Hi guys! Here's an amazing clip of Buddy Rich performing the tune "Chavala" with only a snare drum. I find that you can clearly see and hear all of Buddy's wonderful musicianship in this clip. Hope you'll enjoy!
Another fine example of Buddy’s ability to play with any ensemble, big or small. Sure, he could make himself heard over an electrified big band, but he could also play at a whisper as he does here, staying just below the woodwind players. Gone thirty years now, but still unmatched. Long live Buddy!
Hearing this on the 'Mercy Mercy!' album ('68), this tune sounded like a paraphrase of Bolero. Didn't know until now this was a tune in and of itself. Wonder what a killing (in a very good way) the Buddy Rich Band would have done with Bolero -- definitely enough arrangement chops and firepower in that outfit.
Wish i had never traded my chrome over wood BR snare before I was able to appreciate it. Fortunately I grew up on Buddy and was able to see him perform live dozens of times.
I was there the night they recorded this. It`s at the Talk Of The Town night club (well large show/cabaret room) in London on a Sunday night. Every top drummer in London was there. Buddy had been having dental problems upto that point, but had an emergency dentist in to see him before the show. If you watch the whole show he jokes about having a regular supply of whatever it was the dentist gave him. This was always on e of the high points in Buddy`s shows in the late 1960`s. It`s great to see it again.
It shows Buddy's enormous respect for the traditions of rudimental drumming and his drumming ancestors. No matter how "creative" and famous he became, he never lost this feeling of great indebtedness. He was also invariably complimentary about other drummers, especially when it came to drummers of his generation and the generations before.
This is really an incredible performance. It not only shows Buddy's perfect technique, but his taste and knowledge of the rudiments of drumming , applying them on only a single snare drum to a style of military drumming that Buddy was not known for, yet elevating it to a new level of artistry. It's one of the most beautiful things he's ever done. Thanks for posting this.
@@saxenas Never heard that he did. But according Don Famularo, as a very young member of his parents' vaudeville act, he travelled the USA in the company of guys like George L. Stone or Billy Gladstone. They were all part of the touring company of George M Cohan. Buddy may not have taken formal lessons but he must surely have seen them perform close up on a daily basis in the orchestra pit. They both a had superb snare drum technique. I can't believe they had no influence on the young & observant master Rich!
He's playing many forms of triplets which naturally alternate hands, so accents on both hands.. he's adding quite a bit of showmanship to the piece as well but yes, very technical here. He pretty much runs through every standard rudiment on the list in this display. Love the decrescendo flam taps/ inverts to a buzz on the end. Very tasty
Agree thanks something about a man who loves what he does so much and shares it with us drum god , got to say these young Asian girls no of coarse not as good but 3 to5 plenty of time love to have seen buddy himself give them some pounterd
Agree thanks something about a man who loves what he does so much and shares it with us drum god , got to say these young Asian girls no of coarse not as good but 3 to5 plenty of time love to have seen buddy himself give them some pointers
Saw Buddy live 4 times and consider myself a mild fanatic but have never seen this before. Thank you for posting this great clip, Daniel. The answer will probably result in me feeling as inferior at drumming as ever when I hear Buddy play, but does anyone know what what the master is playing around the 4:30 mark?
I know 100% they are remo diplomat heads top n bottom.a big secret to his sound and also he reefs down hard on the snare strainer. he started fibes around that time. every time I've seen his kit from 68 thru 74 he used a wooden Slingerland snare.rich in London used fibes . pre-67-8 rogers. best snare i bought after playing his was a SLINGerland 99$ca. wood snare.1970.'warped 'now but still sounds good. your right the hoops really chew up the sticks when you belt it
Jeff Smith Hey Jeff, did you ever find a copy of Allyn's chart to this tune? I could look here at the office, but haven't found it yet. Please let me know if you find it. Thanks!
Jillian Ferguson Thank you so much for responding. A good friend of mine, Pete Cater, leads a fine band that, on occasions, pays tribute to the music of Buddy Rich. He was hoping to play "Chavala" at a recent Cadogan Hall, London concert but was unable to trace the chart through his numerous contacts. If you are able to assist, it would be very much appreciated. The superb chart is a favourite of mine and I know Pete is keen to give it an airing.
