Rains Dampen Attendance at SPAC

by Marilyn Nason, The Post-Star, August 5, 1969

O.C. Smith, Buddy Rich Perform

Again bad weather held down the audience last night at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and again the 1,500 brave souls who did venture out saw and heard an excellent show. Last night it was the great Buddy Rich and his big band sound and top singer O. C. Smith.

Buddy Rich is nothing short of amazing. He’s not only absolutely ageless, he’s still the greatest drummer around, notwithstanding Gene Krupa, and he’s a pro all the way. The big band sound is still as good today as it ever was and Rich and his 14-piece orchestra really know their way around solid arrangements, brass beyond compare and a beat, set by the great drummer himself, which retains a heady tempo throughout.

As some music critic observed a while ago, “The big band sound is truly American, like folk singing, jazz and musical comedy theatre.” Born in the pre-World War Il years, emanating largely from the seeds of jazz, the big band sound was as enjoyable last night, as enveloping and pleasant to the senses as in its heyday with the Dorseys, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Harry James and the other greats.

The audience was most enthusiastic throughout, applauding every soloist among the Rich musicians and giving a deserved standing ovation to Buddy himself at the conclusion of a fantastic drum solo in the middle of a terrific “West Side Story” medley.

The band included five trombones, three saxs, four trumpets, Rich on drums, a bass guitarist and the pianist, the perfect components of the true big band sound.

In acknowledging the standing ovation, continuous applause and whistles at the close of his portion of the show, Rich observed dryly, “This is a real groovy place to play,” pausing a second, then adding, “when they finally get it finished,” referring humorously to the open amphitheater construction.

O. C. Smith, returning for a second season to SPAC, is a pleasant singer, still in need of “onstage polishing” but vastly improved in his way with the mike and with the audience over last year.

Personable, hardworking and possessing a rich, deep voice, one steadily becoming more and more familiar through hit records in recent months, he offered selections such as his hits, “Green Apples,” and “Honey, I Miss You;” as well as, “The Street Where You Live” “Wichita Lineman,” and “With These Hands.”

Like so many performers have significantly done recently on the SPAC stage, he acknowledged the closing applause of the audience with the peace sign with his right hand.

Tonight at 8:30, special performers will be The Association and the Ten Wheel Drive in concert.