Post by Erik Rupp on Aug 16, 2009 20:42:39 GMT -5
Buddy Rich - The Roar of '74 (1974)
Buddy Rich. Child prodigy and performer. Drum legend. Singer. Tonight Show fill in host (and frequent guest).
Add to those titles, "Leader of the hottest Jazz Big Band in the world."
Buddy Rich was notorious for the demanding standards to which he held his band. He expected no less than he delivered himself, and as many people (including a lot of drummers) consider him to the be greatest drummer of all time that meant that his band members had ridiculously high standards to live up to. But those standards that Buddy set also forced his band to be in top form at all times, which did make for the most amazing Big Band of the 70's and early 80's.
Arguably the best example of this band at work is The Roar of '74, an album that is most definitely not for the Jazz purist. The Roar of '74 is filled with Rock and Funk elements, and it even features famed Progressive Rock and Fusion musician Tony Levin on bass.
Exploding out of the gate with the frantic, "Nuttville," the band is off and running on this powerhouse of a track which features great solos from Pat LaBarbera on tenor sax, Greg Hopkins on trumpet, and Buddy Budson on electric piano. There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe this song. Bold, brassy, and tight, this is a performance and a song that puts probably 95% of the other Big Bands of the era to shame. This band is tight and powerful, but still swinging. A better opening cut could not have been chosen.
From there the band gets just a little funky on, "Kilimanjaro Cookout." Where, "Nuttville," put the pedal to the metal and didn't let up, "Kilimanjaro Cookout," gets a chance to breathe. The funky Jazz swing just feels right after the opening cut. Joe Beck's wah-wah filled guitar work is definitely a product of the 70's, but despite that it is also timeless thanks to a spot-on performance that fits the song to a, "T." More nice solos are found here, this time a little more laid back. Pat LaBarbera on tenor sax and John Hoffman on trumpet lay down some nice solos, and Keith O'Quinn plays an occasionally odd and occasionally intentionally off key trobone solo. It all works. Underneath it all is Buddy pulsing and pounding away not unlike some of John Bonham's more rythmic playing. (And this from a guy who said he hated Rock and Roll drumming...)
I'd like a, "Big Mac," please, with a side order of FUNK, and maybe some killer solos from Joe Beck on guitar, Pat LaBarbera (seeing a pattern develop here?) on soprano sax, and Bob Crea on tenor sax to go with it. This song just builds slowly until it explodes in Heavy Metal Jazz Thunder about 2:05 into the song. Buddy rips it up at the end of the song with some nice, tasteful funk soloing. Funky, bold, groovy, flashy - this one is just a fantastic song. Buddy's band continues to expand the boundaries of Big Band Jazz on this track.
After three perfect songs like that, where do you go? You go to the backwoods. "Backwoods Sideman," to be exact.
"Backwoods Sideman," is more of a standard 70's era Swing song, but it's played at (again) a frantic pace with a ton of energy. This is one of those tracks that the Jazz purists can appreciate that non-Jazz fans can still enjoy thanks to the electricity that the band generates. Buddy's is swinging away like mad while his band plays with power and melody. More great (and I mean great) solos are on board here from Bob Crea and Pat LaBarbera, both on tenor sax. "Backwoods Sideman," is a great example of why I call Big Band Jazz the Heavy Metal of Jazz. There is just a ton of power and energy involved and the music is just in your face - much like Heavy Metal (but dont worry, Jazz fans - this music isn't abraisive like much of the Metal genre).
So what's next? If the band needs a, "Time Check," then that's just what they're gonna get! "Time Check," is another Swing song that is played at a high tempo and has a ton of energy, so what else is new? Pat LaBarbera with a tenor sax solo? Check. "Time Check," makes for six killer songs in a row.
With those six killer songs behind them the band takes a bit of a breather on Duke Ellington's, "Prelude To A Kiss." Opening with the sax section playing alone, the song features a solid chart from Greg Hopkins giving the classic Ellington song a nice arrangement. The song features some nice, light brush work from Buddy, belying those who have often said he was all flash and power and couldn't play the mellower songs with much distinction. Buddy Budson has a nice piano solo that fits the song well. The dynamics of this arrangement are nice as well.
After that the band wants to dance, so they do the, "Waltz Of The Mushroom Hunters." It's not a mellow track in the least, but it's not the bold, brash kind of tune that they were playing on the album's first six songs. This is a tasteful, song with a smoother swing and strong melodies. It has more of a laid back feel. The solos are nice and have a bit of a bounce to them, with Pat LaBarbera again on sax (this time on soprano), and a very nice electric piano solo from Buddy Budson.
Closing out the album is, "Senator Sam," a mid tempo song that both swings and has a laid back funk groove. Tony Levin plays some really nice bass lines on this one and the brass section gets a chance to blast one more time as the band brings the album home.
While the album never recaptures the power and energy of the first six songs there isn't a true clunker on the album. The Roar of '74 is a prime example of 1970's Big Band Jazz at it's most powerful, most dynamic, and most compelling. It's definitely not an album to be missed by anyone who likes Jazz, or those who just like powerful music with a ton of energy and strong melodies (and phenomenal musical performances).
