Buddy Rich

Buddy Rich (1917-1987) was a Brooklyn-born jazz drummer, bandleader, and conductor widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted drummers in the history of jazz. He started playing drums as a toddler in his family's vaudeville act and spent decades leading his own big bands alongside stints with Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, and Count Basie. His playing sat at the center of swing and bebop, built on speed, power, and precision that few drummers have matched.