Jeff Smith Sure. I'm aware of Pete Cater's Band, as I have spent quite a bit of time in London, where my folks had a flat. We are in the process of tracking down all dad's charts. If we can't find it, I'll try to get in touch with Cathy Rich to see if she has them. Here's my email: cetteferge@aol.com - if you can send me your contact details, I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks! Jill
Jillian Ferguson I've long admired your father's works and his compositions / arrangements sound as good today as the day they were written. I find it sad that those works are not performed in concert halls throughout the World on a regular basis in the same way as Stravinsky, Ravel or Debussy. A particular favourite of mine is "Passacaglia & Fugue" written by your dad for Stan Kenton and played by the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra. A timeless work of art. Will e-mail you.
Agree - Buddy is the reason I play drums - saw him perform this many times in UK (late 60's) - if you want to know what he said before he plays - check this out….. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Xl5msh_hUZw.html - cheers
+C1Njz6 What Buddy said that was very funny was..."It is man, isn't it?" He had just told the flute player to his left, who was standing too far back, to "Come on up here, man." Then he adds "It is man, isn't it?" You can see the full version if you type "Buddy Rich Borelo" ( it's misspelled by the uploader as "Borelo"). He jokes around a lot before that and it's really worth watching.
+tchmuzk I think your name is misspelled. Perhaps you meant "SCHMUCK" ? You "liked all of this... except Buddy"??? So you liked the bolero arrangement, you liked the band, but the STAR of the video , who's arguably the greatest drummer in history, who's entire performance was STUNNING, you didn't like??? That's a very interesting comment, because the entire video featured Buddy's playing , especially this incredible solo , which was BRILLIANT, technically, rhythmically, dynamically, and musically, in front of the top drummers in Britain and only a pretentious musically illiterate dumbass who''s rhythmically and musically challenged would say something so stupid. Maybe buy a new pair of ears and learn what really great, artistic snare drumming is supposed to be like - this ain't high school marching band drumming, it's the great Buddy Rich ! I'm just saying. Evidently it's those high school marching bands that are your speed. Buddy Rich proved, in this one video, that he can play rings around any DCI snare drummer both technically and certainly artistically, playing a military style snare drum solo and making it sound truly musical. He even lowered the damn drum far MORE than he ever does in a drum set, in order to replicate the original playing height and angle of the Revolutionary War drummers, something drum lines have completely lost sight of with their very awkward flat drums yet trying to use the traditional grip, which forces them to bend their wrist unnaturally to bring the butt end closer to the drum to avoid an uneven tone. from different stick angles. DCI drummers could NEVER get the beautiful tone Buddy gets from his very relaxed and natural grip and sticking the same way the phenomenal Joe Morello and Billy Gladstone of Radio City Music Hall fame achieved that. They don't have a clue what it means to make the wood "ring". Nor have they every even heard of the "Old Whip Cream Roll" that enables him to play that silky smooth press roll with accents, without hearing the sticking, which Buddy Learned form the old New Orleans drummers. . And they can't play musically if their life depended on it. You can pick up your gold star for stupid on your way out, but try not to trip over your shoelaces.
+tscoffey Of course "Chavaleh (Little Bird)" is originally from '"Fiddler on the Roof" , but Buddy Rich is playing it as a special bolero arrangement. Tevye sang it as an "inner monologue" to his daughter as a sentimental ballad about her too rapid change, not exactly a very rhythmic version, however beautiful if was. It's spelled "Chavala" on Buddy Rich's "Mercy Mercy " album, 1968. You can view the full version of this, which you can find by typing: "Buddy Rich Borelo" . " Bolero" is misspelled by the uploader as "Borelo" . Buddy jokes around about "bolero" and "Bolero" by Ravel and it's really worth watching. He also makes it clear why he jokes to the flute player: " It is man, isn't it? " Great songs are frequently arranged and played in completely different styles. When it works, it works, and this is BRILLIANT ! It also shows what a great song Chavaleh is, that it can be played this way. Your welcome.