5/5
Buddy Rich. Child prodigy and performer. Drum legend. Singer. Tonight Show fill in host (and frequent guest).
Add to those titles, "Leader of the hottest Jazz Big Band in the world."
Buddy Rich was notorious for the demanding standards to which he held his band. He expected no less than he delivered himself, and as many people (including a lot of drummers) consider him to the be greatest drummer of all time that meant that his band members had ridiculously high standards to live up to. But those standards that Buddy set also forced his band to be in top form at all times, which did make for the most amazing Big Band of the 70's and early 80's.
Arguably the best example of this band at work is The Roar of '74, an album that is most definitely not for the Jazz purist. The Roar of '74 is filled with Rock and Funk elements, and it even features famed Progressive Rock and Fusion musician Tony Levin on bass.
Exploding out of the gate with the frantic, "Nuttville," the band is off and running on this powerhouse of a track which features great solos from Pat LaBarbera on tenor sax, Greg Hopkins on trumpet, and Buddy Budson on electric piano. There are not enough superlatives to adequately describe this song. Bold, brassy, and tight, this is a performance and a song that puts probably 95% of the other Big Bands of the era to shame. This band is tight and powerful, but still swinging. A better opening cut could not have been chosen.
From there the band gets just a little funky on, "Kilimanjaro Cookout." Where, "Nuttville," put the pedal to the metal and didn't let up, "Kilimanjaro Cookout," gets a chance to breathe. The funky Jazz swing just feels right after the opening cut. Joe Beck's wah-wah filled guitar work is definitely a product of the 70's, but despite that it is also timeless thanks to a spot-on performance that fits the song to a, "T." More nice solos are found here, this time a little more laid back. Pat LaBarbera on tenor sax and John Hoffman on trumpet lay down some nice solos, and Keith O'Quinn plays an occasionally odd and occasionally intentionally off key trobone solo. It all works. Underneath it all is Buddy pulsing and pounding away not unlike some of John Bonham's more rythmic playing. (And this from a guy who said he hated Rock and Roll drumming...)
I'd like a, "Big Mac," please, with a side order of FUNK, and maybe some killer solos from Joe Beck on guitar, Pat LaBarbera (seeing a pattern develop here?) on soprano sax, and Bob Crea on tenor sax to go with it. This song just builds slowly until it explodes in Heavy Metal Jazz Thunder about 2:05 into the song. Buddy rips it up at the end of the song with some nice, tasteful funk soloing. Funky, bold, groovy, flashy - this one is just a fantastic song. Buddy's band continues to expand the boundaries of Big Band Jazz on this track.
After three perfect songs like that, where do you go? You go to the backwoods. "Backwoods Sideman," to be exact.
"Backwoods Sideman," is more of a standard 70's era Swing song, but it's played at (again) a frantic pace with a ton of energy. This is one of those tracks that the Jazz purists can appreciate that non-Jazz fans can still enjoy thanks to the electricity that the band generates. Buddy's is swinging away like mad while his band plays with power and melody. More great (and I mean great) solos are on board here from Bob Crea and Pat LaBarbera, both on tenor sax. "Backwoods Sideman," is a great example of why I call Big Band Jazz the Heavy Metal of Jazz. There is just a ton of power and energy involved and the music is just in your face - much like Heavy Metal (but dont worry, Jazz fans - this music isn't abraisive like much of the Metal genre).
So what's next? If the band needs a, "Time Check," then that's just what they're gonna get! "Time Check," is another Swing song that is played at a high tempo and has a ton of energy, so what else is new? Pat LaBarbera with a tenor sax solo? Check. "Time Check," makes for six killer songs in a row.
With those six killer songs behind them the band takes a bit of a breather on Duke Ellington's, "Prelude To A Kiss." Opening with the sax section playing alone, the song features a solid chart from Greg Hopkins giving the classic Ellington song a nice arrangement. The song features some nice, light brush work from Buddy, belying those who have often said he was all flash and power and couldn't play the mellower songs with much distinction. Buddy Budson has a nice piano solo that fits the song well. The dynamics of this arrangement are nice as well.
After that the band wants to dance, so they do the, "Waltz Of The Mushroom Hunters." It's not a mellow track in the least, but it's not the bold, brash kind of tune that they were playing on the album's first six songs. This is a tasteful, song with a smoother swing and strong melodies. It has more of a laid back feel. The solos are nice and have a bit of a bounce to them, with Pat LaBarbera again on sax (this time on soprano), and a very nice electric piano solo from Buddy Budson.
Closing out the album is, "Senator Sam," a mid tempo song that both swings and has a laid back funk groove. Tony Levin plays some really nice bass lines on this one and the brass section gets a chance to blast one more time as the band brings the album home.
While the album never recaptures the power and energy of the first six songs there isn't a true clunker on the album. The Roar of '74 is a prime example of 1970's Big Band Jazz at it's most powerful, most dynamic, and most compelling. It's definitely not an album to be missed by anyone who likes Jazz, or those who just like powerful music with a ton of energy and strong melodies (and phenomenal musical performances).
5/5