While there have been many tributes to the legendary Buddy Rich, the Tone Center recording "Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies" is the first by a small group comprised entirely of Buddy Rich alumni. While this explosive band is similar to the one Buddy led on the classic recording "Very Live at Buddy's Place," don't be mistaken, this is not a band who is trying to simply recreate Buddy's music. This is a celebration of the music and spirit of one of the greatest jazz musicians the world has ever seen, Buddy Rich. This new band is carrying on the best of the Buddy Rich traditions; communicating with music lovers of all generations, striving for excellence and playing non-compromising, burning, straight ahead jazz. Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies is a musical homecoming for these musicians.

Smith, an award winning drummer (voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame as well being named one of the Top 25 Drummers of All-Time in a recent Modern Drummer readers poll), is returning to his beloved jazz roots. Steve's first touring experiences in the early 70s were with the Lin Biviano Big Band, a group made up of Buddy Rich/Maynard Ferguson alumni. Saxophonists Steve Marcus and Andy Fusco are returning to the music that they cut their teeth on during long stints with the Buddy Rich Big Band. Since then, both Marcus and Fusco have led their own recordings.

Smith's resume includes Journey, Steps Ahead, Ahmad Jamal, and 20 recordings as a leader or co-leader, including 10 with his own group Vital Information. For the Buddy's Buddies live dates Vital Information's bassist, Baron Browne (Billy Cobham, Jean Luc Ponty) and pianist Mark Soskin (Sonny Rollins) will complete the band. Baron Browne and Mark Soskin are seasoned jazz veterans who bring many years of musical maturity to the group. "We're playing all new arrangements of Buddy's music in the true spirit of Buddy Rich," says drummer Steve Smith. That hard driving and combustible spirit drives the band on Buddy favorites "Norwegian Wood" and "Ya Gotta Try", and jazz standards "Nutville" and "Airegin". While paying tribute to the most influential drummer ever, Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies have formed an exciting new band and made an electrifying debut recording that simultaneously honors the past and looks towards the future. Buddy would be proud. www.vitalinformation.com/steve Set Times at 8:30, 10:15 and 11:45 on Thurs-Sun. 8pm and 10pm on Mon-Weds.

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