Buddy Rich -- the name says it all. Music*America's Ron Della Chiesa has called him the "Michelangelo of the Drums." Since his debut as a child prodigy big-band drummer in the 1930s, he has captivated audiences with show-stopping technique and a bad-boy persona. Rich led a big band for three decades, gaining a well-earned reputation among sidemen as a mercurical-tempered martinet. Audiences, however, appreciated the drummer's musical perfectionism, and his bands became an expression of his fiery personality.
Our photo shows him channeling the audience's energy as his band hits a screaming climax during a performance at the Danversport Yacht Club near Boston, in 1985. The concert was produced by Lenny Sogoloff, former owner of the great jazz club Lenny's On the Turnpike. Fans will note that Rich had undergone bypass surgery only 6 months before this gig! He lived defiantly until the end, passing over in 1987. His music lives on, with the memory of his indomitable spirit and crazy sense of humor.
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