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{{short description|American drummer, composer, and bandleader (1909–1973)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2012}}
| Name = Gene Krupa
{{Infobox musical artist
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: | Img = Gene Krupa.jpg -->
| Img_capt = Gene Krupa | name = Gene Krupa
| Img_size = 200 | image = Gene Krupa Billboard (cropped).jpg
| Landscape = | caption = Krupa in 1944
| Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
| Birth_name = Gene Krupa | birth_name = Eugene Bertram Krupa
| Alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1909|1|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| Born = {{birth date|1909|1|15}}
| Died = {{death date and age|1973|10|16|1909|1|15}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1973|10|16|1909|1|15|mf=y}}
| Origin = ] | death_place = ], U.S.
| Instrument = ] | genre = {{hlist|]|]|]}}
| occupations = {{hlist|Musician|bandleader|composer}}
| Voice_type =
| instruments = Drums
| Genre = ]<br>]<br>]
| Occupation = ] | years_active = 1920s–1973
| associated_acts = ], ], ], ], ]
| Years_active =
| Label =
| Associated_acts = ]<br>]<br>]
| URL =
| Current_members =
| Past_members =
| Notable_instruments =
}} }}
'''Gene Krupa''' (], ] &ndash; ], ]) was a famous and influential
] ] and ] ], known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style.


'''Eugene Bertram Krupa''' (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973)<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=]|editor= ]|publisher= ]|date= 1992|edition= First|isbn= 0-85112-939-0|pages= 1408/9}}</ref> was an American ], bandleader, and composer.<ref name="Yanow">{{cite web |last1= Yanow |first1=Scott |title=Gene Krupa |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-krupa-mn0000196934/biography |website= AllMusic |access-date= September 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|first= Ron|last= Spagnardi|year= 1992 |title= The Great Jazz Drummers|publisher= Hal Leonard Corporation|page= 35}}</ref> Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on ]'s 1937 recording of "]" elevated the role of the drummer from that of an accompanist to that of an important solo voice in the band.
==Biography==
Eugene Bertram Krupa was born to ] parents in ]. He began playing professionally in the mid ] with bands in ]. He broke into the Chicago scene in ], when he was picked by ] to become a member of ] and Her Playboys, the first notable American jazz band (outside of all-girl bands) to be led by a female musician. The Playboys were the house band at ''The Golden Pumpkin'' nightclub in Chicago and also toured extensively throughout the eastern and central United States.


In collaboration with the ] drum- and ] cymbal-manufacturers, he became a major force in defining the standard band-drummer's kit. '']'' magazine regards Krupa as "the founding father of modern drumset playing".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.moderndrummer.com/2009/12/gene-krupa/|title= Gene Krupa: The Man Who Made It All Happen|date= December 8, 2009|publisher= ]|access-date=2017-01-15 | quote = If anyone can be considered the founding father of modern drumset playing, it's Gene Krupa.}}</ref>
Krupa made his first recordings in 1927, with a band under the leadership of banjoist ] and "fixer" (and sometime singer, who did not appear on the records), ]: these sides are now recognised as the first, and definitive, examples of white "Chicago Style" jazz. The numbers recorded at that session were: 'China Boy', 'Sugar', 'Nobody's Sweetheart' and 'Liza'. The McKenzie - Condon sides are also notable for being the first records to feature a full drum kit. Eddie Condon describes what happened in the Okeh studio on that day (in 'We Called It Music' - pub: Peter Davis, 1948):


Upon his death, '']'' labeled Krupa a "revolutionary" known for "frenzied, flashy" drumming, with his work having generated a significant musical legacy that started "in jazz and has continued on through the rock era".<ref name="NYT">{{Cite news
{{cquote|Mezzrow (Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow) was helping Krupa set up his drums. 'What are you going to do with those?' Rockwell (Okeh's 'A&R' man in the 1920's) asked. 'Play them,' Krupa said simply. Rockwell shook his head. 'You can't do that,' he said. 'You'll ruin our equipment. All we've ever used on records are snare drums and cymbals.' Krupa, who had been practicing every day at home, looked crushed. 'How about letting us try them?' I asked. 'The drums are the backbone of the band. They hold us up.' I could see that Rockwell was leery of the whole business; drums or no drums, I figured, we are probably going to get tossed out. 'Let the kids try it', McKenzie said. 'If they go wrong I'll take the rap'. I didn't know until long afterwards that Red had guaranteed our pay for the job'...
|last=Wilson |first=John S. |date=1973-10-17 |title=Gene Krupa, Revolutionary Drummer, Dies |language=en-US |work= The New York Times |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1973/10/17/archives/gene-krupa-revolutionary-drummer-died-applauserousing-style-from.html |access-date=2023-06-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>


