Buddy Rich - Argo, Emarcy & Verve Small Group Sessions [7 CD, 2006]

 

Buddy Rich, the most remarkable drummer to ever play jazz, can easily have his career divided into three. During 1937-1945 he was a notable sideman with big bands including those of Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, and Tommy Dorsey. In 1966 he formed his own successful orchestra that capitulated him to his greatest fame. During the 20 years in between, Rich led short-lived bebop big bands, a variety of combos, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic, recorded with all-star groups, and had stints with the orchestras of Dorsey and Harry James. This seven-CD set draws its material from Rich's second period and it can also be divided into two. The first half has Rich recording for producer Norman Granz in a variety of combos. Rich interacts with trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison in a pair of octets (with Benny Carter or Willie Smith on altos), a quintet with altoist Sonny Criss, a Basie-oriented big band, and another quintet with pianist Jimmy Rowles. Edison is in peak form throughout. In addition, Rich heads an octet that has four of Count Basie's sidemen of the time (trumpeters Thad Jones and Joe Newman, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, and rhythm guitarist Freddie Green) plus tenor great Ben Webster, the remarkable pianist Oscar Peterson, and bassist Ray Brown. A live quartet outing with the exciting tenor Flip Phillips acts as a bridge to the Emarcy and Argo recordings of Rich's working bands of 1960-1961. A septet arranged by Ernie Wilkins introduces vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, who is also heard with Rich in a sextet with flutist Sam Most, and a group with Most and trumpeter Rolf Ericson. One date with the Most-Mainieri lineup was released for the first time with this box. While Rich has his share of solo space throughout, playing ridiculously virtuosic solos, this swinging music contains much more than just drum solos, with all of the key principals being well featured. This limited-edition box set, which leaves out Rich's four vocal albums of the period (he does take a lone vocal on "Bongo, Bass and Guitar"), a collaboration with fellow drummer Max Roach, and a pair of big-band dates (including one co-led by Gene Krupa), has virtually everything else that Rich recorded as a leader during 1950-1965. Highly recommended and (as is typical for Mosaic) perfectly conceived.

CD01

1. Let's Fall In Love (A) 2:47
(H. Arlen-T. Koehler)
2. Me And My Jaguar (A) 3:38
(Buddy Rich)
3. Just Blues (A) 6:28
(B. Rich-H. Edison)
4. Sweets' Opus No. 1 (alt tk) (B) 2:34
(Harry Edison)
5. Sweets' Opus No. 1 (B) 2:34
(Harry Edison)
6. Bongo, Bass And Guitar (B) 3:27
(T. Adair-M. Dennis)
7. Strike It Rich (alt tk) (B) 5:01
(Johnny Mandel)
8. Strike It Rich (B) 6:29
(Johnny Mandel)
9. Sportin' Life (Sweetie Pie) (B) 2:35
(Harry Edison)
10. Sunday (C) 10:45
(Conn-Krueger-Miller-Styne)
11. The Monster (C) 11:05
(Buddy Rich)
12. Ballad Medley (C) 12:13
Over The Rainbow (E. Y. Harburg-H, Arlen)
You've Changed (W. Carey-C. Fischer)
Time After Time (J. Styne-S. Cahn)
This Is Always (M. Gordon-H. Warren)
My Heart Stood Still (L. Hart-R. Rodgers)
I Hadn't Anyone Till You (Ray Noble)


CD02

1. Sonny And Sweets (D) 4:38
(H. Edison-B. Rich)
2. The Two Mothers (D) 6:01
(H. Edison-B. Rich)
3. A Smooth One (D) 9:10
(Benny Goodman)
4. Broadway (D) 11:53
(Bird-McRae-Woode)
5. Nice Work If You Can Get It (E) 4:05
(G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin)
6. Willow Weep For Me (E) 7:02
(Ann Ronnell)
7. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (E) 5:11
(A. Dubin-H. Warren)
8. Now's The Time (E) 4:29
(Charlie Parker)
9. The Yellow Rose Of Brooklyn (E) 4:31
(Harry Edison)
10. All Sweets (E) 2:09
(Harry Edison)
11. Easy Does It (E) 8:16
(T. Young-S. Oliver)
12. Barney's Bugle (E) 9:39
(Buddy Rich)


