Strike It, Rich! (2008)

About this title: Center stage drummer Buddy Rich was given a rousing posthumous salute with the premiere release in the Limited Edition Proper Deluxe Series, a promising if pointedly finite project that was inaugurated in 2008. Rather than slim-lining, the producers of the Proper reissue label more or less opted for a return to their earlier hefty four-CD jewel box packaging while boasting of the inclusion of a booklet containing extra photos and documentation. Compositions credited to Rich include subtleties like "Poontang," "The Monster," and "Me and My Jaguar." Extroverted, domineering, and outspoken, ... read more

Tracks:

1. Jim Jam Stomp [Marsala]
2. The Carioca [Youmans/Eliscu/Kahn]
3. One O'Clock Jump [Basie]
4. Well, Git It! [Oliver]
5. Your Father's Moustache [Harris/Herman/Hefti]
6. I Want to Be Happy [Caesar/Youmans]
7. Cool Breeze [Dameron/Gillespie]
8. Dateless Brown [Finckel/Rich]
9. Desperate Desmond [Moore]
10. From Rags to Riches [Finckel/Rich]
11. Quiet Riot [Robertson]
12. Poontang [Rich]
13. Just You, Just Me [Klages/Greer]
14. Great Moments [Hefti]
15. Feather Merchant [Mundy/Basie]
16. A Little Handicap [Hefti]
17. JATP Blues [Shrdlu]
18. Oop Bop Sh'bam [Gillespie/Fuller/Ro]
19. That's Rich [Shreve]
20. Budella (Blue Skies) [Berlin]
21. Nellie's Nightmare [Finckel/Rich]
22. Daily Double [Hefti]
23. What Is This Thing Called Love? [Porter]
24. The Goof and I [Cohn]
25. A Man Could Be a Wonderful Thing [Rich/Finckel]
26. Donna Lee [Parker]
27. Leap Here [Cole]
28. Metronome Riff [Rugolo]
29. Little White Lies [Donaldson]
30. You Go to My Head [Coots/Gillespie]
31. Queer Street [Basie/Mundy]
32. Fine and Dandy [Swift/James]
33. I May Be Wrong [Ruskin/Sullivan]
34. Robbins' Nest [Jacquet/Thompson/Ru]
35. Four Rich Brothers [Giuffre]
36. Good Bait [Dameron/Basie]
37. I've Got News for You [Alfred]
38. The Closer [Etaoin]
39. Golden Bullet [Basie/Ebbins]
40. Carnegie Blues (Air Mail Special) [Goodman/Mundy/Chris]
41. Jam Session Blues [Shrdlu]
42. Royal Garden Blues [Williams]
43. Let's Fall in Love [Arlen/Koehler]
44. Me and My Jaguar [Rich]
45. Just Blues [Rich/Edison]
46. Sweets' Opus No. 1 [Edison]
47. Bongo, Bass and Guitar [Dennis/Adair]
48. Strike It Rich (That's Rich) [Mandel]
49. Sportin' Life (Sweetie Pie) [Edison]
50. Sweet Georgia Brown [Pinkard/Casey]
51. China Boy [Winfree/Boutelje]
52. Everything Happens to Me [Dennis/Adair]
53. Glad to Be Unhappy [Rodgers/Hart]
54. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams [Barris/Koehler/Moll]
55. Sunday [Cohn/Miller/Krueger]
56. The Monster [Rich]
57. This Can't Be Love [Rodgers/Hart]
58. A Smooth One [Goodman/Livingston]
59. Now's the Time [Parker]
60. Easy Does It [Oliver/Young]
61. Drums in Hi-Fly [Cavanaugh/Dexter]
62. Down for Double [Green]
63. Jumpin' at the Woodside [Basie]
64. Undecided [Shavers/Robin]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.