I saw Buddy many times over the years and Steve was there in the 1st tenor chair. The first time I saw them was at the Univ. of Redlands, they played a dual set with Louis Bellson's band, what a concert! Most of the audience were non-jazz college kids but both bands held them enthralled. There were many great concerts at Disneyland, too, people would come night after night (like I did) to hear Buddy and the band again. To me it's Buddy's time that sets him apart. He's quick, but those beats fall exactly where they should and don't waver.
I'm so glad I came across this interview with Steve Marcus. As a drummer, my head just spins when I hear Buddy's playing. His style is unique and is a reflection of the unique individual he was. AS for Steve Marcus, my GOD, what an amazing saxophonist. I absolutely loved his soloing. He was a truly gifted musician and a genius in his own right. I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to hear Buddy play in person in the 70s at Buddy's Place in NY. RIP Buddy and RIP Steve. You both have left your mark on music forever.
Met him back in the mid 70s after an outdoor Buddy Rich concert in California (Marineland). I was like 13 or something. I asked him if I could get behind the stage to meet Buddy. Steve said, "Sure man, come on let's go!" He took me by the bus where the other musicians were who I also got to meet briefly but Buddy had already left the concert. Steve was really cool trying to help this little kid meet his idle. Very creative player too who was comfortable playing many styles. Thank you Mr. Marcus.
Drumminman, here we are 6 years from your comment but I just wanted to say I saw Buddy at Marineland as well. I recall (the show I saw) there was a problem and the band started late. Buddy kept coming out to tell the audience that the band will start soon. During his big solo someone let the dolphins loose and Buddy got a bit angry and started giving them drum rolls when they'd leap out of the water. He wrapped it up and sarcastically told the audience the dolphins were anxious to get back on the bus :-)
This is a real gem of an interview. Steve Marcus was the rock of the Buddy Rich Band (other than Buddy himself). It was always great to watch all of the other horn players frantically shuffle through their sheet music as Buddy played various "clues" to the next tune on his hi-hat, while Steve had every chart memorized and was always cool as a cucumber and ready to play. Truly a consummate professional. I miss Steve and Buddy!
Steve was a great presence on the BR bandstand. He would listen and dig very deeply when Buddy’s feature came up. Other players would just sit there, but Steve listened to every note of Buddy’s solos and knew what he was in the presence of. Steve was an incredible soloist, too.
One of the biggest honors of my career was sitting in with Steve Smith's "Buddy's Buddies," featuring Marcus, Fusco and other BR alumni. Marcus was a beautiful, beautiful cat who was wonderful to me.
So glad i found this post.What a lovely man and very much Buddys wing man.At least that is how it appeared when i saw them perform.Sadly missed,RIP both
It is truly amazing when you hear 'the best of the best' share their insights as to how they do things. Marcus is as good on his sax as Buddy was on his drums. To hear him break things down in simple terms proves what a super musician he was as well. Great is great.. and he was great as well. Beautiful person too.
I've never heard stories from any of Buddy's actual band members. I really enjoyed Steve's comments on the man, very revealing, honest, and heartfelt. Thanks for sharing.
In my fifties, I'm finally getting to play the good charts, and remembering being a kid and seeing them. I was awestruck, thinking that every other kind of music I'd heard before... was All Lies.. that nothing could touch the arrangements, the interactions, the solos, tutti, and NO CLAMS!!! Recordings are only a taste... stir the Raw Emotions of remembering - seeing these folks live... What a Ride!
Thank you for putting this beautiful interview w the Great Saxophone player Steve Marcus up about his time w one of the true great individuals of the Drums Buddy Rich.
Steve Marcus was a terrific interview. On the other hand, the interviewer's questions seem to indicate that she didn't really have a true understanding of Buddy and his genius on drums.
Who of us can say we have a true understanding of Buddy´s genius on the drums?;) I think she tried to convey Buddy to listeners who had no clue who he was as well as more familiar listeners.
To Erik Smith: I have an understanding of Buddy's genius. After having been a student of the art of drumming over fifty years and studying most of the other great drummers over that period of time, I can say that I have an understanding of Buddy's genius. His genius is there to be heard, all one has to do is listen.
