Artist: Gene Krupa

Artist: Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich

The Drum Battle won, 2010-05-11
My grandad used to play this to my brother and I, being a semi-professional drummer himself during his youth, his appreciation of this classic work of art was infectious; my brother and I, now (nearly) middle aged, both with families and children had the opportunity to spend some time together recently. Driving down country roads of our youth, windows down and the Drum Battle at full volume in our rent-a-car was a moment of pure nostalgic pleasure.

Artist: Krupa Gene

swing music - krupa, eldridge, o'day, 2009-06-20
At first I had mixed feeling about this swing reunion of Krupa with Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day: it is more of a recreation than a true creation...
But, the thing recreated (with better recording equipment!) is a very swinging big band; Krupa and Roy are as good as they were in the hay-day of swing, Anita O'Day is even better than she had been at the time... So in spite of "theoretical" problem I had initially, the album somehow refused to let go of my CD player...

As far as creation goes, check out the last two tracks: first a truly magnificent Anita O'Day vocal feature (backed up by Roy at his subtlest) and then the closing track, the everlasting standard "After you've gone", where Roy leads with verve and creativity he actually showed quite often in the 50s (but not on every track of this album)....

So, this is a very nice swing album, but mostly for swing fans (as opposed to O'Day and Eldridge recordings from the same decade which have much deeper musical meaning)...

Artist: Gene Krupa +

The Masters., 2008-09-30
Drum battles between Krupa and Rich were always exciting,but this has something more.It is not a battle,more a collaboration. Although both swing-based their styles are very different.Rich was an unleashed monster whose subtler touches were often overlooked,whilst Krupa was the most musical of drummers who also had a magic that made the simplest beat something special.The two drummers loved each other,and it shows on this album.Their individual tracks are great but Bernie's Tune is the killer.Free-flowing,inventive and exciting drumming leading in to great solos from the guys in the ensemble. When the other musicians kick in Krupa remains to back them and then Rich takes over for the final choruses.This section shows most markedly their two styles....Krupa driving along with bass drum accents that are a joy,and then Buddy taking over and using more "top". And listen to how the ensemle reacts.Great solos from swingers like Roy Eldridge,modernists like Oscar Peterson,and be-boppers like Dizzy Gillespie showing that good jazz is good jazz regardless of style. These are masters at work.

Artist: Gene Krupa

Artist: Gene Krupa

Artist: Gene Krupa

Not what it seems, 2010-04-07
Although all the songs on the album are good, they are tracks where Gene Krupa merely appears-very few solos. I expected more of his playing and less of the vocals and other soloists. Disappointing.

Artist: Gene Krupa

Artist: Gene Krupa

Artist: Gene Krupa

Track Details....., 2010-07-21
CD1 THE V-DISC SESSIONS

01. Intro Gene Krupa (Not Applicable)
02. Stompin' at the Savoy (Sampson; Goodman; Webb)
03. Boogie Blues (Krupa; Biondi)
04. Opus 3 (Unknown)
05. Hodge Podge (Hodges; Ellington)
06. Liza (Gershwin)
07. Fish Market (Eldridge; Krupa)
08. Drummer's Band (Eldridge; Krupa)
09. Drumboogie(Eldridge; Krupa)
10. Intro Gene Kurpa #2 (Not Applicable)
11. Dark Eyes (Public Domain)
12. Wire Brush Stomp (Krupa; Biondi)
13. Wire Brush Stomp (Krupa; Biondi)
14. Just a Little Fond Affection (Box; Cox; Ilda)
15. Let Me Off Uptown (Evans; Bostic)

Mid 1940's - 1945 (probably) New York, USA

CD2 GENE KRUPA & BUDDY RICH

01. Gene's Blues (Krupa)
02. Buddy's Blues (Rich)
03. I Never Knew (Fiorito; Kahn)
04. Sweethearts On Parade (Lombardo; Newman)
05. Bernie's Tune (Miller; Stoller; Leiber)

1955, New York, USA

Gene Krupa Buddy Rich (batterie); Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Thad Jones, Joe Newman (trompette); Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips, Ben Webster, Frank Weiss (saxo ténor); Oscar Peterson (piano); Herb Ellis, Freddie Green (guitare); Ray Brown (basse)

CD3 SKIN VS SKIN

01. Drum Boogie (Eldridge; Krupa)
02. Flying Home (Goodman; Hampton)
03. Perdido (Tizol; Drake; Lenk)
04. The Drum Battle (Rich; Krupa)
05. Idaho (Stone)
06. Sophisticated Lady (Ellington; Mills; Parish)

1952 New York, USA

Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich (batterie); Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers (trompette); Benny Carter, Willie Smith (saxo alto); Flip Phillips, Lester Young (saxo ténor); Hank Jones, Oscar Peterson (piano); Barney Kessel (guitare); Ray Brown (basse)

