Jazz is commonly called “America’s greatest original art form,” yet applying a complete definition is nearly impossible. If you ask 100 music lovers, you’ll get 100 different interpretations. If you ask 100 Jazz players, you’ll get 100 more interpretations--plus a sizable list of music that isn’t quite worthy to be called Jazz. For example, mentioning  “square” band leader Glen Miller in the same breath as Swing Band leader Benny Goodman could very easily get you in a brawl. 

The origins of jazz can be traced back to African American communities around New Orleans and the nearby Delta area during the early 20th century. It’s a patchwork of spiritual music, blues, and ragtime with syncopated African rhythms and modified Western harmony. Jazz evolved rapidly, growing into distinctly different styles, genres, and sub-genres, each characterized by distinct tempos, harmonic structures, and idioms. These styles range from popular or specialized, big band or small combo, vocal or entirely instrumental, dance-oriented, and/or listener-focused, and sometimes a mix of these elements. 

In the mid-1930s, Jazz exploded in popularity across America, emerging from the shadows and speakeasies into the mainstream. Undoubtedly, the most popular era in Jazz, “Swing” is recognizable for its uneven “dotted 8th note rhythms,” which give the music a light, joyful skipping sound, that’s perfect for dancing. Swing bands generally have a dozen or more players on the bandstand, requiring a more structured and commercially consumable approach than Dixieland's raucous freeform improvisation. 

America’s youth packed bandstands and halls, escaping the depression and wartime era gloom, as they danced the night away to the highly motivating rhythms and power of Big Band Swing. Headlining bandleaders such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, the Dorsey brothers, among many others, became the “rock stars” of the era. Featured soloists, including Coleman Hawkins and Bunny Berigan, as well as singers like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, also became massive stars. However, in Swing and Big Band music, the spotlight wasn't reserved for front-and-center artists only; it also shone brightly on the drummers. The drummer played a crucial role in shaping the band's overall sound and could elevate a band's performance to new heights. With their ability to positively electrify a band and deliver show-stopping solos, drummers like Chick Webb, Jo Jones, Gene Krupa, and, of course, Buddy Rich put the swing in the Swing era. 

Rich landed the first professional gig of his adult life in 1937, playing in the high-profile and immensely popular Joe Marsala sextet. The band featured top-shelf players and a calendar full of high-paying engagements. It’d be hard for anyone to find a better first gig, but it wasn’t long before Buddy was ready to move on to “bigger” and better things. Unhappy with the limitations of supporting a small six-piece band, Buddy was after the challenges and rewards that Big Band Jazz had to offer. While that may sound ambitious for a newcomer, with a great gig, Buddy had the talent to score any gig he wanted—and he knew it. Soon, the whole world will know it too. 

With a big band, you've accomplished something. You're a part of an overall sound with a lot of people, rather than one of the guys in a trio, quartet, or sextet. In a big band, you've got charts to play, cues to catch, fills to make, things to catch with the brass—there's a reason for you to be up there. You're an important segment of a big band.—Buddy Rich.

After only six months with the Marsala sextet, Buddy landed his first big band gig with the Bunny Berigan Band at the height of their renown. Riding high on the success of Berigan's (now) standard, “I Can’t Get Started With You,” Buddy found his way into one of the hottest swing bands in the East. Of course, fame and success open doors, and the money is steady, but that’s not what motivated him. Within a year, he was already seeking the next adventure. 

Buddy Rich lived his life like he played his drums—in constant motion and with constant anticipation of what was coming next. In 1938, Benny Goodman’s band was the hottest ticket in Big Band Swing. He had a band full of A-list veterans, including Harry James in the trumpet section, Sax soloist Bud Freeman, and the legendary Gene Krupa on drums. As much as Buddy may have liked to work with Goodman, there was simply no vacancy.

In contrast to the well-established Goodman band, Artie Shaw’s big band was mainly composed of young, as-of-yet unknown talent, including the soon-to-be legendary singer Billie Holiday. Through high-profile New York City engagements, touring, and radio broadcasts, Shaw and his band of up-and-coming hotshots soon began to rival Goodman’s popularity. The only addition he needed was a superstar timekeeper. It took some persistence on the part of Tenor Sax phenom George Auld, a former bandmate of Buddy’s, to convince Shaw to consider a drummer who couldn’t read music. Additionally, Buddy had already gained a reputation for being “hot tempered.” It was Buddy’s remarkable ability to memorize and understand precisely how to bring the music to life after just one listen that earned him the job. Before long, this too came to an abrupt conclusion, and Rich was on the move again. 

