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It is ironic that Barrett Deems' highest profile gig, touring with <a href="spotify:artist:19eLuQmk9aCobbVDHc6eek">the Louis Armstrong All-Stars</a>, found him very much out-of-place, reduced to playing in a Dixieland setting. In reality, Deems had a lengthy career with other lesser-known high points. He was with <a href="spotify:artist:3sDrRn30gDQmCGux6Q8NXD">Paul Ash</a>'s group when he was just 15 and had his own groups during much of the 1930s. Deems was with the <a href="spotify:artist:7rOldyBQnbp9DtBGoKEiwl">Joe Venuti</a> big band (1937-1944), <a href="spotify:artist:6TDBjaKrCj3BvbxhiUSbog">Red Norvo</a> (1948), <a href="spotify:artist:4SPws2VXOmZIiRTp75mzsb">Charlie Barnet</a> (1951), and <a href="spotify:artist:0u61vtGdkaLTguZ5mVxLjK">Muggsy Spanier</a> (1951-1954); during that era he was billed almost accurately as "the world's fastest drummer." Deems was with <a href="spotify:artist:19eLuQmk9aCobbVDHc6eek">Louis Armstrong</a> during 1954-1958, a period when he was criticized by many jazz writers despite giving the music his best effort. After playing with <a href="spotify:artist:3okiREk3dV4F8BmK7cpEJf">Jack Teagarden</a> (1960-1963), he settled in Chicago where he played locally with many top swing stars. Deems toured Eastern Europe with <a href="spotify:artist:1pBuKaLHJlIlqYxQQaflve">Benny Goodman</a>'s sextet in 1976 and visited South America with <a href="spotify:artist:2tRiAkVNXGVU9cgTcMtFDx">Wild Bill Davison</a>. In later years, Barrett Deems led a fairly modern big band in Chicago and he recorded a strong set with the orchestra for Delmark after he turned 80, his playing modeled after <a href="spotify:artist:1pVtwG5Up1OZOEpSHJ4AAs">Buddy Rich</a>; he died of pneumonia September 15, 1998. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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