==Early life==
Quietly we waited for the playback. When it came, pounding out through the big speaker, we listened stiffly for a moment. We had never been an audience for ourselves...Rockwell came out of the control-room smiling. 'We'll have to get some more of this... (Rockwell nodded towards Krupa): didn't bother the equipment at all,' he said. 'I think we've got something,'.}}
The youngest of Anna (née Oslowski) and Bartłomiej Krupa's nine children, Gene Krupa was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Bartłomiej was an ] born in the village of ], southeastern Poland. Anna was born in ], and was also of ] descent. His parents were ] who groomed him for the priesthood. He spent his grammar school days at ]. He attended ] on Chicago's southeast side. After graduation, he attended ] for a year but decided the priesthood was not his vocation.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>


Krupa studied with ], and began playing drums professionally in the mid-1920s with bands in Wisconsin. In 1927, he was hired by ] to become a member of ] and Her Playboys,<ref name="LarkinGE"/> the first notable American jazz band to be led by a female musician (except ]).{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} The Playboys were the house band at the Golden Pumpkin nightclub in Chicago and toured throughout the eastern and central United States.
Krupa also appeared on six recordings made by the Thelma Terry band in ].


==Career==
In ] he moved to ] and worked with the band of ]. In ] he joined ]'s band, where his featured drum work — especially on the hit ] — made him a national ]. In ], after a public fight with Goodman at the Earl Theater in Philadelphia, he left Goodman to launch his own band and had several hits with singer ] and ] ]. Krupa made a memorable cameo appearance in the 1941 film '']'', in which he and his band performed an extended version of the hit ''Drum Boogie''.
]
Krupa made his first recordings in 1927 with a band under the leadership of ] and guitarist ].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Along with other recordings by musicians from the Chicago jazz scene, such as ], these recordings are examples of Chicago style jazz. Krupa's influences during this time included Father Ildefonse Rapp and ] (both teachers of his), and drummers ], ] and ].<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Press rolls (dragging one stick across the snare head while keeping the beat with the other stick) were a fairly common technique in the early stages of his development. There were many other drummers (], ], ], ]) who influenced his approach to drumming and other instrumentalists and composers such as ] who influenced his approach to music.<ref name="Gene Krupa profile">{{cite web|url=http://drummerman.net/biography.html|title=Gene Krupa profile|website=Drummerman.net|access-date=2011-10-20}}</ref>


Krupa appeared on six recordings by the Thelma Terry band in 1928. In December 1934, he joined ]'s band, where his drum work made him a national celebrity.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> His ] interludes on the hit "]" were the first extended drum solos to be recorded commercially.<ref>{{cite book|page=13|title=World of Gene Krupa: That Legendary Drummin' Man|author=Bruce H. Klauber|year=1990|publisher=Pathfinder Publishing |isbn=9780934793285|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nkjnMdR6byYC&q=%22tom+tomming+interludes%22}}</ref> But conflict with Goodman prompted him to leave the group and form his own orchestra shortly after the ] in January 1938.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He appeared in the 1941 film '']'', in which he and his band performed an extended version of the hit "]" (composed by Krupa and ]), sung by ] and lip-synced by ].
], ]]]In ], Krupa was arrested for possession of ] and 84 days of a 90 day jail sentence ]. After his release, Krupa reorganized his band with a big string section, featuring ] on sax. It was one of the largest dance bands of the era, sometimes containing up to forty musicians. He gradually cut down the size of the band in the late ], and from ] on led a trio or quartet, often featuring the multi-instrumentalist Eddie Shu on tenor sax, clarinet and harmonica. He appeared regularly with the ''Jazz At the Philharmonic'' shows.


