Gene Krupa

One of the best of "ALL' time. My mother used to say, maybe you will be another Gene Krupa, I would tell her that there would never be another Gene Krupa. She actually had the pleasure of seeing him play live a few times when he would play in the Washington, D.C. area where I am originally from. One of my best friends brother' father in law (Berk Motley) actually played with him in one of his big band orchestras, clarinet if I remember correctly. What a superstar he was and still is. If I am not mistaken he was totally self taught, did not read charts or music period. Some of the most phenominal wrist action I have ever seen, I still enjoy watching/listening to his playing, still a huge inspiration to me...
 
I was wondering if anyone could please help me with something.

I'm trying to find good sources about Gene Krupa in particular about him being "supposed first to solo". I have one book, which is a biography about gene krupa and which it does talk about this subject. But I'm finding it hard now to find sources on the matter.

I am trying to write a essay on Gene Krupa and his involvement in the History of jazz drumming.

I would be great if anyone could even suggest at least one book / Journal / ebook that I could look to read.
 
I was wondering if anyone could please help me with something.

I'm trying to find good sources about Gene Krupa in particular about him being "supposed first to solo". I have one book, which is a biography about gene krupa and which it does talk about this subject. But I'm finding it hard now to find sources on the matter.

I am trying to write a essay on Gene Krupa and his involvement in the History of jazz drumming.

I would be great if anyone could even suggest at least one book / Journal / ebook that I could look to read.

Look around this site. Baby Dodds and Chick Webb (among others) predated him as far as solos go. But he's certainly one of the most influential and most documented.

For starters:

http://www.moderndrummer.com/drum-gods/100000012/Gene Krupa

http://www.drummerman.net/buddy.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=nk...CEcQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=downbeat krupa&f=false

http://www.angelfire.com/mac/keepitlive/drummers/krupa.htm

-John
 
I realize this is an old thread. However, can someone recommend some CDs of clear sounding recordings of Gene Krupa. I also realize that in this day of down loading music I am probably the last of those who still purchase CDs.

I am looking for a clear recording because I always liked Krupa's bass drumming but was never able to get a very clear recording of it. The pedals of this time were primative and Krupa demonstrated a great right foot despite the limitations of the hardware.
 
I realize this is an old thread. However, can someone recommend some CDs of clear sounding recordings of Gene Krupa. I also realize that in this day of down loading music I am probably the last of those who still purchase CDs.

I am looking for a clear recording because I always liked Krupa's bass drumming but was never able to get a very clear recording of it. The pedals of this time were primative and Krupa demonstrated a great right foot despite the limitations of the hardware.

I'm not sure of exact recordings, but I imagine some of the live recordings and later studio recordings (early 70's??) would have good sound quality, but for me they lack the excitement of his work with big bands. I've listened to some of the live recordings from this period (on emusic.com), but again I can't give an exact example

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Does anyone know what kind of patterns he used in his solos? Such as these:

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/genekrupashadowrhapsodie.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHr4XQ9SEcg

I'm not wanting to copy note for note what he did (as if I could!), I'm just interested in learning to play some of the things he did, to give me a little bit of fun outside of lessons/pad practice/kit practice/rudiments/rehearsal.

The only advice I've been given so far is stickings like Rll Rll Rll Rll and variations, and rolls such as Rll RLrr Lrr RLrr (6/8 roll???)
 
I'm not sure of exact recordings, but I imagine some of the live recordings and later studio recordings (early 70's??) would have good sound quality, but for me they lack the excitement of his work with big bands. I've listened to some of the live recordings from this period (on emusic.com), but again I can't give an exact example

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Krupa#Discography
Unfortunately, Krupa died in 1973, and the discography here on Wikipedia does not show anything in the 1970's and the rest of the discography is shallow.
 
I could not pass this post up in good conscience without paying homage to the great Gene Krupa. Gene Krupa was my inspiration. Genes drum method was what I call (because I read it somewhere) the, " Idle Hand High " method. He used up and down strokes. His hands played high up. He used his elbows, shoulders and basically dance on the kit when he played. The drum set appeared to explode when he played. He was one of the most melodic drummers of all time. A reflexition of the chicargo jazz drummers. You could see Gene having fun on the kit when he was playing. This has nothing to do with the moller technique. It was just the way gene played. Genes major drum influence was Chick Webb. Chick Webb needs to be given his due. He was THE drummer bar none. When it came to melodic, rudiements, feel, chick was the man, and dont think krupa and rich didnt know that. Buddy Rich had a different drum method, technique and feel on the kit. Buddy was a new york jazz/big band drummer which meant he had a very aggressive drum style when playing. Elbows in, power from the wrists and away he went. Buddy could do it all. He could be melodic, he could drive the band and fly around the kit.
Gene Krupas influence is in many a drummer. I just want to say thank you Gene and you to Buddy & Chick for showing us that drumming could be fun and exciting.
 
