Drumbo
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Nov 12 2002
Posts: 194
Loc: West by God Virginia
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Traps the Drum Wonder (The Life of Buddy Rich) by Mel Tormé
Oxford University Press 1991
Published by Hal Leonard
Reprinted 1997 with index (very detailed)
Plus 16 pages of outstanding photos
quote:
April 2, 1987:
"My Friend Died today.
I want to put this down before I forget."
Thus begins the official biography of Buddy Rich and 1991's New York Times Notable Book of the Year as well as downbeat's Jazz Book of the Year - 1991. Written by his best friend of forty years, world-renowned jazz vocalist Mel Tormé (1925-99), Traps is an amazing glimpse into the life of one of the world's first and foremost superstars; a portrait of a dazzling talent which Gene Krupa once called, “the greatest drummer to ever draw breath.”.
Please indulge me a few words about Mel Tormé who was easily one of the best scat singers this side of Ella Fitzgerald and one of the finest dramatic interpreters of American popular music since his contemporary Frank Sinatra. As Buddy's chosen biographer, who Tormé is - makes an important statement about Buddy as well. There are half a dozen Rich biographies in print by music historians and jazz lovers who rightfully try to document Rich's every musical accomplishment and achievement. Tormé, a fellow musician, a drummer himself and a close personal friend, as well as a friend of many of Buddy's friends, offers what is a unique personal testament to the human side of Buddy Rich – and the accomplishments are there too.
We see Buddy’s hopes and dreams (both realized and shattered), his strengths and weaknesses, his graciousness and generosity as well as his anger and legendary temper tantrums - it's all here in Tormé's flowing, readable style. Every word hints at the awe and admiration Tormé held for his dear friend. Buddy's life was peppered with touching love stories which Tormé renders amiably - but the most touching love story of all is on every page and in every word of Traps.
Like Rich, Tormé started as a child entertainer, making a professional debut as a vocalist at the age of three, singing in nightclubs and on the radio in Chicago where he grew up. This shared child-star experience with Buddy Rich, makes this biography that much more engaging and intuitive. Mel also learned to dance, played piano, drums, and he was composing music before his tenth birthday. As a composer, his career took off with Harry James’ recording of his "Lament to Love" when Tormé was only fifteen. His first big break as a singer came the next year when internationally known comedian Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers hired him as a singer and drummer for his big band.
In 1943, the eighteen-year-old Tormé made his first of many film appearances in R.K.O. Pictures' Higher and Higher, and along with his co-star, Frank Sinatra the only way to go was up. Shortly after that first hit movie, he introduced the Mel-Tones, his own vocal group that was easily the most musical jazz-pop singing unit of the 1940s. The group specialized in ingenious harmonies, witty song juxtapositions and relentless swing, all of which also became trademarks of Tormé’s solo work. The Mel-Tones had several hits, on their own as well as paired with Artie Shaw's band. "What is This Thing Called Love?" became a jazz standard, and was their biggest, most enduring hit. The Mel-Tones were among the first of the jazz-influenced vocal groups, setting the direction and standard for the groups that followed in their tradition, including the Hi-Los and eventually Manhattan Transfer. As an established singing star, Tormé completed two more films for RKO before he was called to duty in World War II.
When Tormé disbanded the Mel-Tones, went on to perform in numerous MGM musicals and he was repackaged as a solo singer. For a while he was a crooning rival to Frank Sinatra and Mel was nicknamed the "Velvet Fog" by his fans - a name he admits in Traps that he believed was silly. By the turn of the 1950s, Mel had decided that the pop star’s life wasn’t his destiny. He wanted to control his own musical directions and he launched a series of now-classic jazz vocal albums and projects that established him as a serious singer, composer, pianist, dancer and drummer. His uniqueness in both style and choice of material, his acting skills as well as his writing forays into both fact and fiction, made Mel Tormé one of the most astounding multiple-threat talents of his time.
The late Steve Allen once said: "Since nobody else has ever had that sound, there was no point in trying to sound like Mel Tormé. But, as I’ve often said, Mel could, literally, give singing lessons to all the other good singers." In fact, many good singers, including Betty Carter, Mark Murphy, Cassandra Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, and Kurt Elling give Mel credit as an important guiding influence.