@tipofelice: Thanks for your comment. As a professional drummer for 35 years and someone who has worked with several of Buddy´s sidemen over the years, most notably trumpeter Bobby Shew and sax man Bob Mintzer, I agree with you. Through listening we can appreciate and hear Buddy´s genius. However, to truly understand the depth of where it all came from, how he heard music and how he did those technically impossible things, i speak for myself when I say I will probably never figure it out. I also dont expect a radio host to have the same understanding as you and I on this matter. However, I do appreciate that she understood enough to invite Steve Marcus to the radio studio to talk about Buddy for 30 minutes. It revealed many things that we would otherwise not have gained access to.
This is a great interview. I'm a big fan of Steve Marcus, and I just wish he had done more albums after his time with Buddy. He was an amazing player and seems like he was a great guy. I really wish I could have hung out with him to shoot the breeze and talk music. I saw him with Buddy's band 3 times, and he's right - that band NEVER had a bad show. The shows I saw were all amazing. Best Big Band ever. Tightest, most powerful - just an amazing band. And, of course, Buddy was a force of nature behind the drums. It's easy to understand how Marcus and Buddy got along so well when you hear this interview. Both of them are greatly missed.
fantastic insight into the man who I as a drummer idolised/ watched him perform with total amazement thank you so much for this post, may both rest in peace
we miss you steve thank you for some wonderful musical times esp that time at lake coumpounce in bristol ct..in 83 well frankly i love ed your solos in nearly everything..yeah you represent great musical times for me god rest your soul steve you gave us all wonderful musicall times
As amazing as Buddy's solos were, and he had the best left hand playing traditional grip EVER, his ensemble playing was incredible. He was so musical. Every note he played made sense. And he was a star. How many drummers could go on the Tonight Show and be the entertainer he was. The musical world was just a different world back then and he was at the top of the world.
Every person on the Internet who engages in useless arguments about musician X being "better" than musician Y should listen to Steve Marcus at 12:54 onwards. His comments are spot on.
Erik, I appreciate your resume. Mine is similar. However, we agree that we can appreciate Buddy's prodigious talent and contribution to jazz music and jazz drumming in particular. That being said, I claim that I know from where all of his genius talent came. It's philosophical and not all would agree, maybe even scoff at what I am about to say. Still, I claim that it came from his Maker. Therefore, I understand quite well from where his profound ability came. Also, I thank his/our Maker for giving us such a gift that inspired and encouraged us to play.
Hah,good answer. Im also quite sure Buddy was a human being who came from his mom and dad and he wasn't a doll or a robot put together by his,eh...."maker".
The absolute greatest feature of Buddy Rich's drumming, was his extreme musical sensitivity - Buddy's comping was different level. Most people wouldn't think of Buddy as being a sensitive person, because of some of his more volatile, extremely bad tempered tirades against people who'd somehow managed to upset him. However, if you listen really CLOSELY to the way Buddy comps (compliments) behind a soloist when they're blowing, you'll hear a degree of sensitivity that is unmatched by the vast majority of drummers... Listen to his snare comps behind Steve Marcus's solo on this song - Other worldly...
Read music? It helps, makes things easier but you always have to listen and feed off the tune, the players, the phrases, and play whatever fits and enhances the experience for the listeners.
You mean like you haven’t heard that version of love for sale? Cuz its the channel one set album if you didn’t know. You prolly know tho its a seven year old comment idk
i lean to buddy rich as greatest jazz drummer of all time, he was soooo deep..into the music...but there are other drummers, joe jones, philly joe jones, gene krupa,, we dont...have to decide whos best...just listen and enjoy.... in good jazz...musicians have to....listen to the musical story other players are playing..
Agreed, music is not a competition. I actually cant understand that people never get tired talking about BRs chops and speed. As you mention, his musicality and commitment to music was his most amazing side as far as im concerned.
Interesting..well known that Buddy Rich could not read sheet music. However he more than made up for that with his uncanny ability and immense God-given talent. Ability to read is not an absolute to playing drums but it does open doors. I've sat in with bands and the leader/arranger handed me a chart and said 'play this' without any prior rehearsal time. More often than not panic set in and I gave the leader the 'deer in the headlights' look. I wish I was blessed with Buddy's ability to feel the music and play like he rehearsed the drum part for hours without having to be tied to a chart.
