Since I think pretty much everyone here loves Sammy, I had to submit this. How wonderful is it that we can see this snippet so many years later?!?!? It pretty much made my night, particularly because (with all due respect to other performers) the best drummer there was my uncle Jack. OK, now I’m getting a little misty eyed. He was an incredible musician but an even better human which is really saying a lot. So yeah, I’m pretty biased (though I love me some Louie Bellson). This really makes me miss him. And it really brings home what he told me about learning to play: YOU HAVE GOT TO LISTEN. “You have to listen, honey, it’s timing and listening. That’s all. You can’t be up there playing alone”. Good advice for a drummer, huh? And it makes sense when you realize he was the only drummer up there that Sammy had mimic his footwork. Hope you guys enjoy it. I’d probably give in and get television if stuff like this were still on the tube!
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Allee Willis
Fantastic. Can’t believe I’ve never seen this before. With percussion being my favorite instrument it was a serious thrill.
Such a shame that Sammy Davis came along before the Internet age. I really fear all those classic entertainers will eventually be forgotten to anyone other than those who are obsessed with them and seek them out.
windupkitty
Yeah, what a great clip, huh?! Of course the music lovers will see the irony in my biased praise of Jack Sperling especially because when Duke Ellington says, “he’s the greatest drummer in the world”, as he did about Louie Bellson, you can’t really argue with it! And he was an incredible man!!! You’d have to be to win the heart of Pearl Bailey, huh?! How awesome to see everyone up there together, sharing their talents and having a good time, huh!?!?! I wish TV were still like this! If it were, I’d entertain getting one.
I agree too that it’s worrisome to consider things like this being lost and only remembered by the few who seek them out. Maybe we need to start a project int he spirit of Cultural Equity (amazing archives!!!) to save stuff like this and make it more searchable…
I bet the copyright stuff would be a nightmare…I never want to take the cash out of the hands of artists. Heck, the other day, my neighbor wanted to borrow a Pizzarelli record and I brought it over on a flash drive AFTER I downloaded and paid for it again. Musicians should be paid!!!! But, yeah, it would be great for people to see this stuff. We humans have gotten up to some pretty bad things but clips like this remind me that we haven’t completely blown it.
And hey, if seeing this doesn’t make your day a little bit better, than I don’t know what will. We’re pretty blessed to be able to see it at all!
Allee Willis
Don’t start ME on the subject of musicians not getting paid…. !
windupkitty
Oh, I know, Queen of Kitsch, I know…..sigh….
hoarderrehabseller
Another great story! Thank you. Agreed windupkitty! If only… I might get a tv too!
windupkitty
I know, every once in awhile, I watch stuff at a friend’s place or something and there is seriously nothing on…Louis CK is the most recent new thing that I’ve seen and I love that program, but I’m guessing if I had TV, I’d just watch I love Lucy reruns all day, ya know! And I can do that with dvds…