The All-Star Small Groups

After leaving RCA in 1973, Buddy Rich hooked up with a new label put together by Sonny Lester, who, interestingly, had produced recordings for Buddy's friend Mel Lewis (The Thad Jones Mel Lewis Big Band). This compilation is a selection of recordings from that period on Lester's Groove Merchant label; the albums in question have been out of print for years. Without understanding the recording history behind these tracks, this release can be a touch confusing, albeit very interesting.