Tormé earned an Emmy nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1957 Playhouse 90 presentation; "The Comedian," and years later for hosting and performing on the 1971 TV series "It Was A Very Good Year". Tormé's popularity surged when he hosted a television talk show in the 60’s and again in the 80s with appearances on the television comedy series Night Court, where he played himself as Judge Harry Stone's (played by Harry Anderson) singing idol.
In the early 80’s, Mel collaborated with another music legend; George Shearing on several excellent albums, including An Evening With George Shearing and Mel Tormé and Top Drawer, both earned him Grammys for Best Male Jazz Vocalist in 1982 and 1983. His visibility in the mass culture of the 90s was boosted by his feats of "derring-dew" on TV commercials for Mountain Dew as well as memorable appearances on MTV, Seinfeld, the Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman.
Until suffering a stroke in August of 1996, Mel performed constantly, in Las Vegas and in jazz clubs around the country - he was even honored with an appearance on The Simpsons.
In all, Tormé wrote over 300 songs throughout his long, successful career but none so popular as the enduring classic called, "The Christmas Song (Chestnut Roasting on an Open Fire)" which he co-wrote with Robert Wells, and was first recorded in 1947 by Nat King Cole.
Mel also published a total of five books. A voracious reader all his life, Tormé began writing articles for newspapers and magazines as well as scripts for television early on. He served as a writer for The Judy Garland Show on CBS-TV in 1963-64 and that experience led to his first book, The Other Side Of The Rainbow (1976), a best-selling memoir of the Garland series which revealed that Mel was as fine a writer as he was a singer. He followed that volume with a novel, Wynner (1978), and his gripping autobiography, It Wasn't All Velvet (1988) as well as an encyclopedic tribute to his musical colleagues, My Singing Teachers (1994).
My views of two musicians were forever changed by this lovingly rendered book called Traps The Drum Wonder. This candid and brilliant biography of his old friend Buddy Rich is Mel Tormé's best and certainly most emotional work - which Johnny Carson thoughtfully called, "An honest, loving portrait of a genius." In only 233 pages Tormé could not possibly relate everything from the amazing career of one of the world's greatest virtuosos, but, in this bestseller he hit the high points - and oh, what high points to hit!
No better choice could have been found for Buddy's biographer. They met in 1944 when Buddy was 26 and Mel soon became Buddy's best friend. In the book, we learn that in 1975, Buddy approached Mel and asked him to someday write his biography. Tormé had over ten years to mull over this project, but, it was not until 1987, when Buddy lay on his death bed that Mel knew he would have to make good on this ambitious project. He visited Buddy in the hospital, or at a friend’s house in Beverly Hills daily to listen to him reminisce and to sit with him as he napped.
The book shines because no other person could know so many details about so many facets of Buddy's remarkable life and still have such a keen understanding of drumming, the music business and the jazz scene of the last century. As his friend, it would have been natural for Mel to sugar coat Buddy's life in saintly terms, but, at Buddy's own request – no, it was Buddy’s demand that Mel pull no punches and tell it like it was.
Included is the worst of the worst as well as the best of the best. We learn about the bumpy times in their relationship, times when Buddy’s thoughtlessness and scathing remarks sometimes drove his friends away, including Mel. We are permitted to see not only a man blessed with great charm and tremendous talent, but also one who was frequently obnoxious, crass, immature and rude.
Mel recounts many of Buddy's practical jokes and temper tantrums through the years, his arguments and fights with Tommy Dorsey, his wife Marie, and even Mel himself. The fights were sometimes physical as with Dorsey room-mate Frank Sinatra - but, in each of these cases Buddy almost always found a way to patch things up. With Mel's balanced treatment, we can usually see both sides to the problems. Sometimes we can admire Buddy's stance, as when he is constantly complaining to Dorsey about selling out with "those strings." Buddy hated the strings that Dorsey had added to support the slow, saccharine Sinatra ballads. Buddy was all about jazz and Buddy wanted to swing - and to Buddy - jazz did not include strings! Buddy's love/hate relationship with Tommy Dorsey was mythic, yet, over and over throughout his career, Rich returned to sit at the helm of the Dorsey organization.