I saw Buddy many times over the years and Steve was there in the 1st tenor chair. The first time I saw them was at the Univ. of Redlands, they played a dual set with Louis Bellson's band, what a concert! Most of the audience were non-jazz college kids but both bands held them enthralled. There were many great concerts at Disneyland, too, people would come night after night (like I did) to hear Buddy and the band again. To me it's Buddy's time that sets him apart. He's quick, but those beats fall exactly where they should and don't waver.
I CANNOT EXPLAIN IN WORDS THE PAIN OF NOT SEEING STEVE AND BUDDY ANYMORE
Steve Marcus, terrifically articulate, a pleasure to listen to his interview and also to his playing.
I'm so glad I came across this interview with Steve Marcus. As a drummer, my head just spins when I hear Buddy's playing. His style is unique and is a reflection of the unique individual he was. AS for Steve Marcus, my GOD, what an amazing saxophonist. I absolutely loved his soloing. He was a truly gifted musician and a genius in his own right. I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to hear Buddy play in person in the 70s at Buddy's Place in NY. RIP Buddy and RIP Steve. You both have left your mark on music forever.
Mark Politi how fortunate to have seen them at Buddy's Place. O saw him twice in the 80s on tour...my idol.
Loved this interview with Steve Marcus. On his instrument, on the level with Sir Buddy!!
Met him back in the mid 70s after an outdoor Buddy Rich concert in California (Marineland). I was like 13 or something. I asked him if I could get behind the stage to meet Buddy. Steve said, "Sure man, come on let's go!" He took me by the bus where the other musicians were who I also got to meet briefly but Buddy had already left the concert. Steve was really cool trying to help this little kid meet his idle. Very creative player too who was comfortable playing many styles. Thank you Mr. Marcus.
Drumminman, here we are 6 years from your comment but I just wanted to say I saw Buddy at Marineland as well. I recall (the show I saw) there was a problem and the band started late. Buddy kept coming out to tell the audience that the band will start soon. During his big solo someone let the dolphins loose and Buddy got a bit angry and started giving them drum rolls when they'd leap out of the water. He wrapped it up and sarcastically told the audience the dolphins were anxious to get back on the bus :-)
This is a real gem of an interview. Steve Marcus was the rock of the Buddy Rich Band (other than Buddy himself). It was always great to watch all of the other horn players frantically shuffle through their sheet music as Buddy played various "clues" to the next tune on his hi-hat, while Steve had every chart memorized and was always cool as a cucumber and ready to play. Truly a consummate professional. I miss Steve and Buddy!
Excellent interview and production. The lady gave us a great presentation of Steve about Buddy.
Steve was a great presence on the BR bandstand. He would listen and dig very deeply when Buddy’s feature came up. Other players would just sit there, but Steve listened to every note of Buddy’s solos and knew what he was in the presence of. Steve was an incredible soloist, too.
One of the biggest honors of my career was sitting in with Steve Smith's "Buddy's Buddies," featuring Marcus, Fusco and other BR alumni. Marcus was a beautiful, beautiful cat who was wonderful to me.
The eye of the hurricane. One of the best interviews on RUclips.
So glad i found this post.What a lovely man and very much Buddys wing man.At least that is how it appeared when i saw them perform.Sadly missed,RIP both
It is truly amazing when you hear 'the best of the best' share their insights as to how they do things. Marcus is as good on his sax as Buddy was on his drums. To hear him break things down in simple terms proves what a super musician he was as well. Great is great.. and he was great as well. Beautiful person too.
Yep...as a kid, I got to meet Steve Marcus and Pete Christlieb as they played on Woody Herman's band. Nice cats. GREAT sax men !
I've never heard stories from any of Buddy's actual band members. I really enjoyed Steve's comments on the man, very revealing, honest, and heartfelt. Thanks for sharing.
+tiffsaver Here is a site with Buddy stories.keepitlive.tripod.com/buddyrich/stories/stories.html
Great - Thanks
Theres something in the eye of the hurricane I wanna see. Spoken like a true artist.
I saw BRB several times. There was always a fun exchange during the show with Buddy and Steve between songs. RIP
In my fifties, I'm finally getting to play the good charts, and remembering being a kid and seeing them. I was awestruck, thinking that every other kind of music I'd heard before... was All Lies.. that nothing could touch the arrangements, the interactions, the solos, tutti, and NO CLAMS!!! Recordings are only a taste... stir the Raw Emotions of remembering - seeing these folks live... What a Ride!