CD4 WORKS OF HISTORY - VOL 1

01. I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music (Franklin) *1
02. Swing Is Here (Krupa; Eldridge; Berry) *1
03 Wire Brush Stomp (Krupa; Biondi) *2
04. Rhythm Jam (Willert) *2
05. Nagasaki (Warren; Dixon) *2
06. Tutti Fruiti (Fisher; Gaillard) *2
07. Apurksody (Krupa) *2
08. Do You Wanna Jump Children (Donahue; Van Heusen; Selsman; Bryant) *2
09. Quiet and Roll 'Em (Krupa; Donahue; Biondi; Richards) *2
10. The Madam Swings It (Olsen; Russell; Martin) *2
11. Jungle Madness (Willert) *2
12. Old Black Joe (Foster) *2
13. Sweetheart Honey Darling Dear (Krupa; Biondi) *2
14. Symphony In Riffs (Carter) *2
15. Drummin' Man (Parham; Krupa) *2
16. Blue Rhythm Fantasy (Hill; Willett) *2
17. Boog It (Calloway; Ram; Palmer) *2
18. Say Si Si (Stillman; Lubin; Lecouna) *2
19. Love Is In My Heart (Unknown) *2
20. Tuxedo Junction (Feyne; Hawkins; Johnson; Dash) *2
21. No Name Jive (Wagner) *2
22. The Sergeant Was Shy (Ellington) *2
23. Who (Hammerstein; Kern; Harbach) *2
24. The Babe Takes A Bow (Wagner; Krupa) *2
25. Rhumboogie (Raye; Prince) *2

1936 - 1940 Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, USA

*1 Gene Krupa's Swing Band
*2 Gene Krupa & His Orchestra

CD5 WORKS OF HISTORY - VOL 2

01. I Hear Music (Lane; Loesser)
02. How About That Mess (Anderson)
03. Full Dress Hop (Eldridge; Krupa)
04. Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie; Pinkard; Casey)
05. Deep In The Blues (Parish; Lytle)
06. There'll Be Some Changes Made (Overstreet; Higgins)
07. Drum Boogie (Krupa; Eldridge)
08. Georgia On My Mind (Carmichael)
09. Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina (Skylar; Shaftel; Cannon)
10. Slow Down (Penny; Crockett)
11. Green Eyes (Rivera; Woods; Menendez)
12. Let Me Off Uptown (Evans; Bostic)
13. Kick It (Bauer; Vernier; Hill)
14. After You've Gone (Creamer; Layton)
15. Rockin' Chair (Carmichael)
16. Stop The Red Light's On (Miller)
17. The Walls Keep Talking (Hill; Bauer; Hill)
18. Bolero At The Savoy (Krupa)
19. Thanks For The Boogie Ride (Buck; Mitchell; Hill)
20. Ball Of Fire (Krupa; Eldridge; Hill)
21. That's What You Think (Werner; Werner)
22. The Drummer's Band (Krupa; Eldridge)
23. Massachusetts (Razaf; Roberts)
24. Leave Us Leap (Finckel)
25. What's This (Lambert)

1940 -1945 New York, Chicago, Hollywood, USA

*1 Gene Krupa & His Orchestra
*2 Gene Krupa & The Band That Swings With Strings

CD6 WORKS OF HISTORY - VOL 3

01. Moontide (Finckel) *1
02. Body & Soul (Heyman; Sour; Green; Eyton) *2
03. Blue Moon (Rodgers; Hart) *1
04. Opus No 1 (Oliver) *3
05. Boogie Blues (Biondi) *3
06. Chickerty Chick (Dee; Lipman) *3
07. In The Middle Of May Stillman; Ahlert) *3
08. Begin The Beguine (Porter) *3
09. Tea For Two (Caesar; Youmans) *3
10. Love Is In My Heart (Unknown) *3
11. I'll Never Be The Same (Malneck; Signorelli; Kahn) *3
12. Blue Lou (Csampson; Mills) *3
13. Birdhouse (Mulligan) *3
14. 10 Ritchie Drive (Krupa) *2
15. Otto Make That Riff Staccato (Orent; Schwartz) *2
16. USO (Finckel) *2
17. Lyonaise Potatoes & Some Pork Chops (Stewart) *2
18. In The Moon Mist (Lawrence) *2
19. There Is No Breeze (To Cool The Flame Of Love) (Dick; Alstone) *3
20. Disc Jockey Jump (Krupa; Mulligan) *3
21. Gene's Boogie (Ellis; Williams) *3

1945 - 1947 Hollywood, Utah, New York, USA

Gene Krupa & The Band That Swings With Strings
Gene Krupa (batterie), Charlie Ventura (saxo ténor) Teddy Napoleon (piano)
Gene Krupa & His Orchestra