Likewise, Buddy's early rivalries and fist fights with Frank Sinatra filled the scandal-sheets of the day, yet, it was Frank who on two occasions in the 40’s personally loaned Buddy $25,000 to launch his own big bands. It was Frank who helped Buddy to get out from under Dorsey's tyrannical reign. It was also the Buddy Rich “Big Band Machine” and “Killer Force” that often accompanied Frank Sinatra on his world tours in the second half of the 20th Century.
But, I'm getting ahead of the story that begins at the beginning; with the birth of Bernard - no middle name - Rich, on September 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. A mere eighteen months later he debuted on-stage with his parent's Vaudeville act, "Wilson & Rich" and later "Rich & Renard". The book tells how at the Bijou Theatre, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in the spring of 1919, something very extraordinary happened that would change the Rich clan, and indeed, the world of music forever.
While sitting beside the trap drummer during an afternoon rehearsal, baby “Pal” as he was nicknamed, began to manipulate the drumsticks he had been given by the drummer. What happened was amazing. Every time the music began the tiny year-and-a-half-old baby tapped along, even anticipating the tempo changes, accents and stops. That very day, at the band’s urging, young Bernard debuted at center stage with a borrowed field drum. “Pal” the child prodigy, slayed the Indiana crowds and the word about “baby Traps” spread like a tidal wave. What began as a few extra dollars a week in the pay envelope of “Pops” Rich, soon became the highest paid child performer in the world and known as "Traps, the Drum Wonder." He was second only to Chaplin protégé Jackie Coogan who came along years later. As usual, Rich was first.
As “Traps, the Drum Wonder”, at the tender age of two, he was featured playing “The Stars and Stripes Forever”, a sure-fire show-stopper, first as the finale to his parents; Robert and Bess Rich’s act and later as a solo headliner. It seemed that “Little Buddy Traps” had been born on the stage, and that was where he belonged. The stage beckoned him, and in turn, Rich responded. The words “Drum Wonder” fit his bill and his entire life like a glove.
By the age of seven he was touring in the United States and abroad, and at eleven years old he was leading his own stage band. Rich’s family, including sisters, Jo, Marjorie and his brother Mickey would soon all agree that Buddy’s passion was jazz. Completely self-taught at the time, Bernard “Buddy” Rich continued playing the drums on the vaudeville circuit for the first eighteen years of his life despite the psychological abuse of his mother and the sometimes physical abuse of his father. Then came the Great Depression and vaudeville was in its death throes and Buddy had decided he wanted to play jazz.
After discovering jazz in his late teens, Buddy truly started playing jazz in the late 1930’s. In 1937 he joined Joe Marsala's group at the Hickory House, his favorite hang-out. Subsequent band affiliations included Bunny Berigan, Harry James, an amazing stint with Artie Shaw, and another with Tommy Dorsey. By the early 40’s, Buddy Rich was a major star on the swing circuit, and more often than not the billing read “The Tommy Dorsey Band featuring Buddy Rich” much to the chagrin of vocalist Frank Sinatra.
As a star with each orchestra he anchored, Rich became more of a draw than many of the famous vocalists he backed. The stories told of the Shaw and Dorsey bands are riveting, as these hit-making bands were the equivalent of The Beatles and Led Zeppelin who came along 20 years later. It’s a story of big cars, huge egos, fine clothes and beautiful women.
After serving in the U.S. Marines from 1942 to 1944, Rich worked with Tommy Dorsey again. The reader suffers along with Buddy as Mel recounts the heart-breaking story of his near-marriage to Lana Turner. She had spent time at his parent's home with the family, she had given him a ring, and they had planed a wedding. But, as the big day approached, she phoned from Hollywood to tell Buddy that she has suddenly married another. Buddy never really recovered. Buddy had begun to win the popular jazz polls that were published by “Metronome” and “downbeat” magazines. Fans and critics alike proclaimed Buddy Rich, the best drummer in the world.
