I’m not really qualified to pass judgement on Buddy Rich’s
drumming beyond saying it’s pretty damn good. I do however feel a little more
comfortable mentioning his exceptional skills as a showman. While the now
infamous tour bus tapes give insight into his often discussed off stage temper,
his onstage charisma is captured in a live recording of The Beat Goes On, from the album Big Swing Face (1967).
Rich introduces his 12-year-old daughter Cathy and makes a
joke about her being drunk. Not something you’d expect from your average
American parent. Cathy’s performance is pretty solid when you consider she’s 12
– however, there are moments where she sounds unsure of herself. Although Rich is
clearly introducing her live the vocals are (according to liner notes) an
overdub, I wonder what the original performance sounded like? I couldn’t find
an answer, but YouTube does have a couple of lives performances that suggest
Cathy Rich is a capable vocalist. I guess the mystery goes on too.
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