In 1943, Krupa was arrested on a falsified marijuana (cannabis) drug charge;<ref name="Yanow"/><ref name=drummerworld/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://swingandbeyond.com/2019/09/07/star-burst-1947-gene-krupa-the-story-of-his-drug-bust-and-frame-up/|title="Star Burst" (1947) Gene Krupa – the story of his drug bust (And frame-up) |date=September 7, 2019 }}</ref> this resulted in a short jail sentence, and the breakup of his orchestra. After Krupa broke up his orchestra he returned to Goodman's band for a few months.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> When Goodman wanted him to go on a west coast tour, Krupa declined.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He then joined Tommy Dorsey's band for several months and then put together his next orchestra.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> He performed an uncredited drum riff in a montage sequence in the (1946) Oscar winning movie ‘’]’’.
Krupa largely went into retirement in the late 1960s, although he occasionally played in public until shortly before his death from ] and ] in ] at age sixty-four. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in ].


As the 1940s ended, ] closed his band and ] reduced his band to an octet. In 1951, Krupa cut down the size of his band to a ten-piece for a short while and from 1952 on he led trios, then quartets, often with ] then ] on tenor sax, clarinet, and harmonica. He appeared regularly in the ] concerts.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> In the 1950s, Krupa returned to Hollywood to appear in the films '']'' and '']''. In 1959, the movie biography '']'' was released; ] portrayed Krupa, and the film included cameos by ] and ].<ref name="Gene Krupa profile"/>
==Legacy==
Many consider Krupa to be one of the most influential ] of the 20th century, particularly with regard to the development of the ].


During the 1950s and 1960s, Krupa often played at the ] near ] in Manhattan and by 1956 his recordings were showcased on national radio networks by ] within the ] transcriptions library.<ref></ref> He continued to perform in famous clubs in the 1960s, including the Showboat Lounge in northwest Washington, D.C. With peer Cozy Cole, Gene started a music school in 1954 that carried on into the 1960s.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Some of the school's students included ] of KISS and ] of The New York Dolls. ] of Creedence Clearwater Revival cited Krupa as an inspiration.
Krupa's main influence began in 1935 when he emerged a star with Benny Goodman's Orchestra, prominently featuring ] drums. But he had already made history in 1927 as the first kit drummer ever to record using a ] pedal. His drum method was published in 1938 and immediately became the standard text.


Krupa was still busy in the early 1970s until shortly before his death. That included several reunion concerts of the original Benny Goodman Quartette.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> On April 17, 1973, the Gene Krupa Quartet, composed of Eddie Shu (tenor and clarinet), John Bunch (piano), Nabil Totah (Bass) and Krupa (drums), recorded a live performance at the New School featuring the Louis Prima composition "Sing, Sing, Sing".
At Krupa's urging, Slingerland developed tom-toms with tuneable top and bottom heads, which immediately became important elements of virtually every drummer's set-up. Krupa also developed and popularised many of the ] techniques that became standards. His collaboration with ] of the ] developed the ] stand and standardized the names and uses of the ], the ], the ], the ] and the ].


His compositions which he wrote or co-wrote included "Some Like It Hot" in 1939, "]", "Boogie Blues", his theme song "Apurksody", "Ball of Fire", "Disc Jockey Jump" with ], "Wire Brush Stomp", "Hippdeebip", "Krupa's Wail", "Swing is Here", "Quiet and Roll 'Em" with ], "Bolero at the Savoy", "Murdy Purdy", and "How 'Bout That Mess".
Krupa has been cited as an influence by 1960s rock drummers such as ] of ], ] of ], ] of ], ] of ] (to whom Krupa gave personal lessons), ] of ], and ] of ]. The British techno-rock group ] had a hit with "]" which featured the sampled phrase from the movie '']''; "Now back to Gene Krupa's syncopated style." The song itself is an electronic dance track written in the style of Gene Krupa, giving the impression of Krupa's style in the form of a 1990s dance track, blending his musical idioms with a modern song using samples and synthesised basslines.


===Krupa-Rich drum battles===
Krupa owed much to ], who came before him, and there is an often-repeated story that in the mid-30's, when Krupa was at his peak with the Goodman band, there was a cutting contest against Webb's band at the Savoy in Harlem, over who was the better drummer. After a fierce battle between the two, the crowd chose Webb, and Krupa humbly deferred to his mentor.
] hired Krupa and drummer ] for his Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. The two drummers performed at Carnegie Hall in September 1952 and it was issued by ] as '']''. The two drummers faced off in a number of television broadcasts and other venues and often played similar duets with drummer ]. Krupa and Rich recorded two studio albums together: '']'' (Verve, 1955) and '']'' (Verve, 1962).


