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 spent six years (1928-1934) with Ben Pollack's orchestra, and also found time for sessions with Red Nichols, Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Wingy Manone, Louis Prima, and Glenn Miller. A year after leaving Pollack in 1935, Bauduc joined the Bob Crosby orchestra and remained with him until 1942. His composition "South Rampart Street Parade" was an orchestra staple, as was "The Big Noise From Winnetka," which he co-wrote with Bob Haggart. He spent some time in the Army during the '40s, briefly co-led a band with Gil Rodin, then headed his own groups. There were recording reunions with Manone and Crosby later in the '40s, plus stints with Jimmy Dorsey (1948-1950) and Teagarden (1951-1955). Bauduc and Nappy Lamare headed a Rampart band from 1956-1959, and he worked as a freelance player on the West Coast in the '60s, finally moving to Bellaire, TX, where he occasionally performed. ~ Ron Wynn, Rovi