RAY BAUDUC

Ray Bauduc was a trend setter in traditional jazz circles. His precise, disciplined, yet fiery patterns and syncopated fills helped New Orleans drummers make the transition into swing from the rigid, clipped progressions that had defined the previous era. The son of the great cornetist Jules Bauduc, his brother Jules Jr. taught Bauduc drums. His sister was also a musician, a pianist. Bauduc's first professional job came with a band that accompanied films. Later, though still in school, he worked with cornetist Emmett Hardy and also the Six Nola Jazzers. Bauduc toured in 1924 with Johnny Bayersdorffer, then worked with the Scranton Sirens; this group included Billy Lustig in 1925 and Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang in 1926. He spent two years with a vaudevillian band led by Fred Rich playing drums and doing tap, and played with Miff Mole in 1927. During the '30s, he became a star. Bauduc read more...