==Personal life==
Krupa's popularity was acknowledged in the 1946 ] cartoon, '']'', in which a ] Krupa's dynamic drumming plays a prominent role in an impromptu jam session.
]


Krupa married Ethel Maguire twice: the first marriage lasted from 1934 to 1942, the second from 1946 to her death in 1955. He remarried in 1959 to Patty Bowler and they were divorced within ten years.
] starred as Krupa in the ] movie '']'' (])


In the early 1970s, Krupa's house in ], was damaged by fire.<ref>Klauber, Bruce H. (1990). . Pathfinder. p. 166. {{ISBN|093479328X}}.</ref> He continued to live in the parts of the house that were habitable.
In 1978, Krupa became the first drummer inducted into the ] Hall of Fame.

In 1973, Krupa died in Yonkers at the age 64 from heart failure, though he also had leukemia and emphysema.<ref>{{cite news |title=Death takes Gene Krupa at age 64 |newspaper=Bangor Daily News|agency=UPI |date=October 17, 1973|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67690382/obituary-for-drummer-gene-krupa-aged/ }}</ref> He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in ].

==Endorsement==
]]]
In the 1930s, Krupa became the first endorser of ] drums. At Krupa's urging, Slingerland developed ]s with tuneable top and bottom ], which immediately became important elements of virtually every drummer's setup. Krupa developed and popularized many of the ] techniques that became standard. His collaboration with ] developed the modern ] cymbals and standardized the names and uses of the ], ] and ]. He is also credited with helping to formulate the modern ], being one of the first jazz drummers to use a ] in a recording session
(December 1927).<ref name=drummerworld>{{cite web|url=http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gene_Krupa.html|access-date=2015-01-28|title=Drummer World: Gene Krupa|website=Drummerworld.com}}</ref> One of his bass drums, a Slingerland 14×26, inscribed with ]'s and Krupa's initials, is preserved at the ] in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/gene-krupa-a-drummer-with-star-power-201508/ |title=Gene Krupa: a Drummer with Star Power |author=Owen Edwards |work=Smithsonian Magazine |date=March 2011 |access-date=2021-10-30}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
In 1978, Krupa became the first drummer inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame. The 1937 recording of ]'s "]" combined with ]'s "Christopher Columbus" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra featuring Krupa on drums was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982.

]'s 1996 hit single "]" is a tribute to Gene Krupa.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-07-06.pdf|first=|last=|title=Reviews: Singles|magazine=]|date=6 July 1996|page=10|accessdate=1 September 2021}}</ref>

==Legacy and posthumous information==
Upon his death, '']'' labeled Krupa a "revolutionary" known for "frenzied, flashy" drumming. The newspaper additionally stated that his work generated a significant musical legacy that started "in jazz and has continued on through the rock era."<ref name="NYT"/>

] such as Charles Waring have remarked that Krupa's methods of performing, particularly his flamboyant ] and use of solos, evolved into the approach taken by ] artists such as ] (known for his work in ]), ] (known for his work in ])<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/hero-worship-black-sabbaths-bill-ward-on-gene-krupa?amp |access-date=2024-12-15 |website=www.theskinny.co.uk}}</ref> and ] (known for his work in ]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-gene-krupa-songs/ | title=Best Gene Krupa Songs: 20 Jazz Essentials | date=January 15, 2023 }}</ref>

==Discography==
===As leader===
* 1946 ''Drummin' With Krupa'' (Columbia)
* 1947 ''Gene Krupa And His Orchestra'' (Columbia)
* 1948 ''Gene Krupa'' (Columbia)
* 1950 ''Gene Krupa Plays "Fats" Waller For Dancing'' (Columbia)
* 1952 ''The Original Drum Battle'' (])
* 1952 '']'' with Buddy Rich (Verve)
* 1953 ''Timme Rosenkrantz' 1945 Concert Vol. 3'' (])
* 1953 ''The Exciting Gene Krupa''
* 1954 ''Sing, Sing, Sing'' (Verve)
* 1954 ''The Driving Gene Krupa'' (Verve)
* 1954 ''Gene Krupa, Vol. 1'' (])
* 1954 ''Gene Krupa, Vol. 2'' (Clef)
* 1955 ''The Jazz Rhythms of Gene Krupa'' (Verve)
* 1955 ''G. Krupa-L. Hampton-T. Wilson'' (Verve)
* 1955 ''The Gene Krupa Quartet'' (Clef)
* 1956 ''Drummer Man'' (Verve)
* 1956 '']'' (Verve)
* 1957 ''Krupa Rocks'' (Verve)
* 1959 ''Big Noise from Winnetka'' (Commodore)
* 1959 ''Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements'' (Verve)
* 1959 ''Hey...Here's Gene Krupa'' (Verve)
* 1959 ''The Gene Krupa Story'' (Verve)
* 1961 ''Percussion King'' (Verve)
* 1962 '']'' with Buddy Rich (Verve)
* 1963 '']'' with ] (])
* 1964 '']'' (Verve)
* 1972 ''Jazz at the New School'' (])<ref name="AM discog">{{cite web |title=Gene Krupa {{!}} Album Discography {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/gene-krupa-mn0000196934/discography |website=AllMusic |access-date=26 September 2018}}</ref>

