See And Hear The Master At Work!
The technique, musicality, intensity, and dedication that Buddy brings to the music he plays leaves many saying: "He is the greatest drummer in the world — a genius — there will never be another Buddy Rich."
In 1982, Buddy did three shows over three days as a pilot for a jazz television series with guests Mel Tormé, Gerry Mulligan, Woody Herman, Ray Charles, Anita O'Day, Stan Getz, and Lionel Hampton. The complete show will soon be available on DVD as "The Buddy Rich Show", edited as it would be for a broadcast performance.
Buddy Rich: Up Close DVD spotlights six of Buddy's classic tunes that he played with the band during that show. DrumChannel re-edited these tunes to focus every possible camera on Buddy throughout the entire tune, so you'll see the "master at work" at all times.
Not only do you get the standard audio mix, you get an additional two audio mixes: one with the band hot so you can play along, with Buddy in the background; the other with Buddy hot so you can hear the nuances in his time, feel, and technique. Buddy's playing is unique, he plays not just with his hands and feet, but with every fiber of his being.
Fans of Buddy Rich, students of his drumming, and jazz historians will most certainly love this DVD!
To see and hear this never-before-released footage of Buddy, some twenty years after his passing, is a rare and special treat. And this isn't your standard live performance video, it's "up close" footage of the master as he performs six classic tunes from his repertoire.
Buddy Rich: Up Close is essentially a DVD of the director's cut from the three days of filming back in 1982 at the Statler Hotel in New York. What you see is un-edited camera angles, all focused on Buddy throughout the six tunes, allowing you to observe his performance like only the band could. Nowadays we're used to seeing this type of approach in instructional videos, but to encounter Buddy Rich in this manner is both unique and rare.
Besides the full performances of six tunes, there's rehearsal footage, alternate takes and an interview with Buddy.
There are two additional versions of the six tunes, drums hot in the mix and band hot in the mix, both of which are done very well and should be a real assett to the student.
The slow-motion excerpts are from close-ups shots of Buddy's solos. If you view the DVD on your computer, you really don't need this feature ... since most computer DVD software allows you to slow-down or speed-up the video to your liking. Still, it's a nice feature on the DVD.
Although I am very pleased and impressed with Buddy Rich: Up Close, and can't wait to see "The Buddy Rich Show", I must say that Buddy's band, to my ears, was a bit deficient compared to what I'm used to hearing (and expecting) from his band. In particular the lead trumpet, who cracked an awful lot of notes, seemed to fall short of doing his job ... which is, along with the drummer, to lead the band. So if you're expecting to be "wowed" by the band, you may be disappointed. But as far as seeing Buddy do his thing, Buddy Rich: Up Close is a fine bit of history, and worth every penny.