappeared after this date. And of course, there's the incomparable Buddy Rich. Save for "Diabolus," he doesn't take many extended solos, and that's fine because it showcases this wonderful band as a whole, spurred on by his relentless driving beat.

As for the tunes, there is not a bum in the lot. Buddy's band played a lot of charts equal to or greater than those here, but on his other albums, the quality is more hit-or-miss, particularly during the RCA years in the 70's when most of the bands were abandoning straight-ahead swing for rock and funk. I believe that this album marks the first appearance of Don Piestrup's charts ("New Blues" and "Group Shot"). I did a tiny bit of composing way back when, and Don was a big influence. He wrote great lush, sometimes dissonant chords and tight harmonies in most of his work.

Like a few other reviewers have said, the bonus tracks are always welcome. Most of them here are alternate takes, and you can see why. (They're all good - just not as good as the ones released.) One particular standout is the previously unreleased "Old Timey," which will leave you wondering why that one was left on the cutting room floor.

If you are just discovering Buddy Rich, this CD is a great place to start. If you could only have one Buddy Rich CD, this is definitely the one! September 30, 2001

More reviews at Amazon.com ...