===As sideman===
'''With ]'''
* 1950 '']''
* 1955 ''The Benny Goodman Story, Vols. 1–2''
* 1956 ''The King of Swing, Vol. 2''
* 1956 ''Trio Quartet Quintet''
* 1997 '']'' (RCA Victor, 1935–39 )

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*
{{Commons category}}
*http://www.drummerman.net/biography.html
*
*http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Gene_Krupa.html
* Profiles in Jazz
*http://drummingstyles.com/Genres/Jazz/Big-Band/index.html The Famous Gene Krupa Sing Sing Sing Groove]
* at ] * at the ]

{{Gene Krupa}}
{{Authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 21:01, 15 December 2024

American drummer, composer, and bandleader (1909–1973)

Gene Krupa
Krupa in 1944Krupa in 1944
Background information
Birth nameEugene Bertram Krupa
Born(1909-01-15)January 15, 1909
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedOctober 16, 1973(1973-10-16) (aged 64)
Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • bandleader
  • composer
InstrumentsDrums
Years active1920s–1973
Musical artist

Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973) was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of "Sing, Sing, Sing" elevated the role of the drummer from that of an accompanist to that of an important solo voice in the band.

In collaboration with the Slingerland drum- and Zildjian cymbal-manufacturers, he became a major force in defining the standard band-drummer's kit. Modern Drummer magazine regards Krupa as "the founding father of modern drumset playing".

Upon his death, The New York Times labeled Krupa a "revolutionary" known for "frenzied, flashy" drumming, with his work having generated a significant musical legacy that started "in jazz and has continued on through the rock era".

Early life

The youngest of Anna (née Oslowski) and Bartłomiej Krupa's nine children, Gene Krupa was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Bartłomiej was an immigrant from Poland born in the village of Łęki Górne, southeastern Poland. Anna was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, and was also of Polish descent. His parents were Roman Catholics who groomed him for the priesthood. He spent his grammar school days at parochial schools. He attended James H. Bowen High School on Chicago's southeast side. After graduation, he attended Saint Joseph's College for a year but decided the priesthood was not his vocation.

Krupa studied with Sanford A. Moeller, and began playing drums professionally in the mid-1920s with bands in Wisconsin. In 1927, he was hired by MCA to become a member of Thelma Terry and Her Playboys, the first notable American jazz band to be led by a female musician (except all-female bands). The Playboys were the house band at the Golden Pumpkin nightclub in Chicago and toured throughout the eastern and central United States.

Career

Krupa performing in New York, 1946

Krupa made his first recordings in 1927 with a band under the leadership of Red McKenzie and guitarist Eddie Condon. Along with other recordings by musicians from the Chicago jazz scene, such as Bix Beiderbecke, these recordings are examples of Chicago style jazz. Krupa's influences during this time included Father Ildefonse Rapp and Roy Knapp (both teachers of his), and drummers Tubby Hall, Zutty Singleton and Baby Dodds. Press rolls (dragging one stick across the snare head while keeping the beat with the other stick) were a fairly common technique in the early stages of his development. There were many other drummers (Ray Bauduc, Chick Webb, George Wettling, Dave Tough) who influenced his approach to drumming and other instrumentalists and composers such as Frederick Delius who influenced his approach to music.

Krupa appeared on six recordings by the Thelma Terry band in 1928. In December 1934, he joined Benny Goodman's band, where his drum work made him a national celebrity. His tom-tom interludes on the hit "Sing, Sing, Sing" were the first extended drum solos to be recorded commercially. But conflict with Goodman prompted him to leave the group and form his own orchestra shortly after the Carnegie Hall concert in January 1938. He appeared in the 1941 film Ball of Fire, in which he and his band performed an extended version of the hit "Drum Boogie" (composed by Krupa and Roy Eldridge), sung by Martha Tilton and lip-synced by Barbara Stanwyck.

