Buddy Rich’s 'Birdland' Lp To Be Re-released On Limited Edition Translucent Red Vinyl July 21, 2023

Lightyear Entertainment and Lobitos Creek Ranch, in association with Scabeba Entertainment and the Buddy Rich Estate, have announced the release of a special limited-edition version of the best-selling live album Birdland featuring Buddy Rich and his Killer Force Band at the peak of their performing years.

The new release will be a 180-gram audiophile translucent red vinyl collector’s edition. It will be released July 21 through Virgin/Universal Music Group and will temporarily replace the original black vinyl version, which has sold out after multiple re-pressings.

The Birdland album was seen in the Academy Award winning film Whiplash in the hands of the young star Miles Teller, who played an extraordinary drummer who idolizes Buddy Rich. Cathy Rich, CEO of Scabeba Entertainment and Buddy's daughter, was a consultant on the Whiplash film. She is currently on tour with her Buddy Rich Big Band Machine, featuring drummer Gregg Potter.

The original black vinyl version of Birdland was released in 2015.

Lightyear Entertainment, a distributor of independent films and music, was founded in 1987. lightyear.com.

I joined Buddy in April of ’76 and except for brief absence to deal with family matters I was with him until early 1980.

We played all manner of venue on two continents. Smoke filled saloons, concert halls, sports arenas, jazz festivals, colleges, TV and a cruise ship or two. The band worked seven nights a week forty some weeks a year. With the exception of the Christmas holiday breaks it was essentially a three year tour with a couple of short breaks and a European and Japanese trip or two mixed in. I had the impression Buddy would have worked through the holidays as well had no one complained. Turns out, if the man didn’t play his drums for two days straight his hands would “attack” him!

– Alan Gauvin, Saxophonist for The Killer Force