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JJ 01/85: Buddy Rich And His Orchestra at Lewisham Festival

Forty years ago Pete Gamble found the Rich big band high on preci­sion and power but lacking in the solo de­partment except for the leader, whose press rolls still seemed impossible to execute. First published in Jazz Journal January 1985

Buddy Rich, now 67, has been in the enter­tainment business for 65 of those years and for a good chunk of that time his swinging style of big band drumming became the yardstick by which budding tub thumpers judged themselves or were judged by others. In many ways that still holds good, for as at Lewisham he still drives a band along with consummate ease, is at home in a number of varied tempos including rock and can still dazzle with his West Side Story solo, predictable but technically awesome. His press rolls are still impossible to play.

His present band appears to be no better or worse than any other he has brought here over the past few years, high on preci­sion and power but lacking in the solo de­partment. Even Steve Marcus, specially billed, could not offer more than a handful of fairly ordinary tenor and soprano work­outs. Pianist Bill Cuniiffe, who also dou­bles as arranger, proved to be the best of the bunch.

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The programme itself was well balanced; apart from the inevitable West Side Story, there was a dip into Porgy And Bess, a dis­appointing God Bless The Child (solo fea­ture for altoist Bob Bowlby), excitement with a rousing Birdland and a Basie tribute finale, One O’Clock Jump, which was highly creditable.

At the end of the day, however, it was clear that the band exists primarily as a showcase for the drummer, even when his solos are kept to a minimum.

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