Gene Krupa - Drummin' Man: Hits & Classic Recordings 1938-50 (2023)

Gene Krupa was one of the most admired and influential drummers in the history of jazz, with his impact extending into the pop era, not least through his effective defining of the make-up of the modern drum kit. As a drummer and bandleader in the swing and big band eras of the late 1930s and ‘40s, he became known for what the New York Times called his “frenzied, flashy” drumming which was revolutionary in its day, and elevated the rile of the drummer from pure accompanist to being an important solo voice in the band. This 48-track 2-CD collection features all his 27 career hits on the Brunswick, Columbia, Okeh and RCA-Victor labels, plus selected renowned recordings from across this era. It includes his Top 10 hits “It All Comes Back To Me Now”, “High On A Windy Hill”, “Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina”, “Along The Navajo Trail”, “Chickery Chick” and “Bonaparte's Retreat”. There are performances by his noted female vocalists Irene Day and Anita O’Day, and by his other featured vocalists Jerry Kruger, Howard Dulaney, Roy Eldridge, Johnny Desmond, Carolyn Grey and Bobby Scots. It offers a fascinating cross-section of his recordings, from the more mainstream pop material that comprised many of his hits to the hard-hitting big band jazz for which he was especially renowned, and it’s an entertaining showcase for his music.