Whiplash

Posts have been few and far between lately — too busy writing and playing! — but the erudite Ethan Iverson and I exchanged some email regarding Hank Levy and Buddy Rich, spinning off of his post on Rich’s show drumming legacy that was made so much of in the recent Whiplash movie. I related to Ethan one of Hank’s favorite stories, regarding the one time where Hank and Buddy happened to intersect. You can read the original post here (an excellent read, and simpatico with many of my thoughts on the subject), and Ethan posted my correspondence with him here.

Speaking of Whiplash (one of Hank Levy’s great odd-meter scores), I didn’t bring this out in the discussion with Ethan, but I did most of the editing of a newly-published edition of the original score of Whiplash as recorded by Don Ellis, with the help of Nick DiScala. It’s part of the Don Ellis Critical Editions series published by University of Northern Colorado Press, and is available here. It is the definitive, original, annotated edition of Whiplash, with full score and parts, and is the first place anyone should look to find the real thing.