When you talk about two of the greatest drummers of all time, getting together to combine their quintets to deliver fierce solos back and forth then you’re talking about something special. Regarded by some as “The world’s greatest drummer,” Buddy Rich proved just that with his ear for melody, his impeccable technique and unmatched style. And though Roach was seven years younger and still coming onto his own, Rich versus Roach finds the both of them stopping at nothing to present an impressive collaborative album.Back in 1959, the two bands took breaks from their touring schedules to hit the studio for a two-day session of music. Each drummer would lead his band and they would play the same song, with different musicians from each band taking turns at solos. But make no qualms about it, this was the drummers’ album and they showcase that on “Figure Eights” very nicely. At first supposed to be just a brief solo battle, each drummer would rip off alternate eight bar solos back and forth and it made for some magnificent music. Hear it here:
And before that, the two bands would gel into “The Casbah,” a smooth samba-pace that suited the outstanding sax players well. This one features Roach on mallets and he decorates the space with splendid touches; Rich would be on cymbals and each band allows their trumpets to take solos. It’s probably the most laid-back song on the album with Roach leading the four-bar drum breaks and it provides a nice change of pace from the intensity that is on every other song. You can hear it below (both songs have the same title and they are surprisingly the same length, crazy) but in all, it’s an amazing piece of history in that it features two of the best drummers of all time going head to head in a friendly battle of skills and honestly, you can’t go wrong with that – Bryan.
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