Thank you so much for posting this wonderfully insightful interview. Steve Marcus did credit to himself and Buddy on this. I miss them both.
Thank you for putting this beautiful interview w the Great Saxophone player Steve Marcus up about his time w one of the true great individuals of the Drums Buddy Rich.
Steve Marcus was a terrific interview. On the other hand, the interviewer's questions seem to indicate that she didn't really have a true understanding of Buddy and his genius on drums.
Who of us can say we have a true understanding of Buddy´s genius on the drums?;) I think she tried to convey Buddy to listeners who had no clue who he was as well as more familiar listeners.
tipofelice No she didn't
She set up a great interview with Steve. Not sure what +tipofelice is talking about here, this is a good interview for sure.
To Erik Smith: I have an understanding of Buddy's genius. After having been a student of the art of drumming over fifty years and studying most of the other great drummers over that period of time, I can say that I have an understanding of Buddy's genius. His genius is there to be heard, all one has to do is listen.
@tipofelice: Thanks for your comment. As a professional drummer for 35 years and someone who has worked with several of Buddy´s sidemen over the years, most notably trumpeter Bobby Shew and sax man Bob Mintzer, I agree with you. Through listening we can appreciate and hear Buddy´s genius. However, to truly understand the depth of where it all came from, how he heard music and how he did those technically impossible things, i speak for myself when I say I will probably never figure it out. I also dont expect a radio host to have the same understanding as you and I on this matter. However, I do appreciate that she understood enough to invite Steve Marcus to the radio studio to talk about Buddy for 30 minutes. It revealed many things that we would otherwise not have gained access to.
This is a great interview. I'm a big fan of Steve Marcus, and I just wish he had done more albums after his time with Buddy. He was an amazing player and seems like he was a great guy. I really wish I could have hung out with him to shoot the breeze and talk music. I saw him with Buddy's band 3 times, and he's right - that band NEVER had a bad show. The shows I saw were all amazing. Best Big Band ever. Tightest, most powerful - just an amazing band. And, of course, Buddy was a force of nature behind the drums. It's easy to understand how Marcus and Buddy got along so well when you hear this interview. Both of them are greatly missed.
Thanks for posting this. It's absolute gold.
fantastic insight into the man who I as a drummer idolised/ watched him perform with total amazement thank you so much for this post, may both rest in peace
Fantastic to listen to this, thank you.
Buddy Rich was put on this earth to make us all marvel and fellow drummers to learn; that is when not shaking their heads in despair.
Dude had such a wonderful palate of colours and styles when he played. I loved his style!
Never heard a SM interview before. Thanks! 😁
Thanks for posting this up for us. highly enjoyable
we miss you steve thank you for some wonderful musical times esp that time at lake coumpounce in bristol ct..in 83 well frankly i love ed your solos in nearly everything..yeah you represent great musical times for me god rest your soul steve you gave us all wonderful musicall times
RIP Steve Marcus 1939-2005 A Great Saxophonist!!
Pete Poulos RIP
Great interview ... great questions .... Steve so articulate ... Thank you for this ...
Thanks for posting.
Steve was a gentleman and a master. It should be noted that Steve passed away in 2005.
Great interview with a monster player - the only kind that Buddy would hire.
Ahhh, bummer that he passed, Steve Marcus is rad!!
As amazing as Buddy's solos were, and he had the best left hand playing traditional grip EVER, his ensemble playing was incredible. He was so musical. Every note he played made sense. And he was a star. How many drummers could go on the Tonight Show and be the entertainer he was. The musical world was just a different world back then and he was at the top of the world.
Thank you so much for posting this! Peace to you.
How cool is this window of 20th century music history!!!!.....
Every person on the Internet who engages in useless arguments about musician X being "better" than musician Y should listen to Steve Marcus at 12:54 onwards. His comments are spot on.
Even today I would like to see any drummer top Buddy with just a snare drum and bass drum.👍👍🥁
What a classy talent...10 stars
gr8 interview Blaze...thanx
Thanks, Erik, this and "The Buddy Rich Pep Talk" are so interesting ! He was such a great musician.
