(Not So) Big and Rich

I received a link today that really brought back some childhood memories -- and maybe even a twinge of remorse for the way that great television and music are being swept away. Hard to believe that one little link could do that to me, isn't it? Well, that one link is Animal vs. Buddy Rich. That's right! This is a true jazz legend in a drum-off with a freaking Muppet! I cannot believe that Drummerworld.com has archived Buddy Rich's appearance on The Muppet Show. I loved this show in my youth. And can even appreciate it more now. There is very little on TV today that can compete with The Muppet Show in terms of creativity and comedy. Sure, there are better special FX, and we have CGI instead of mammoth puppets. But there just isn't the same dynamic ... the same life OK. That's my lament on missing a show from my youth; what about that music crack I made? Well, I can actually claim a personal connection to Buddy Rich. My uncle, who is also my godfather, is a professional drummer. But long before he made his mark on the California music scene, he was a Rich acolyte. They had a long correspondence and even became friendly. I guess Rich liked my uncle's playing -- and his attitude. Rich was kindy picky in both regards. Well, in the mid-80s, my uncle was able to get Buddy Rich and his entire band to play a concert in our little off-the-beaten-track hometown. Even though I was in high school, I knew this was a big deal. Come on, my hometown is nestled in the Allegheny Highlands and it just isn't on the way to ... anything. I even got to meet Buddy Rich after the show; my uncle was very keen on introducing me to his idol. I was conscious of the fact that I was meeting someone who had helped to shape my uncle. A man whose influence had been second only to two other men in my uncle's life: his father and his oldest brother (my father). Buddy Rich died just a few years after that show ... almost a year after my high school graduation. In this day and age of American Idol, pre-programmed radio, and copy-cat acts, there is rarely a sense of true craftsmanship when it comes to musical performers. But there, in that video clip -- as goofy as it might look -- is a true master. He knows it, but he's not above having a little fun. I'm sure there is a story or two of Buddy being difficult, but it's a far cry from the diva and primaddona antics of today's stars, most of whom will be lucky to leave a "legacy" of a mere one or two recordings. And that doesn't even begin to measure up to the decades-long legacy of someone like Buddy Rich. OK, sorry for the uncharacteristic rant (uncharacteristic in topic, not in meandering), but isn't this the sort of thing for which blogs are tailor-made?