CD03

1. Shorty George (F) 5:10
(C. Basie-A. Gibson)
2. Jump For Me (F) 5:40
(Count Basie)
3. Blues For Basie (F) 7:15
(Harry Edison)
4. 9:20 Special (F) 4:33
(B. Harding-E. Warren)
5. Blue And Sentimental (G) 4:45
(Basie-David-Livingston)
6. Blue And Sentimental (45 tk) (G) 3:38
(Basie-David-Livingston)
7. Down For Double (G) 4:05
(Freddie Green)
8. Down For Double (45 tk) (G) 3:41
(Freddie Green)
9. Ain't It The Truth? (G) 2:57
(Basie-Harding-Palmer)
10. Jumpin' At The Woodside (G) 6:22
(Count Basie)


CD04

1. Lover Come Back To Me (H) 6:20
(S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)
2. Topsy (H) 8:10
(E. Battle- E. Durham)
3. Undecided (H) 9:25
(S. Robin-C. Shavers)
4. Broadway (H) 8:10
(McRae-Bird-Woode)
5. Jumpin' At The Woodside (H) 10:11
(Count Basie)
6. Pent-Up House (I) 3:41
(Sonny Rollins)
7. Bloody Mary (I) 6:31
(Ernie Wilkins)
8. That's Rich Man (I) 5:28
(Ernie Wilkins)


CD05

1. Astronaut (I) 7:37
(Ernie Wilkins)
2. Straight No Chaser (I) 4:22
(Thelonious Monk)
3. A Night In Tunisia (I) 6:15
(D. Gillespie-F. Paparelli)
4. Miss Bessie's Cookin' (I) 5:18
(B. Rich-E. Wilkins)
5. Big Leg Mary (I) 5:46
(Ernie Wilkins)
6. A Swingin' Serenade (I) 4:06
(Ernie Wilkins)
7. Brainwashed (I) 5:01
(Ernie Wilkins)
8. Lulu's Back In Town (J) 5:48
(A. Dubin-H. Warren)
9. Will You Still Be Mine? (J) 4:40
(T. Adair-M. Dennis)
10. Fascinatin' Rhythm (J) 4:34
(G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin)
11. Makin' Whoopee (J) 4:21
(W. Donaldson-G. Kahn)
12. Misty (J) 5:04
(Erroll Garner)
13. Cheek To Cheek (J) 6:15
(Irving Berlin)


CD06

1. Playtime (K) 6:09
(Sam Most)
2. Marbles (K) 5:46
(J. Morris-S. Most)
3. The Night Is Young And You're So Beautiful (L) 3:05
(Kahal-Rose-Suesse)
4. Little Susie (L) 5:02
(Ray Bryant)
5. R.B. (L) 4:50
(Mike Mainieri)
6. Angel Eyes (L) 3:50
(M. Dennis-E. Brent)
7. The Be-Bop Irishman (L) 5:05
(Ray Bryant)
8. Foxy (L) 3:09
(Sam Most)
9. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (L) 5:37
(O. Hammerstein-R. Rodgers)
10. The Way You Look Tonight (L) 4:34
(D.Fields-J.Kern)
11. Doxy (L) 2:53
(Sonny Rollins)
12. Mountain Greenery (L) 2:54
(L. Hart-R. Rodgers)


CD07

1. Blowin' The Blues Away (N) 8:38
(Horace Silver)
2. B.R. Blues (M) 3:08
(Mike Mainieri)
3. Late Date (N) 5:08
(W. Maynard)
4. Caravan (M) 9:43
(Tizol-Mills-Ellington)
5. Young Blood (N) 5:55
(Mike Mainieri)
6. I Remember Clifford (N) 3:44
(Benny Golson)
7. Rose Room (M) 6:31
(A. Hickman-H. Williams)
8. Satin Doll (M) 5:49
(Ellington-Strayhorn-Mercer)
9. Lover Come Back To Me (M) 5:17
(S. Romberg-O. Hammerstein)
10. Afghan (N) 4:03
(Mike Mainieri)
11. If I Were A Bell (N) 3:27
(Frank Loesser)