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The war years were a torture for many performers and listeners. No new records nearly killed off the music industry and historically, it helped silence any further data we may have of musicians and singers from all genres. For Krupa, it was also the worst of time. He was brought up on fake marijuana possession charges levelled against him by a disgruntled valet who thought he could squeeze money out of Krupa. Krupa languished in jail before being exonerated. His band ... MORE
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One of Roy Eldridge’s other talents (besides being a trumpeter, drummer and band leader) was that he could sing. "Knock Me A Kiss" was another fine example of Eldridge as a performer. His cute, jazz-tinged delivery became an impressive hit after its recording on April 2, 1942 during the waning days of the record companies before a combination of materials and a musicians’ strike prevent any further recording for at least two years. A laid back swinger, Eldridge swings... MORE
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The Golden Arm Trio is a misnomer because it usually contains a lot more than just a trio of musicians, and in fact only one of them is permanent: German composer and bandleader Graham Reynolds. His work is superlatively cinematic ("Treasure Hunt" reminds me of Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure, "Poor Brother Percival" makes me think Psycho, "The Handmill" sounds like it would fit nicely into an epic romantic drama at the moment when everything goes awry), rebellious (i.e. "I... MORE
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Not wholly representative of the Verve/Blue Note organ legend's work, he still manages to breathe some life into the old standard here. This was released on Verve in 1964
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Al Jolson and Judy Garland made famous recordings of "After You’ve Gone" and many more have recorded the song with great effectiveness. Yet it’s not the singer but the messenger–Roy Eldridge on his magnificent trumpet that riles up the whole band in another fabulous showcase in this June 5, 1941 performance. Clarinetist Musky Ruffo comes up favorably to the fantastic speed and agility this arrangement brings to everyone, including pianist Bob Kitsis.
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This is another essential track from 'Luv N' Haight' series. From James Mason, this is: Sweet Power Your Embrace.
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One of the most requested of all of Gene Krupa’s numbers was "Drum Boogie" complete with a knowing vocal by Irene Daye, recorded on January 17, 1941 in Chicago just before she left the band to marry trumpeter Corky Cornelius. Elton Hill wrote this frantically paced boogie woogie arrangement with plenty of vocal interjections from the men in the band. The numerous sound colorings provided by Gene Krupa is dazzling to the ear as is Sam Donahue’s aggressive tenor sax per... MORE
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Trumpeter Erskine Hawkins had a major hit recording in 1939 with "Tuxedo Junction." The tune itself caught the imagination of the country and inspired Glenn Miller to record his magical version. Others took a likening to it as well. The early years of Gene Krupa’s big band saw him recording mostly covers of other big band leader’s hits of which this was surely one to admire. Ray Biondi is the prominent voice heard at the beginning and throughout this March 8, 1940 rec... MORE
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One of the better remembered vocalists of the big band era was Irene Daye who was a beautiful young lady who had two of the Krupa men chasing after her – Sam Donahue and Corky Cornelius. Cornelius won her over, they got married and went over to Glen Gray’s Casa Loma Orchestra. Meanwhile, she contributed some great performance with the Krupa band including "Sweetheart, Honey, Darlin’, Dear." Day has the experience already, singing with great confidence on a song which ... MORE
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This Thanksgiving we tried to start a new tradtion. Uncle Bob and I wanted to take some time after dinner and go shooting for a few hours. We were lucky enough to get the kids and 2 of my cousins to go. My cousin Rebekah and the 12 gauge.
Bay trying the 20 gauge with the man who taught all of the Heilman kids how to shoot, my Uncle Bob. Cousin Rachael and Bay.
Baylor on the skeet machine and me on the 20 gauge shotgun. Here Lindsay is... MORE
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Another chart written by Krupa and Sam Donahue is "Quiet and Roll ‘Em," a mid tempo work in the standard call and response style so familiar to big band listeners. Krupa keeps the beat solidly going while Sam Donahue (the composer, arranger) plays a highly romantic tenor sax solo interrupted briefly by clarinetist Sam Musiker. A tasty piano performance by Milt Raskin contributes much to the musical quality of this work from a February 26, 1939 session in Los Angeles.
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Chappie Willett contributed a chart for the Krupa band’s band book named "Rhythm Jam." Sam Donahue takes a few exciting licks on tenor sax before the band takes over on one of the first dates by the Krupa band on July 19, 1938. After a brief intro by pianist Milt Raskin, tenor saxist Sam Donahue comes back for another clean, crisp swinging rendition. Corky Cornelius sails by with a great trumpet solo with single note exhortations high up on his instrument before leadi... MORE
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If there was ever a piece of music that would sum up Gene Krupa in many people’s minds, it would be "Drummin’ Man" a memorable tune that literally reminds you of whom we are listening. Irene Day, a favorite vocalist with many bands, sings here like a knowledgeable professor of swing, describing just in a few words what "Drummin’ Man is all about. It’s a fast paced swinger from sessions on October 2, 1939 and arranged by Fred Norman. And listen for a stratospheric trum... MORE
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Gene Krupa (1909 - 1973) was one of the great musicians who came out of the Benny Goodman band break-up in 1938. Krupa was known for being a wildly flamboyant, exuberant showman with much head wagging, gum chewing and energetically playing his drums. Yet he was a true musician through and through. To Krupa, playing the drums was just the starting point. His technique was based on meticulously associating each part of a big band chart with different melodically tonal p... MORE
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John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean (1931-2006) was an innovative, if not always wholly accessible sax player, whose long career included playing in a school band with Sonny Rollins, spells with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Art Blakey before fronting his own bands for many years, contributing to the careers of Donald Byrd, Bobby Hutcherson and Ornette Coleman, amongst countless others. For much of his early career he was a heroin addict, which prevented him from playing gigs i... MORE
