[Dixielandjazz] Buddy Rich - music reader?

[BillSargentDrums at aol.com]

<<One more thing, about Buddy Rich not reading music... I don't buy  it. 
There's a big difference between not being able to read, not reading well,  and 
not wanting to read.  



Hi Bill:


I agree about the differences. It is certainly hard to believe Buddy could  
not read music, given his performances. But then, here is a direct quote that 
is  posted on Rich's "official" website> from a remembrance by John La  
Barbarbera (composer/arranger and trumpeter with Rich's band in the  1960s)


"That night he blew the break.  Totally blew it and stopped the band. We were 
in shock. Having never experienced  this before, we just looked around at 
each other. The audience was deadly  silent. Buddy yelled to Pat (my brother 
acted as musical director at times  because Buddy couldn't read music) "pick it up 
before the break." Pat yelled out  the appropriate rehearsal number and we 
were off again. As you can well imagine,  this time he nailed it and the 
audience went nuts."  - John La Barbarbera  (composer/arranger and trumpeter with 
Rich's band in the 1960s)


Cheers,
Steve>>
 
I still stand by my statement. Buddy's not reading well,  combined with not 
(wanting to) reading, could very well have lead to Pat's  conclusion. I've made 
that assumption myself about others, based on the same  circumstances.
 
Regarding Pat calling out the chart rehearsal numbers  for Buddy, of course, 
because Buddy had no chart to do so from. I've had the  same thing happen on 
my band, as when I am calling the band's attention to a  certain section before 
playing the song, someone in the band will identify the  measure number for 
me to the rest of the band. I know 99% of the charts we play  and, therefore, 
never pull my charts. Needless to say, I don't play my charts  anywhere's near 
as often as Buddy did.
 
 

 
Bill
414-777-0100
BillSargentBands.com

Just released:  "The Best Of Bill Sargent Bands - Volume 1"

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