Rich Guzzi

Outpost (2002). "Outpost" is the first collaboration between British synthesist Ian Boddy and American recording artist Robert Rich. Together, Rich and Boddy have concocted a mysterious blend of fluid electronic rhythms and impressionistic 50's Sci-Fi soundscapes. With tools ranging from vintage and modern analog modular synthesizers, prepared piano, metallic percussion, feedback networks, and digital signal processing, the two musicians have crafted a sonic journey to the remote edge of a future, lost civilization…

Avid Jazz here presents three classic Buddy Rich albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered double CD.
“The Wailing Buddy Rich”; “The Swinging Buddy Rich; “This One’s For Basie” plus 6 of 7 tracks from “Buddy And Sweets”.
Bernard “Buddy” Rich was born to show biz parents in Brooklyn in 1917. A natural drummer he was known in vaudeville as “Taps the Drum Wonder” and was leading his own band by the time he was eleven! Starting his jazz career in 1938 in Joe Marsala’s band he went on to play with the likes of Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw and Harry James…

The idea probably looked good on paper. Why not combine Buddy Rich's Quintet of 1959 (which consisted of altoist Phil Woods, trombonist Willie Dennis, pianist John Bunch and bassist Phil Leshin) with Max Roach's band of the time (consisting of trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, trombonist Julian Priester and bassist Bobby Boswell)? This CD reissues all of the music (including four "new" alternate takes) but the excess of drum solos and the relative brevity of space given to the horns results in a great deal of sameness from track to track.

Bestiary by Robert Rich is unlike anything we've ever heard by this prolific explorer in electronic sound. It is a piece in constant transition and quite possibly the ultimate example of "glurp", that sonic representation of squish. Throughout Rich's music is the underlying metaphysical principle of the inseparable relationship of the part from the whole. So what better instrument to realize Bestiary with than the MOTM synthesizer; a modern modular system whose totality is greater than the sum of its modules. This versatile method of music making gives the artist extensive and immediate control over critical aspects of sound design. By tweaking dials, flipping switches and plugging patchcords, Rich's hands are constantly altering the energy within the music…

1966 was a most illogical time for anyone to try forming a new big band but Buddy Rich beat the odds. This CD reissues the first album by the Buddy Rich Orchestra, augmenting the original Lp program with nine previously unissued performances from the same sessions. The arrangements (eight by Oliver Nelson along with charts by Bill Holman, Phil Wilson, Jay Corre, Don Rader and others) swing, put the emphasis on the ensembles and primarily feature Corre's tenor although trumpeter Bobby Shew, altoist Pete Yellin, pianist John Bunch and guitarist Barry Zweig are also heard from. Most of the songs did not stay in the drummer's repertoire long (other than Bill Reddie's adaptation of "West Side Story" and "Sister Sadie") and in fact only three members of the 17-piece orchestra would still be working for Rich a year later. An enjoyable and somewhat historic set.