Buddy Rich And His Band "The Lost West Side Story Tapes" (DVD) (Hudson Music HD-Z_WS01) So, this one is personal. If I had a nickel for every time my high school big band leader made me listen to the "West Side Story Medley," I'd buy you a fur coat. (But not a real fur coat, that's cruel). The content is taken from a 1985 performance (Rich was 67), and of course by this time, the band didn't really have any off-nights. Standards like the medley, "Mexicali Nose," and "Cottontail" are beautifully reworked into 4.0 channel Dolby Digital and DTS Digital surround tracks-- seriously, it's striking. Especially if you've been listening to old vinyl or original masters, like I have. The sound is vivid, ambient, and, well, rich. Truth be told, I am not a huge gear-head when it comes to DVDs, but with this, I am beginning to realize what the fuss is about. And as with any DVD, there are lots of tasty extras and new additions. You get interviews/comments from Marie and Cathy Rich, ex-Chick Corea/Paul Simon drummer Dave Weckl, producer of the original recording Gary Reber, and illuminative snippets with Buddy himself. For any historian, this is a must-have for the collection. Special note to any young drummers out there. Before Steve Smith, Terry Bozzio, Virgil Donati, Travis Barker, or anybody you think has superlative technique, there was the first true virtuoso of the drum set. If you're really serious about learning the drums, you owe it to yourself to check out some of the history, and this is a terrific place to start. A valuable document. Review by Don Zulaica For more information: http://www.hudsonmusic.com http://www.buddyrich.com

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