‘Battle of Drummers’: Is Bellson Getting a Smile From Old Rival?

For years, Labor Day Weekend meant one thing for Orange County’s aficionados of big band music: Buddy Rich at Disneyland.

Since 1981, the Magic Kingdom’s summer big band music series perennially culminated at the Carnation Plaza Gardens stage with a weeklong stand by Rich, and the liberal doses of his light-speed dexterity with the drumsticks, his hard-swinging band and his lovably egotistical personality always made it just a little less painful to wave the summer goodby.

Sadly, that tradition came to an end when Rich died last year of complications following brain surgery. This year the torch--er, stick--has been passed to one of Buddy’s contemporaries, Louie Bellson, whose Big Band Explosion will wrap up the series tonight.

As far as I’m concerned, it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. But given the longstanding rivalry between him and Bellson (or, more precisely, between their fans), I had to wonder whether Rich would smile or grouse to know who is stepping into his old limelight.

I interviewed Rich several years ago when he and his band were coming to Orange County to back Frank Sinatra at the Pacific Amphitheatre, and he had caustic words for drummers--jazz or rock--who rely on high-tech gadgetry to generate excitement.

You might even read it as a shot at Bellson, who always has employed more percussive paraphernalia than Rich.

“It doesn’t say much for someone’s talent, does it?,” asked Rich. “Sure, you can make effects that sound like the fourth world war. But I’m not interested in effects. I’m interested in music. All the guys I’ve known have only needed a pair of drumsticks and a couple of sets of drums. There’s a place for inventiveness but not to the point where it knocks the guy out of work who’s doing the inventing.

“There’s no substitute for good--not even NutraSweet.”

(Rich always was the acid-tongued cynic. Even on his way into the operating room last year, his penchant for zinging one-liners was unfazed by the severity of his condition. Asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything, Rich shot back, “Yes. Country-and-Western music.”)

It sometimes seemed that the only thing Rich respected as much as his own abilities was the impeccable musical taste of his fans. “I think my audience is appreciative of what we do, which is to continually find 15 young, talented musicians who don’t resort to trick lights, airplanes flying in front of the stage or bombs exploding. We just play, and play great.”

In contrast to the ever-boasting Rich, Bellson is one of the music world’s genuinely humble, likable guys, the antithesis of the stereotypically aloof and egomaniacal jazz musician. Which is not to suggest that he is any musical marshmallow. Duke Ellington once called him “the world’s greatest jazz drummer.”

But try telling that to a diehard Buddy Rich fan. That rivalry is just what the two stick men were able to capitalize on in their periodic “Battle of the Drummers” confrontations.

Years ago, Rich and Bellson squared off at the University of Redlands. For every riff and flourish that Bellson reeled off on his eye-boggling phalanx of drums, roto-toms and cymbals, Rich just smiled and answered back on his characteristically spartan drum kit--delivering all the same range of sounds and effects without the special equipment Bellson had.

But there was something far more important about these displays than the technical prowess involved: Aspiring musicians were given intimate contact with two giants of jazz. That willingness to share was one thing Rich and Bellson held in common.

That is part of the reason Bellson’s appearance at Disneyland holds special fondness for me. Like Rich, Bellson frequently performed with students at schools around the country, among them Santa Ana College (now Rancho Santiago College) where I played in the jazz band.

Some guest artists who joined us kids seemed to pride themselves on intimidating us, either with overbearing personalities or overwhelming technique. But not Bellson, whose advice was always as constructive and kind-spirited as it was informed and inspiring.

Years after I graduated from Santa Ana, I ran into Bellson when he was playing a special event in Los Angeles. After I reminded him of how he had appeared with our school band, he took time out from sound check to talk for several minutes.

There is certainly no replacement for the void that Buddy Rich left in the jazz world. But it is heartening to see the symbolic honor of his climactic annual Labor Day gig at Disneyland going to Louie Bellson.

I don’t guess that Buddy Rich ever had much use for “nice guys.” But I would still bet he’s smiling this week.

Louis Bellson & the Big Band Explosion play at Disneyland, 1313 N. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, through tonight. Show times daily: 7, 8, 9:35 and 10:30 p.m. Tickets: $16.50 to $21.50, good for admission to all park attractions. Information: (714) 999-4565.