Wealth & Money Quote by Mel Torme

Mel Torme’s line isn’t criticism so much as an attempt to end the argument before it starts. Calling Buddy Rich “one of a kind” and “a genius” is praise, sure, but it’s also a boundary: stop measuring him by ordinary yardsticks. In jazz, where status is often litigated through chops, innovation, taste, and temperament, Torme punts the whole case to a higher court. Genius becomes the trump card that makes debate feel petty.

The phrasing matters. “And that’s all there is to it” has the snap of a bandstand correction, the musical equivalent of a final cymbal choke. It’s protective and a little impatient, as if Torme has heard the same arguments too many times: Rich is flashy; Rich is too loud; Rich is difficult; Rich is more athlete than artist. Those critiques have always followed drummers, especially the ones who make virtuosity look like force. Torme’s retort suggests that whatever the objections, they miss the point. Rich isn’t merely good at drumming; he redefines what “good” can mean.

Context fills in the heat. Torme worked with Rich, knew the legendary volatility up close, and watched an audience fall under that spell night after night. The subtext is that greatness isn’t always polite, and that artistry can arrive bundled with ego, volume, even cruelty. Torme isn’t excusing the mess; he’s insisting the music survives it. Genius, here, isn’t haloed. It’s undeniable.