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Without Gene -- there's no Buddy. Without Buddy, the world as we know it would not exist in quite the same way.
 
more than a drummer in entertainment media...his acting took the instrument to a higher respect level.

we owe much to gene
 
I could not pass this post up in good conscience without paying homage to the great Gene Krupa. Gene Krupa was my inspiration. Genes drum method was what I call (because I read it somewhere) the, " Idle Hand Hight " method. He used up and down strokes. His hands played high up. He used his elbows, shoulders and basically dance on the kit when he played. The drum set appeared to explode when he played. He was one of the most melodic drummers of all time. A reflexition of the chicargo jazz drummers. You could see Gene having fun on the kit when he was playing. This has nothing to do with the moller technique. It was just the way gene played. Genes major drum influence was Chick Webb. Chick Webb needs to be given his due. He was THE drummer bar none. When it came to melodic, rudiements, feel, chick was the man, and dont think krupa and rich didnt know that. Buddy Rich had a different drum method, technique and feel on the kit. Buddy was a new york jazz/big band drummer which meant he had a very aggressive drum style when playing. Elbows in, power from the wrists and away he went. Buddy could do it all. He could be melodic, he could drive the band and fly around the kit.
Gene Krupas influence is in many a drummer. I just want to say thank you Gene and you to Buddy & Chick for showing us that drumming could be fun and exciting.
Well said! I see gene as the most influential drummer of all time,Its been said before,but gene looks so RIGHT behind a drum kit.In no way am i saying he was all show and no substance,far from it,Buddy was a phenomenon as we know,but gene to me has always had something bud never had.Sad to say i never got to see gene,was little to young.I saw buddy in southend in early 80s.,amazing.look forward to hearing from you.Im new on net,enjoying this.
 
I could not pass this post up in good conscience without paying homage to the great Gene Krupa.

+1 He was and is an inspiration to millions of drummers and drum fans. He was such a natural, like the matchbox drum thing at the end of Drum Boogie. Talk about feel! Or where he took over the right hand role of a bass solo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8gvJnhTY2s. I kept wondering if it would have damaged the strings ... but he had such controlled touch.
 
Nice to see great comments about Gene Krupa. I was lucky to see him at one of our local high schools on a Saturday afternoon in 1967. He brought his band, gave a concert, and talked about his drumming/band history.
 
Gene Krupa, the most musical drummer EVER and one of the most influential EVER.....only has 21 responses????? Is there something wrong here????? This is truly appaling and makes me want to vomit. Not good vomit like GWAR-style, but sick-to-my-stomach as to why a legend is neglected on such a huge drummer's site. Seriously, wake up!!!!!!!!!!

This guy had more feel when he played than anyone (including Rich, Gadd, etc.). When he sat behind a kit, he was so animated that it seemed like he was possessed by the drums. What a showman.

My first real exposure to him outside Benny Goodman's material was the Krupa & Rich cd, which totally rocks. ;-)

For those less versed in his legacy, please read this short bio on him.

+∞

.................
 
For what it's worth here's my 2 cents worth. There are two types of drummers. Mathmaticians who concentrate on fundamentals and "getting it right" and those who play from the heart. Example: Buddy Rich, Jon Bonham and Neal Peart are great technicians. Then you have Gene Krupa and Keith Moon who just loved playing the drums and it showed in their faces as they did what came naturally. Joseph (I forget his last name) leader of the singing group Ladysmith Black Mombaza once said he didn't care if you could sing as long as you loved to sing. I can't imagine having someone tell me I had to follow a chart in order to play the drums, or that I have to put a rimshot on the third beat of the 7th measure of the second chorus right after the bass players punctuated 16th note slide into a C# whole note.
Gene Krupa was the man. Can you imagine a clarinetist telling a drummer how to play "Sing Sing Sing"? Or a drummer telling a clarinetist when to do a glissando? Play what comes naturally and feels right with a smile and a stick twirl or two.
 
Well...this may be my first foray into this forum and I was surpised to see that one of the Greatest has such a small thread. Gene was truly one of the innovators and legends of drumming. I have been playing for years (I am 42) and it always makes me smile when I meet someone...who is usually elderly...and they ask if I am related. My name is Dean Krupa. They always ask if I know who Gene was. It really jolts them when I tell them that I also play.

I have tried to find out if I am related, but no luck so far. The closest I have come was having some email communication with a gentleman out of Chicago named Joe Vetrano who if memory serves, either knew Gene or played with him. But he tried to put me in touch with Gene's niece, Jennifer Krupa, who at that time was playing with the Washington Philharmonic Orchestra. He gave me her email address and phone number. I tried both but was met with silence unfortunately. I had hoped she would have some family records to help me 'reverse search' as the records on my side are scarce at best. I suspect there must be some connection as my grandfather apparently had seven brothers that I have no records of...and the surname isn't that common. Plus they would've been roughly the same age as Gene.

Not that it would make any great difference to my life...but it would be cool to say you are related.

If anyone has any info to share, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
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