Jazz for aficionados

Keegiam, Good to see your comments, Don't work so hard.

Bley is a love him or hate him type of player it seems. 

Tony Williams was a vastly better drummer than Buddy Rich.

Vastly?.... Using that word pisses me off.

Stating your opinion that you think TW is a better drummer the BR would not piss me off.

I'm sure you have heard the saying "Its not what you said but how you said it"

That being said I am a big fan of TW as well as BR. I do not believe however, that one or the other is "vastly" better.

pjw, these are a repeat of comments that I wrote last night in response to your question, but I just noticed the post did not go out for some reason. I think I fell asleep before hitting “post” ☺️. They are not in response to more recent comments here.
———
Sure, I’ve witnessed musicians get angry; myself included. It is like in any other profession, sometimes there are serious (musical) disagreements between individuals, personality clashes and occasionally it’s just that a particular individual is an ahole. Of course, being a professional means managing disagreements and personality differences and taking care of business, but sometimes its not possible; or, sometimes someone is just having a bad day. It happens. Obviously, given the state of the music business most will be reluctant to direct anger at the boss, but older more established players have been known to do just that, or even walk out. Re Buddy:

I think Buddy Rich was an amazing drummer. I like much of his work, but not all. In some ways he was perhaps the greatest big band drummer ever……if one likes that aggressive, sometimes “balls to the wall” style of big band playing. I don’t. However, in the context of that style of big band music he was amazing. Personally, I prefer a more fluid and flexible style (Mel Lewis). Obviously, he was more than just a big band drummer, but to my ears some of that aggressive style carried over to his small ensemble playing. There is a saying among musicians that points out that, with some exceptions, a musician plays like the way he is as a person. His playing reflects the personality in one way or another. Sometimes it’s an obvious thing and sometimes subtle. In the clip that I posted previously of he and Mel Torme, Torme had to and ask him to play more quietly.
———
Re recent comments:

I see no reason to take disagreements about favorite musicians personally. We all have preferences. I think Buddy Rich was an incredible drummer; but, according to my musical preferences and sensibilities I can think of other drummers that I feel were better musicians. I think that this is an important distinction.

I see no reason to take disagreements about favorite musicians personally. We all have preferences. I think Buddy Rich was an incredible drummer; but, according to my musical preferences and sensibilities I can think of other drummers that I feel were better musicians. I think that this is an important distinction.

There are plenty of drummers I like a lot. Some more then others but not "vastly" 

VASTLY   ADVERB

1. to a very great extent; immensely.
   
   quick list off the top of my head and not necessarily in this order.
   
   Tony Williams
   
   Art Blakey
   
   Elvin Jones
   
   Joe Morello
   
   Billy Higgins
   
   Max Roach
   
   Art Taylor
   
   Kenny Clarke
   
   Shelly Manne
   
   Billy Cobham
   
   Buddy Rich
   
   Jack DeJohnette