Buddy's ARTISTRY (speed, power, drive and rhythmic intelligence) is the quintessential aspect of his musical stature.
Trismegistus and stamina!
18:05 Man Barry Keiner was a piano legend but his early death was a very tragic sight to everyone man
Thanks Erik,..!
Great interview! Though the interviewer sound like google reading sentences.
I knew Steve. God I miss him
Thanks for sharing this.
Well said about Buddy's speed verses his technique as far as the listening public goes.
Buddy had speed and technique,,,,,,he was blessed,,,,
Very interresting!
Erik, I appreciate your resume. Mine is similar. However, we agree that we can appreciate Buddy's prodigious talent and contribution to jazz music and jazz drumming in particular. That being said, I claim that I know from where all of his genius talent came. It's philosophical and not all would agree, maybe even scoff at what I am about to say. Still, I claim that it came from his Maker. Therefore, I understand quite well from where his profound ability came. Also, I thank his/our Maker for giving us such a gift that inspired and encouraged us to play.
So, it came from his dad. Mystery solved.
Hah,good answer. Im also quite sure Buddy was a human being who came from his mom and dad and he wasn't a doll or a robot put together by his,eh...."maker".
I thought this interviewer was a text-to-speech bot for a moment
Love him!!!!!!!!!!
The absolute greatest feature of Buddy Rich's drumming, was his extreme musical sensitivity - Buddy's comping was different level. Most people wouldn't think of Buddy as being a sensitive person, because of some of his more volatile, extremely bad tempered tirades against people who'd somehow managed to upset him.
However, if you listen really CLOSELY to the way Buddy comps (compliments) behind a soloist when they're blowing, you'll hear a degree of sensitivity that is unmatched by the vast majority of drummers...
Listen to his snare comps behind Steve Marcus's solo on this song - Other worldly...
Read music? It helps, makes things easier but you always have to listen and feed off the tune, the players, the phrases, and play whatever fits and enhances the experience for the listeners.
Buddy had no trouble getting talent in the saxophone section. Jay Corre, Don Menza, Pat LaBarbera, and Art Pepper were featured members of the band.
"I've got a right hand to your fuckin' brain if you want it." -Buddy Rich
Thuddy Waters great
Richard B. Davis Are you related to Ann B. Davis?
"I'll show you what it's like!"🤪
The only thing I want to know is if Buddy showed Steve "what it was like!"
13:53 and again 14:03 unheard of, at lest in my experience of BR big bands...
You mean like you haven’t heard that version of love for sale? Cuz its the channel one set album if you didn’t know. You prolly know tho its a seven year old comment idk
@@dantheman3825 No no I meant one trumpet (I guess) missing notes and loudly
i lean to buddy rich as greatest jazz drummer of all time, he was soooo deep..into the music...but there are other drummers, joe jones, philly joe jones, gene krupa,, we dont...have to decide whos best...just listen and enjoy.... in good jazz...musicians have to....listen to the musical story other players are playing..
Agreed, music is not a competition. I actually cant understand that people never get tired talking about BRs chops and speed. As you mention, his musicality and commitment to music was his most amazing side as far as im concerned.
Interesting..well known that Buddy Rich could not read sheet music. However he more than made up for that with his uncanny ability and immense God-given talent. Ability to read is not an absolute to playing drums but it does open doors. I've sat in with bands and the leader/arranger handed me a chart and said 'play this' without any prior rehearsal time. More often than not panic set in and I gave the leader the 'deer in the headlights' look. I wish I was blessed with Buddy's ability to feel the music and play like he rehearsed the drum part for hours without having to be tied to a chart.
Buddy was a good, good drummer. Case closed
+Mongo L how about the greatest, mongo
Mongo L Good ???????
You got your horn so deep in the fuckin bell you dont need an audience tonight.
What’s the source of this interview?
An american radio station, the interviewer mentions it in the intro. I found it online years ago and downloaded it.
There are more flashy, musically educated and modern drummers out there for sure but Buddy Rich was a symphony all by himself 4:59
Mongo L flashier? Who?
fab,,,,,,,,
16:35 Buddies criticisms were a guy thing, kill the guy then buy him lunch if you liked him or not
Laz Blontana ‘