With the help of Frank Sinatra, Buddy set off on his own, finally out from under Dorsey’s stern leadership. That first Buddy Rich orchestra showed enough success before it floundered that he went on to play with Les Brown, Jazz at the Philharmonic, and Charlie Ventura's Big Four while intermittently fronting his own ensembles. He performed with Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Count Bassie and Duke Ellington. Over the years, Buddy returned to Jazz at the Philharmonic many times, the money was good and unlike touring with a band JatP gave him time both with his family in New York, and to plan his next move.
One of his moves was a series of concerts with Gene Krupa, billed as “Drum Battles” which toured the country. It also showed the courtesy and humble side that Buddy could show to a respected mentor. All concerned agree that Buddy, with his superior drumming abilities could have destroyed the older Krupa in an even contest, but Buddy pulled his punches and allowed the contests to appear if not an even match, at least not an embarrassment to the trail blazing Krupa.
Another classic Rich move came at the New York Paramount theatre in 1949 – a time when some jazz drummers, notably Louie Bellson had begun to perform with double bass drums. “I’ll show Bellson”, Rich proclaimed, and he came onstage with two bass drums for the first and last time in his career – and nothing else. Rich proceeded to solo with only his feet - and the crowd nearly rioted! Eyewitness accounts by respected musicians claim the stunt was amazing – but Buddy didn’t need two bass drums – his right foot was faster than any other drummer’s two feet!
Rich was also a capable singer and dancer. In the 1950s he embarked on a singing career - sometimes claiming he was giving up the drums altogether (and setting his drum sticks on fire as proof) - but inevitably, he always returned to drumming. The real reason he was holding back was because he had been diagnosed with heart trouble and in the winter of 1959, had a heart attack that brought his career to a momentary halt. He rejoined the Harry James band in the early 1960s, but by 1966, he had formed his own group again and continued to lead big bands and small ensembles until his death in 1987.
Rich - Krupa - & Tormé
Amazingly, this little book goes everywhere in Rich’s life. We’re there when he marries his wife Marie Allison Rich, and we’re there at the birth of his daughter Cathy. We’re there when he has quadruple bypass surgery – to which Jerry Lewis remarked, “Buddy just had to top me, I only had a triple”.
Mel talks about Buddy’s love of cars - fast cars – expensive cars and women – beautiful women. ( “Life’s too short to date ugly women”, Buddy once said.) We learn all about Buddy’s constant battles with the IRS and about his multiple endorsement deals with various drum companies. Buddy talks about his favorite equipment and his favorite drummers. In the last years of his life, Buddy refused to endorse any drum company, preferring to gig on a vintage set of Slingerland Radio Kings, given to him by a fan. Those drums now reside in the Smithsonian Institution.
Mel talks candidly about Buddy’s loves of Karate and in depth about Buddy's daily pot smoking from the age of 18 - and his blow-ups with members of his bands - the bootlegged bus-tapes and all the legendary stories that have been passed down word of mouth from musician to musician. Mel touches all the bases, and he lingers on none.
Buddy Rich, who was the most famous drummer of the Swing Era; indeed, any era - was the drummer that all other drummers watched. His mastery of drums was so complete and composed of so many dimensions that it is doubtful that any one person will ever again attain that degree of virtuosity. The Buddy Rich story is fascinating, as much for what it says about the world of American music and entertainment as for the remarkable life it portrays. Drawing from interviews, magazine articles, newspaper headlines and many personal reminiscences, Mel packed Traps with vivid, very funny anecdotes. His personal touch and in-depth knowledge of jazz make for a moving, insightful and entertaining biography.
Mel takess us the full length of Buddy's remarkable life, finally concluding with a 69-year-old man struggling to play drums while debilitated by cancer and eventually a brain tumor. Mel talks to Buddy in those last days, about the past, about music and about God. Somehow, the book is complete as Mel opens every door – even the ones that show us things we’d rather not see - and then closes them and moves on, just as Buddy did. I went away from this book seeing Buddy Rich as a whole man – not just the world’s greatest drummer. I see his driving ambitions along with his personality pluses and flaws - and there were plenty of each.
