Artist:Ed Shaughnessy w/The Buddy Rich Big Band
Song:Shawnee
Album:Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to The Music of Buddy Rich
Ed Shaughnessy is best known as the long time drummer in The Tonight Show band for 29 years. Other than that, he was a very popular sideman. He recorded one album as a leader. Not surprisingly, he was good friends with Buddy Rich. So it's not surprising that Shaughnessy appears on this Rich tribute album. He was born Jan. 29, 1929 in Jersey City, NJ. He started playing drums as a teen and played in bands led by George Shearing, Jack Teagarden and Charlie Ventura. In the 50s, he played with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. Shaughnessy was in Count Basie's band when Doc Severinsen hired him for The Tonight Show in 1963. He remained until Jay Leno took over The Tonight Show in 1992. He appeared on a lot of albums. One of the most notable was the 1962 album Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith featuring the hit single Walk on the Wild Side. Oliver Nelson wrote the arrangements. While living in New York, Shaughnessy was the house drummer at Birdland. And after The Tonight Show moved to Los Angeles, he played clubs there. And that's where he discovered singer Diane Schuur and premiered her at the 1976 Monterey Jazz Festival. Shaughnessy was good friends with Buddy Rich. They used to have drum battles on The Tonight Show. So he appeared on this Rich tribute concert organized by Neil Peart of Rush. The album is available as a budget CD. Shaughnessy appeared as a sideman on almost 500 albums. His only album as a leader was the 1990 album Jazz in the Pocket. It's a small band album with guys he played with on The Tonight Show. Shaughnessy was married to Ilene Woods. She was the voice of Cinderella in the 1950 film. When she became ill with Alzheimer's in 2008, Shaughnessy reduced his schedule to take care of her. Then he died from a heart attack on May 24, 2013 at age 84. Here's Ed Shaughnessy and The Buddy Rich Big Band performing Shawnee from The Buddy Rich Big Band Tribute Album 1994.
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