- Rich, Buddy
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orig. Bernard Richborn June 30/Sept. 30, 1917, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.died April 2, 1987, Los Angeles, Calif.U.S. bandleader and drummer.Rich was a child-prodigy vaudeville performer known as "Baby Traps, the Drum Wonder." He played with several of the great swing bands, notably those of Artie Shaw (1939) and Tommy Dorsey (1939–42, 1944–46), before forming his own big band. In small ensembles, he worked with many of the greatest jazz musicians in concerts and recordings during the 1950s. The clarity and speed of his drumming made him legendary.
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▪ American musicianbyname of Bernard Richborn June 30/Sept. 30, 1917, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.died April 2, 1987, Los Angeles, Calif.American jazz drum virtuoso who accompanied major big bands before forming his own popular big band in the 1960s.Born into a musical family (biographies differ on his date of birth), Rich began dancing in his parents' vaudeville act at the age of 18 months, soon acquired the stage name “Baby Traps, the Drum Wonder,” and by the age of 11 was leading a band. He began playing jazz in 1938 and soon was the rhythmic inspiration of popular swing bands, working longest with Tommy Dorsey (1939–42, 1944–46, and 1954–55) and Harry James (1953–54, 1957, 1961–66). Meanwhile he served in the U.S. Marines in 1942–44, toured frequently with Jazz at the Philharmonic beginning in 1947, had short-lived careers as a singer and an actor, and acquired a reputation as a technically brilliant swing drummer who combined showmanship with good musical taste. Occasionally he formed short-lived big bands; he finally found lasting popular success in 1967–74 leading a band of 16 young musicians, which played jazz arrangements of rock and pop music. He often reorganized the band for tours after 1974; he also led occasional small groups and appeared often as a soloist on television.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
