Vinnie Ruggiero

[Daniel A]

I've always been intrigued by the drummer Vinnie Ruggiero, but there's very little info to be found about him. Here on this forum he has been called "infamous", but so far noone has been willing to elaborate.

I've mainly heard him on the albums with Slide Hampton's group from the early 60s. He plays with great, swinging feeling and can somehow also sound slightly insane at the same time. Any information about his life and playing would be appreciated.

[marcello]

I'll try to put some links together about Vinnie, but when he lived in Rochester, he was the inspiration to many there including Joe Locke. I forget who, but some rather well know musician called him "The White Man's Philly Joe Jones. That's pretty apt, but he really was a amazing drummer. He had his substance and attitude problems, alas.

Vinnie played drums with Chuck and Gap Mangione in the early 60s, including the Spring Fever album.

Hi son Charles, is a drummer also.

He's also on this Soul/Funk record, that was a local his with "Give Me One More Chance"

One of the better recordings is Sal Nistico's "Comin' On Up".

There some video of him around playing with Lionel Hampton in the sixties ( I think it's at Mr. Kelly's), and a video from the 70's at a outdoor concert.

[Daniel A]

Thanks for your response, Marcello.

What there is is terrific, and I wish there were more recordings of Ruggiero.

[AllenLowe]

thanks Marcello - is that Barry Kiener on piano?

Edited March 5, 2012 by AllenLowe

[Peter Friedman]

I saw Vinnie play a few times when I was living in Rochester, NY. A very hard swinging drummer.

The comparison to Philly Joe Jones is a good one.

[marcello]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0gtCbRIBfo#t=65

I forget how to share a video, but he is Vinnie with a Chuck Mangione bebop band which includes Tony Levin on bass and Gerry Niewood on alto.

[JSngry]

I've never seen Gerry Niewood with straight hair before!

[Mark Stryker]

Michael Weiss recently posted some remarkable video of Slide Hampton's Octet with Ruggiero. Thread is here:

[sgcim]

I was just talking about him with a trumpet player friend of mine who went to high school with VR, and he said that VR was the most swinging drummer he ever played with.

He was playing pro level when he was in high school.

Unfortunately, VR adopted some bad 'habits', and that's what might have ultimately did him in.

My friend, who played with Lionel Hampton, wasn't even aware that VG recorded, although he knew about the Mangione connection.

He still has never used a fuckin' computer, so I'll have to tell him about the recordings mentioned.

Edited March 8, 2014 by sgcim

[jazzbo]

I know Danny D'Imperio has been a big fan and friend.

[marcello]

I was in a room with Vinnie and Danny once. Kind of like the Mongoose and the Cobra!

The video is from 1965 and was posted on YouTube by Vinnie's son Charles, who is also a drummer in NYC.

Those are upstate bebop chops by all, there!

[Larry Kart]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0gtCbRIBfo#t=65

I forget how to share a video, but he is Vinnie with a Chuck Mangione bebop band which includes Tony Levin on bass and Gerry Niewood on alto.

That's some tough drumming.