In 1943, Krupa was arrested on a falsified marijuana (cannabis) drug charge; this resulted in a short jail sentence, and the breakup of his orchestra. After Krupa broke up his orchestra he returned to Goodman's band for a few months. When Goodman wanted him to go on a west coast tour, Krupa declined. He then joined Tommy Dorsey's band for several months and then put together his next orchestra. He performed an uncredited drum riff in a montage sequence in the (1946) Oscar winning movie ‘’The Best Years of Our Lives’’.

As the 1940s ended, Count Basie closed his band and Woody Herman reduced his band to an octet. In 1951, Krupa cut down the size of his band to a ten-piece for a short while and from 1952 on he led trios, then quartets, often with Charlie Ventura then Eddie Shu on tenor sax, clarinet, and harmonica. He appeared regularly in the Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. In the 1950s, Krupa returned to Hollywood to appear in the films The Glenn Miller Story and The Benny Goodman Story. In 1959, the movie biography The Gene Krupa Story was released; Sal Mineo portrayed Krupa, and the film included cameos by Anita O'Day and Red Nichols.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Krupa often played at the Metropole near Times Square in Manhattan and by 1956 his recordings were showcased on national radio networks by Ben Selvin within the RCA Thesaurus transcriptions library. He continued to perform in famous clubs in the 1960s, including the Showboat Lounge in northwest Washington, D.C. With peer Cozy Cole, Gene started a music school in 1954 that carried on into the 1960s. Some of the school's students included Peter Criss of KISS and Jerry Nolan of The New York Dolls. Doug Clifford of Creedence Clearwater Revival cited Krupa as an inspiration.

Krupa was still busy in the early 1970s until shortly before his death. That included several reunion concerts of the original Benny Goodman Quartette. On April 17, 1973, the Gene Krupa Quartet, composed of Eddie Shu (tenor and clarinet), John Bunch (piano), Nabil Totah (Bass) and Krupa (drums), recorded a live performance at the New School featuring the Louis Prima composition "Sing, Sing, Sing".

His compositions which he wrote or co-wrote included "Some Like It Hot" in 1939, "Drum Boogie", "Boogie Blues", his theme song "Apurksody", "Ball of Fire", "Disc Jockey Jump" with Gerry Mulligan, "Wire Brush Stomp", "Hippdeebip", "Krupa's Wail", "Swing is Here", "Quiet and Roll 'Em" with Sam Donahue, "Bolero at the Savoy", "Murdy Purdy", and "How 'Bout That Mess".

Krupa-Rich drum battles

Norman Granz hired Krupa and drummer Buddy Rich for his Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts. The two drummers performed at Carnegie Hall in September 1952 and it was issued by Verve as The Drum Battle. The two drummers faced off in a number of television broadcasts and other venues and often played similar duets with drummer Cozy Cole. Krupa and Rich recorded two studio albums together: Krupa and Rich (Verve, 1955) and Burnin' Beat (Verve, 1962).

Personal life

Krupa's grave at Holy Cross Cemetery

Krupa married Ethel Maguire twice: the first marriage lasted from 1934 to 1942, the second from 1946 to her death in 1955. He remarried in 1959 to Patty Bowler and they were divorced within ten years.

In the early 1970s, Krupa's house in Yonkers, New York, was damaged by fire. He continued to live in the parts of the house that were habitable.

In 1973, Krupa died in Yonkers at the age 64 from heart failure, though he also had leukemia and emphysema. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Calumet City, Illinois.

Endorsement

Gene Krupa Drive in Yonkers, New York

In the 1930s, Krupa became the first endorser of Slingerland drums. At Krupa's urging, Slingerland developed tom-toms with tuneable top and bottom heads, which immediately became important elements of virtually every drummer's setup. Krupa developed and popularized many of the cymbal techniques that became standard. His collaboration with Avedis Zildjian developed the modern hi-hat cymbals and standardized the names and uses of the ride cymbal, crash cymbal and splash cymbal. He is also credited with helping to formulate the modern drum set, being one of the first jazz drummers to use a bass drum in a recording session (December 1927). One of his bass drums, a Slingerland 14×26, inscribed with Benny Goodman's and Krupa's initials, is preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Awards and honors

In 1978, Krupa became the first drummer inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. The 1937 recording of Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" combined with Fats Waller's "Christopher Columbus" by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra featuring Krupa on drums was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982.