CD7 WORKS OF HISTORY - VOL 4

01. Along The Navajo Trail (Marks; DeLange; Charles)
02. It's Up To You (Finckel)
03. Are These Really Mine (Skylar; Cook; Saxon)
04. Lover (Rodgers; Hart)
05. I Don't Want To Be Loved (Symes; Livingston)
06. Harriet (Cunningham; Baer)
07. Did You Ever Get That Feeling In The Moonlight
08. Stompin' At The Savoy (Razaf; Goodman; Sampson)
09. How High The Moon (Lewis; Hamilton)
10. The Banana Song (MacKenzie; Wirges; Montgomery)
11. Aren't You Kind Of Glad We Did (Gershwin)
12. It's A Good Day (Lee; Barbour)
13. Old Devil Moon (Harburg; Lane)
14. Starburst (Finckel; Krupa)
15. I Should Have Kept On Dreaming (Williams; Krupa)
16. Up An' Atom (Finckel)
17. Calling Dr Gillespie (Finckel)
18. Lemon Drop (Wallington)

1945 - 1949 New York, Chicago, USA

Gene Krupa & His Orchestra

CD8 THE BENNY GOODMAN YEARS

01. King Porter Stomp (Morton) *1
02. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight ( - ) *1
03. Goody Goody (Malneck; Mercer) *1
04. Christopher Columbus (Berry; Razaf) *1
05. China Boy (Boutlje; Winfree) *2
06. Oh Lady Be Good (Gershwin) *2
07. Nobody's Sweetheart (Erdman; Meyers; Schoebel) *2
08. Swing Time In The Rockies (Mundy; Goodman) *1
09. Down South Camp Meeting (Henderson; Mills) *1
10. Dinah (Quartet) (Lewis; Young; Akst) *3
11. I Want To Be Happy (Caesar; Youmans) *1
12. Chloe (Song Of The Swamp) (Kahn; Moret) *1
13. Ida Sweet As Apple Cider (Quartet) (Munson; Leonard) *3
14. Tea For Two (Quartet) (Caesar; Youmans) *3
15. Sing Sing Sing (Part 1) (Prima) *1
16. Sing Sing Sing (Part 2) (Prima) *1
17. Roll 'Em (Williams) *1
18. Changes (Donaldson) *1
19. Sugar Foot Stomp (Melrose; Oliver; Armstrong) *1
20. Life Goes To A Party (James; Goodman) *1
21. If Dreams Come True (Unknown) *1
22. Don't Be That Way (Goodman; Parish; Sampson) *1

1935 - 1938 New York, Chicago, Hollywood, USA

*1 Gene Krupa (batterie); Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
*2 Gene Krupa (batterie); Benny Goodman (clarinette); Teddy Wilson (piano)
*3 Gene Krupa (batterie); Benny Goodman (clarinette); Teddy Wilson (piano) Lionel Hampton (vibes)

CD9 AT 6' & 7's

01. Capitol Idea (Shavers) *1
02. Coronation Hop (Shavers) *1
03. Paradise (Brown; Clifford) *1
04. Overtime (Shavers) *1
05. Imagination (Burke; Van Heusen) *2
06. Don't Take Your Love From Me (Nemo) *2
07. Midget (Shavers) *2
08. I'm Coming Virginia (Heywood; Cook) *2
09. Payin' Them Dues Blues (Shavers) *2
10. Jungle Drums (Lacouna; O'Flynn; Lombardo) *2
11. Showcase (Shavers) *2
12. Swedish Schnapps (Shavers) *2
13. Who's Rhythm (Shavers) *3
14. Ballad Medley (Dietz; Schwartz; Carmichael; Washington; Hart; Rodgers; Gross; Lawrence; Duke) *3
16. Second Helping Blues (Shavers) *3
17. Bloozy Woozy (Shavers) *3
18. Windy (Shavers) *3
19. Meddle My Minor (Shavers) *3
1953 New York , USA

*1 Gene Krupa (batterie); Charlie Shavers (trompette); Willie Smith(saxo alto); Teddy Wilson (piano); Steve Jordan(guitare); Israel Crosby (basse)
*2 Gene Krupa (batterie); Charlie Shavers (trompette); Bill Harris (trombone); Ben Webster (saxo ténor); Teddy Wilson (piano); Herb Ellis (guitare); Ray Brown (basse)
*3 Gene Krupa (batterie); Charlie Shavers (trompette); Bill Harris (trombone); Eddie Davis (saxo ténor); Teddy Napoleon (piano); Ray Brown (basse)

CD10 PLAY GERRY MULLIGAN

01. Mulligan Stew (Mulligan; Krupa)
02. Begin The Beguine (Porter)
03. Disc Jockey Jump (Mulligan; Krupa)
04. Yardbird Suite (Parker)
05. If You Were The Only Girl In The World (Ayer; Grey)
06. The Way Of All Flesh (Mulligan)
07. Margie (Conrad; Robinson; Davis)
08. Sugar (Pinkard; Alexander; Mitchell)
09. Birds Of A Feather (Mulligan)
10. Sometimes I'm Happy (Youmans; Caesar; Grey)
11. Bird House (Mulligan)
12. How High The Moon (Lewis; Hamilton)

1958, New York, USA

Gene Krupa & His Orchestra