American drummer, composer, and bandleader (1909–1973)
Gene Krupa
Krupa in 1944
Background information
Birth name
Eugene Bertram Krupa
Born
(1909-01-15)January 15, 1909 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died
October 16, 1973(1973-10-16) (aged 64) Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Genres
Jazz
swing
Dixieland
Occupations
Musician
bandleader
composer
Instruments
Drums
Years active
1920s–1973
Musical artist
Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973)[1] was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer.[2][3] 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".[4]
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".[5]
^Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 1408/9. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
^Yanow, Scott. "Gene Krupa". AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^Spagnardi, Ron (1992). The Great Jazz Drummers. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 35.
^"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.
^Wilson, John S. (October 17, 1973). "Gene Krupa, Revolutionary Drummer, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
era". The youngest of Anna (née Oslowski) and Bartłomiej Krupa's nine children, GeneKrupa was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Bartłomiej was...
The GeneKrupa Story (also known as Drum Crazy) is a 1959 biopic of American drummer and bandleader GeneKrupa. The conflict in the film centers on Krupa's...
after receiving many offers from white swing bands, Eldridge joined GeneKrupa's Orchestra, and was successfully featured with rookie singer Anita O'Day...
Parker (Bird and Diz, 1950). In 1955, GeneKrupa and Buddy Rich recorded the collaboration album titled Krupa and Rich, which featured the song "Bernie's...
Bonham. A mostly self-taught drummer, Bonham was influenced by Max Roach, GeneKrupa and Buddy Rich. He was close with Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice...
jazz drummer, but cites jazz musicians Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, GeneKrupa, and Buddy Rich, as well as rock drummers Keith Moon, Ian Paice, and John...
being influenced by the likes of Sonny Payne, Louie Bellson, Buddy Rich, GeneKrupa, Max Roach and Art Blakey, as well as other jazz influenced drummers like...
supporting roles in films including Gidget (1959) and its sequels, The GeneKrupa Story (1959), All the Young Men (1960), The Guns of Navarone (1961), and...
brand. Slingerland is strongly associated with jazz drummers, such as GeneKrupa and Buddy Rich, who played signature instruments made by the company....
2018) was an American jazz trombonist who toured with Woody Herman, GeneKrupa, Jan Savitt, and Frankie Carle. He played on over 250 recordings and released...
copies and was awarded a gold disc. He starred as drummer GeneKrupa in the movie The GeneKrupa Story (1959), directed by Don Weis with Susan Kohner, James...
scene. As time passed, he began to emulate jazz and big band musicians GeneKrupa and Buddy Rich. In 1994, Peart became a friend and pupil of jazz instructor...
"Drum Boogie" is a 1941 jazz "boogie-woogie" standard, composed by GeneKrupa and trumpeter Roy Eldridge and originally sung by Irene Daye, soon replaced...
Oliver also had roles in several theatrical features, including The GeneKrupa Story (1959), BUtterfield 8 (1960) and The Caretakers (1963). By the late...
with singer Connee Boswell He hired ex-bandleader and drummer GeneKrupa after Krupa's arrest for marijuana possession in 1943. In 1942, Artie Shaw broke...
trombone of Jack Teagarden, the trumpet of Harry James, the drums of GeneKrupa, and the vibes of Lionel Hampton. The popularity of many of the major...
alphabetically): Louis Armstrong Johnny Best Barney Bigard Cozy Cole Ray Conniff GeneKrupa Frances Langford The Modernaires Ben Pollack Babe Russin Arvell Shaw Trummy...
restricted to the smaller, 14x14 floor toms. The floor tom was popularized by GeneKrupa in the 1950s, using a 16x16. The floor tom is also used as a small bass...
composed of many well-known jazz musicians, including Benny Goodman, GeneKrupa, Glenn Miller and Jimmy Dorsey. "The score was one of the Gershwins' best"...
Phil 2012 The Savoy King: Chick Webb & the Music That Changed America GeneKrupa Voice, documentary 2013 Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox Slade Wilson...
1946 and joined the arranging staff on GeneKrupa's bebop-tinged band. Arrangements of Mulligan's work with Krupa include "Birdhouse", "Disc Jockey Jump"...
Strike Up the Band and Girl Crazy. That band included Benny Goodman and GeneKrupa. During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Miller worked as a freelance trombonist...
cymbals originally developed and named as part of the collaboration between GeneKrupa and the Avedis Zildjian Company. The current Zildjian Swish Knocker is...
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