orig. Bernard Rich
born June 30/Sept. 30, 1917, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.
died April 2, 1987, Los Angeles, Calif.
U.S. bandleader and drummer.
Rich was a child-prodigy vaudeville performer known as "Baby Traps, the Drum Wonder." He played with several of the great swing bands, notably those of Tommy Dorsey (1939–42, 1944–46), before forming his own big band. In small ensembles, he worked with many of the greatest {{link=jazz">jazz musicians in concerts and recordings during the 1950s. The clarity and speed of his drumming made him legendary.