Before the end of ’39, Rich began the first of many on-again, off-again gigs in the legendary Tommy Dorsey band, which also marked the first collaboration and lifelong association with Frank Sinatra. 

In post-war America, popular music shifted away from Dancehall music towards pop, ballads, and crooner music. In the Jazz world, a more complex, up-tempo style of Jazz emerged, better suited for listening than dancing to. Without ballrooms full of dancing couples, Big Bands began to give way to smaller combos and smaller venues. 

In 1947, when I organized my first band--that band was so outside, it was ridiculous. People used to run out of the ballroom. I lost 280,000 dollars with that band. The reason was that I wanted a jazz band--at a time when nobody could dance to jazz. They were dancing to a polite kind of  Swing—but I’ve never had a polite band. -Buddy Rich 

By the 1950s, as Rock and Roll began to develop,  Jazz remained popular, but the mainstream Jazz era was all but over. Although he’s most commonly associated with Swing and Big Band styles, Rich played every type of Jazz, alongside the best players of every style. Unlike many of his talented and popular contemporaries, who were starving for work, Rich continued to thrive in the post-swing world — in fact, he was just getting started. 

Although his first attempt at leading a band didn’t last, Buddy was already as famous and in demand as any band leader. This opened up a world of possibilities, allowing the freedom to pursue touring and recorded collaborations with the musicians of his choosing. 

As the recording era gained momentum, Buddy collaborated on albums with a diverse range of jazz musicians and styles, including Count Basie, vibes master Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. Never afraid to step outside his comfort zone, Buddy teamed up with bop pioneers Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie “Bird” Parker, and Thelonious Monk on the 1950 album "Bird and Diz." Between the late 1940s and the mid-1960s, Buddy appeared on over 50 additional albums with various artists. During this busy and fruitful era of collaboration, he continued to tour with Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra. He also played extensively with the Harry James band, contributing to over a dozen live and studio albums. Although Buddy enjoyed the freedom of not being tied to a single band leader, he still loved the big-band experience. Over twenty years after the Big Band era came to an end, Buddy had a bold idea: he wanted to return to big-band jazz full time, but joining another band was not what he had in mind. First, he’d need to find a qualified and dedicated bandleader with connections to top musicians. He’d also need to be someone who strove for perfection in himself and wasn’t afraid to demand it from others (sound familiar?) Plus, he’d need to be someone Buddy didn’t constantly bicker with. That in itself was a tall order. There was only one man who perfectly fit the bill. 

After 30 years as one of Jazz’s premier drummers, he was more than just a Superstar musician. Somewhere along the way, his notoriously short temper and equally quick wit made Buddy a celebrity personality. Admittedly, money management was never his strong suit. Nonetheless, he was an astute promoter, using TV in the same way Swing era bands capitalized on Radio. As a regular on the Steve Allen show and one of Johnny Carson’s favorite recurring guests, Buddy never missed a chance to show off his band. In 1973, PBS aired and syndicated Rich's entire “Top of the Plaza” concert show. This event marks the first time thousands of younger drummers got a chance to witness Buddy perform in a full-length concert. Many still consider this performance to be a significant influence on their playing.

In 1970, Buddy appeared in a skit called “Lucy and the Drum Contest” with Lucille Ball, satirizing his drum battle records with Gene Krupa and Max Roach. In 1981, he reprised the gag in an unforgettable appearance with Muppets drummer Animal. 

Buddy Rich helped define swing era drumming and kept the music alive and fresh for new generations to enjoy. His Big Band Machine was a testament to his creativity and devotion to the art. From the age of 20 till his death in 1987, Buddy gave his whole life to the drums and the music that he loved. At the age of 70, Buddy suffered a heart attack on stage during a drum solo, but like the demanding profession he was, the audience never knew. Three weeks later, Buddy died in the hospital from complications brought on by his recent heart attack, as well as the three that came before it. Most players would have retired, but Buddy was never “most players.”  He lived in the moment in life, and behind his kit. 

Whether or not he was the best drummer in the world, the best drummer in Swing, the best drummer of his time, or even the best drummer on Sesame Street, doesn’t make any difference. He was the one and only Buddy Rich. Closing in on the 100th anniversary since his rise to prominence, Buddy’s playing will continue to bring joy to music lovers and inspiration to drummers for another 100 years.