Hot on the heels of Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s – Set One, Steve Smith and Buddy’s Buddies give us Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s – Set Two. This is a very good thing, as I was definitely left wanting more. Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s – Set Two delivers more of the same high octane playing that made Set One so much fun.

Recorded the same week as Set One, drummer Smith, Buddy Rich alumni tenor/soprano saxophonist Steve Marcus and alto sax man Andy Fusco are joined by Vital Information/Steps Ahead bassist Baron Browne and pianist/arranger Mark Soskin, who has played with artists including Bill Cobham to Sonny Rollins.

Once again the set features crisp arrangements of material from the Rich book, as well as some new tunes. The horn lines twist and weave in ways that imply a larger horn section and the overall feeling is bright and outgoing.

While there have been a number of Buddy Rich tributes in the past, none come so close to capturing the spirit of Rich and his sense of drama, while at the same time paying homage to his lesser-known but equally vibrant small group recordings, as this quintet.

The chemistry between the players is what makes this tribute so good. This doesn’t sound like a one-time thing; this sounds like a band. One is not always sure who is driving, but it is always clear that everyone is going in the same direction.

Check out Andy Fusco’s solo on Sonny Rollins’ "Airegin". Burning over the rhythm section, it soon breaks down into a frenzied duet between Fusco and Smith, who then trades fours, tearing things up with solos that would have made Buddy proud. The group’s reading of Lennon/McCartney’s classic "Norwegian Wood" leaves other interpretations of this often-covered tune in the dust. With a modal feel that somehow brings to mind John Coltrane and "My Favourite Things", Marcus delivers a soprano solo that is at the same time incendiary and melodic.

Soskin, featured on the West Side Story classic "Cool", shows why he is in such high demand. This trio piece allows him plenty of room to stretch out and his solo manages to merge McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock with something elusive that makes it all his own.

Baron Browne gets to lay down the funk on "No Jive", a fusion-like piece that Yellowjackets saxophonist Bob Mintzer wrote at Rich’s request. This is the most contemporary track of the set.

Both Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s – Set One and Very Live at Ronnie Scott’s – Set Two are terrific, impeccably recorded examples of contemporary mainstream jazz that pay homage to Rich yet have something fresh to say. Probably the question on most readers’ minds is which set to buy? The answer is: buy both. Neither set is better than the other, but both sets together put you in the front row at Ronnie Scott’s, witness to arguably the best Buddy Rich tribute band ever. 

Dave Binder

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