Apollo 440's 1996 hit single "Krupa" is a tribute to Gene Krupa.

Legacy and posthumous information

Upon his death, The New York Times labeled Krupa a "revolutionary" known for "frenzied, flashy" drumming. The newspaper additionally stated that his work generated a significant musical legacy that started "in jazz and has continued on through the rock era."

Music critics such as Charles Waring have remarked that Krupa's methods of performing, particularly his flamboyant charisma and use of solos, evolved into the approach taken by hard rock artists such as John Bonham (known for his work in Led Zeppelin), Bill Ward (known for his work in Black Sabbath) and Keith Moon (known for his work in The Who).

Discography

As leader

  • 1946 Drummin' With Krupa (Columbia)
  • 1947 Gene Krupa And His Orchestra (Columbia)
  • 1948 Gene Krupa (Columbia)
  • 1950 Gene Krupa Plays "Fats" Waller For Dancing (Columbia)
  • 1952 The Original Drum Battle (Verve)
  • 1952 The Drum Battle with Buddy Rich (Verve)
  • 1953 Timme Rosenkrantz' 1945 Concert Vol. 3 (Commodore)
  • 1953 The Exciting Gene Krupa
  • 1954 Sing, Sing, Sing (Verve)
  • 1954 The Driving Gene Krupa (Verve)
  • 1954 Gene Krupa, Vol. 1 (Clef)
  • 1954 Gene Krupa, Vol. 2 (Clef)
  • 1955 The Jazz Rhythms of Gene Krupa (Verve)
  • 1955 G. Krupa-L. Hampton-T. Wilson (Verve)
  • 1955 The Gene Krupa Quartet (Clef)
  • 1956 Drummer Man (Verve)
  • 1956 Krupa and Rich (Verve)
  • 1957 Krupa Rocks (Verve)
  • 1959 Big Noise from Winnetka (Commodore)
  • 1959 Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements (Verve)
  • 1959 Hey...Here's Gene Krupa (Verve)
  • 1959 The Gene Krupa Story (Verve)
  • 1961 Percussion King (Verve)
  • 1962 Burnin' Beat with Buddy Rich (Verve)
  • 1963 The Mighty Two with Louis Bellson (Roulette)
  • 1964 The Great New Gene Krupa Quartet Featuring Charlie Ventura (Verve)
  • 1972 Jazz at the New School (Chiaroscuro)

As sideman

With Benny Goodman

References

  1. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 1408/9. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Gene Krupa". AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  3. Spagnardi, Ron (1992). The Great Jazz Drummers. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 35.
  4. "Gene Krupa: The Man Who Made It All Happen". Modern Drummer. December 8, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2017. If anyone can be considered the founding father of modern drumset playing, it's Gene Krupa.
  5. ^ Wilson, John S. (October 17, 1973). "Gene Krupa, Revolutionary Drummer, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  6. ^ "Gene Krupa profile". Drummerman.net. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  7. Bruce H. Klauber (1990). World of Gene Krupa: That Legendary Drummin' Man. Pathfinder Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 9780934793285.
  8. ^ "Drummer World: Gene Krupa". Drummerworld.com. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  9. ""Star Burst" (1947) Gene Krupa – the story of his drug bust (And frame-up)". September 7, 2019.
  10. The Billboard Music-Radio - "Thesaurus in Pact for Granz Transcriptions" 18 August 1956 p. 39 Ben Selvin RCA Thesaurus on Google Books.com
  11. Klauber, Bruce H. (1990). World of Gene Krupa: That Legendary Drummin' Man. Pathfinder. p. 166. ISBN 093479328X.
  12. "Death takes Gene Krupa at age 64". Bangor Daily News. UPI. October 17, 1973.
  13. Owen Edwards (March 2011). "Gene Krupa: a Drummer with Star Power". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  14. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 6, 1996. p. 10. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  15. www.theskinny.co.uk https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/hero-worship-black-sabbaths-bill-ward-on-gene-krupa?amp. Retrieved December 15, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. "Best Gene Krupa Songs: 20 Jazz Essentials". January 15, 2023.
  17. "Gene Krupa | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved September 26, 2018.

External links

Gene Krupa
Studio albums
Live albums
Films
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