The final section of the book is entitled "Sidebars," consisting mostly of interviews describing Buddy's views on drumming, other drummers, films, his personal beliefs, and his own comments about his sometimes overly-active mouth, among other topics.
Buddy’s influences included Jo Jones when he was in Count Basie’s orchestra, Chick Webb with Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa’s work with the Benny Goodman band. Individual drummers Buddy respected included Ray McKinley, Zutty Singleton, Cozy Cole, Sonny Greer, Budy Schutz, Maurice Purtill, Glenn Miller, Cliff Leeman, Charlie Barnet, Dave Tough, Don Lamond, Sid Catlett, Ray Bauduc, Sonny Igoe, Sonny Payne, Mel Lewis, Freddy Gruber, Ed Shaughnessy, and Donny Osborne, Jr. But, Buddy Rich, was the greatest of them all – taking something great from each of them and then making it special and entirely his own. With over 72 record albums, 800 plus audio tapes and 80 videos circulating among private collectors – the legacy of Buddy Rich lives on and on.
The greatest jazz drummer of all time, Buddy Rich exhibited an unmatched love for music through the dedication of his life to the art. His immense talent spanned a career of seven decades. Rich could play with remarkable speed and profound dexterity despite the fact that he never received a formal lesson and refused to practice outside of his performances.
This famed musician received outstanding recognition throughout his career. The Downbeat Magazine Hall of Fame Award, the Modern Drummer Magazine Hall of Fame Award, the Jazz Unlimited Immortals of Jazz Award and Playboy’s Jazz Hall of Fame are just a few of his numerous honors. Rich gained international attention for such master compositions as his 10-minute West Side Story medley and the now classic Channel 1 Suite. During his lengthy career, Rich toured around the globe, performing for millions of fans and several world leaders including the king of Thailand, the queen of England, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Regan and King Hussein of Jordan.
On April 2, 1987, Buddy Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. His long-time friend, Frank Sinatra, presented the eulogy at Buddy’s funeral. Today, Buddy Rich is remembered as one of history's greatest musicians.
As one reviewer says, Traps is “Exceptional on music biz and drum techniques while humanizing an emotional monster. A labor of love.” Love indeed – and Traps is a must read for drummers and jazz fans. It’s a wonderful, enchanting read for everyone else. Mel Tormé has given a lesson in writing a biography and pleases luxurious readers at the same time. Traps The Drum Wonder gets my four and nine tenths stars out of five – because no one is perfect.
Hear Buddy: Channel 1 Suite - The Buddy Rich Big Band circa 1968
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TigerBill
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 11 2002
Posts: 1660
Loc: NJ
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Hey Drumbo!
All I can say is: What a Review!
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aaron
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Jan 26 2003
Posts: 10
Loc: california
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i agree. that was a very good review. i have read the book a few times ( i do not own it, but the public library does) and love it. i would also definitely recommend the book to anyone.
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drumsonly2002
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Oct 07 2002
Posts: 135
Loc: Canada, Halifax N.S.
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Drumbo, YOU ROCK! Great job!
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tommyddrummer
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Oct 29 2002
Posts: 2
Loc: Endicott, NY
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I have to agree with everyone else, that is some review. It could probably be considered the "Cliff Notes" version of the book. Then again, everything about Buddy was over the top. Great job!
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TJA
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Feb 23 2003
Posts: 5
Loc: Michigan
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What a review!!! I went right out and read the book. I have already passed it on to a friend. Thanks for the review. Straight ahead.
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Ston-e
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Apr 09 2003
Posts: 38
Loc: Virginia!
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Great review!!!
I will have to find it
and get it in my bookstore!!!
Thanks and cheers!
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TS
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jan 25 2006
Posts: 364
Loc: Vermont
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Nice, comprehensive review. I read that book last year. It is indeed terrific. There is a lot of "firsthand" information in it.
New bio:
I have just recieved a copy of "RUSH: Chemistry" which is a new bio.
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roger strange
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Dec 09 2003
Posts: 1650
Loc: Nova Scotia Canada
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Any one who hasn't read this book is missing much of the drumming world. Ecquisite review by the way.
Edited by roger strange (Sat Nov 03 2007 02:28 AM)
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