Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
In Memoriam: Al Foster, 1943–2025
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Gearbox Records is set to issue Just In Time: The Final Recording by drummer and bandleader Buddy Rich (1917–’87) on Dec. 6.
(Photo: Stuart Nicholson)Few drummers in jazz history are as revered as Buddy Rich (1917–’87), who achieved fame as a musician, bandleader and frequent guest on TV shows.
On Dec. 6, Gearbox Records, in conjunction with the Rich Estate, will release Just In Time: The Final Recording, which captures a 1986 performance by Rich’s big band at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London.
The premiere of “Just In Time” is below.
Just In Time will be available digitally and in four physical formats. Along with the standard double LP and standard CD, there will be a collector’s edition of the album on triple-gatefold vinyl and double-gatefold CD, with more than 30 minutes of bonus content from the performance, including the extended drum solo from the show’s encore.
In a press statement, Matt Harris, who played on the album, said, “Like any of the road bands in that time period, it was always very exciting to record with the band. It made a lot of the other gigs worth it when you finally recorded, and it also documented the band in its true element. Recording studios can be very intimidating for musicians as opposed to a live gig, where you’re putting it all on the line. ... I think this recording showcases the band at its highest level. You cannot get great studio musicians to sound like this.”
The legendary drummer—who was voted into the DownBeat of Hall of Fame in 1974—also is the subject of a new book from Hudson Music, Buddy Rich: One of a Kind, written by Pelle Bergland and featuring a foreword by Max Weinberg.
For additional information about the release, visit the Gearbox website. DB
Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.
Jun 3, 2025 11:25 AM
Al Foster, a drummer regarded for his fluency across the bebop, post-bop and funk/fusion lineages of jazz, died May 28…
Roscoe Mitchell will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Vision Festival.
May 27, 2025 6:21 PM
Arts for Art has announced the full lineup for the 2025 Vision Festival, which will run June 2–7 at Roulette…
Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.
Jun 3, 2025 10:31 AM
The time and labor required to tour is, for many musicians, daunting at best and prohibitive at worst. It’s hardly…
To record Dream Manifest (Dom Recs), Croker convened artists from his current and recent past ensembles, plus special guests.
Jun 10, 2025 4:13 PM
Partway through his early set at Smoke Jazz Club, Theo Croker blinks the room back into focus. He leans over the piano.…
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”
Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…