Buddy Rich Double Bass Drum Solo 1949 NY Paramount

In Mel Torme's tribute to Buddy Rich "TRAPS the Drum Wonder The Life of Buddy Rich" he notes "When I got off the elevator on the top floor (at the NY Paramount) backstage the (Buddy Rich) band was already setting up. I noticed some extra bass drum cases as I walked up to say hello to the maestro. 'What's with all the bass drums?' I asked 'B' by way of greeting. He growled, 'Fucking Louie Bellson better learn to play one bass drum before he tries two!' I knew he did not mean to disparage Bellson, one of the sweetest human beings in the music business and a close friend of Buddy's. Rich was merely exercising his prerogative as the world's greatest drummer to comment on the fact that, if anyone was going to play twin bass drums, the right was his as the feudal lord of percussion. (Later) Just prior to my entrance onstage, Buddy uncorked an arrangement of 'Old Man River'...In the middle of the chart, Buddy made his way down to center stage. Awaiting him were two bass drums and a stool. Nothing else." The following is Buddy's double bass solo.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Buddy
• Rich
• Double
• Bass
• Drum
• Solo

[goldenlarry]

People who say this is terrible must not be understanding the timing changes he's doing or something...I can't really see another explanation...?

[cfalzerano]

@goldenlarry As the saying goes "There is no accounting for taste" (or lack thereof). I just look to Jason Bittner's (one of the current top double bass rock drummers) comment below/

[signorelli21]

that was pretty terrible, honestly I respect the old jazz drummers for their skill but its annoying the way people hold them in such high regard and bash metal drummers or whatever.

[cfalzerano]

@signorelli21 Let me get this straight, you bash Buddy Rich (argueable the greatest drummer of all time) then find it annoying the way people bash metal drummers. Interesting...

[jasonbittner]

look............and yes it's really me, obviously I can play 2 kicks, but this is just downright amazing

I still say to this day there will never be a drummer like Buddy

[cfalzerano]

@jasonbittner Thanks for the post Jason. I never make associations from the past to the present. Everyone has their place. But I can't agree more...there will never be another Buddy.

[ErikDistinction]

You do realize that Buddy Rich is one of the pioneers of drumming right? Remember this is 1949, where double bass was never heard of or very rare to see. Im a metal drummer myself and of course this is uncomparable to what is out there now, but have some respect. He invented what all you are every dependant now. I think this video is great, just like Buddy Richs chops

[KHfan4ever23]

@0:45 He basically wrote Bleed by Meshuggah before Tomas Haake was born.

[Djroshi01]

Did anyone else get chills at 0:48? I love Heretas :)

[rseguine]

Man, that was some awesome tap dancing on those two bass drums... never mind it was over 60 years ago!

[TheTyeTrybe]

where did you find this btw? archive fur shur!

[jimmyshand]

From a (primarily) metal drummer's perspective, that was just pure class and tastefulness on the double bass.

[TimWaterson]

@signorelli21

If you understand what Buddy is actually playing you'll respect it.

No your little sister, can t come over and play those phrases if you think she can you dont know what BR is playing

Also buddy NEVER played 2 bass drums this was just a Buddy idea to respond to all the press Louie was getting at the time.

Tim

[ShittyMcPoopyBalls]

@cfalzerano You just did what signorelli21 is arguing about.

[NateDaDrummzer]

I think a lot of drummers today, specifically in the metal genre (which i fall into so no hate) don't give drummers like Buddy a high enough level of respect. They don't seem to realize that times have changed, and people have taken the techniques that most of them created, and converted them and modernized them. Without the likes of Buddy Rich drumming wouldn't be the same today in my opinion. My generation of drummers (15 - 20) Idolize speed over technique/creativity.