Gene Krupa Archives - Modern Drummer Magazine

Gene Krupa

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Gene Krupa Elected to Hall of Fame in 1979

Excerpted from the October/November 1979 issue “I’m happy that I succeeded in doing two things: I made the drummer a high­priced guy, and I was able to draw more people to jazz.” The above quote of drum master Gene Krupa…

Story by Karen Larcombe
Jan 10, 2022

Gene Krupa

For this series, we’d be very remiss if we didn’t discuss the great swing drummer Gene Krupa. Gene was one of the most prominent people to bring drums to the forefront in an ensemble. Prior to him, the drummer’s role…

Modern Drummer
Nov 1, 2020

What Was Your First Favorite Drum Record?

Vivid by Living Colour. Will Calhoun plays masterfully and with tons of power. It was perfect: playable but loaded with nuance.Scott Sparks Manu Katché on Peter Gabriel’s Secret World Live. I was around five, and it just blew my mind.…

Modern Drummer
Aug 1, 2020

Rhythm! Discovery Center Ten-Year Anniversary

The interactive museum celebrates a decade of percussion education. Nestled in the heart of downtown Indianapolis is the Rhythm! Discovery Center, a gem of the drum and percussion world. Founded by the Percussive Arts Society in 2009 and now celebrating…

Story by Bob Campbell
Aug 26, 2019

Star Power

History tells us that the first drum star was Gene Krupa. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives (500+ Issues) 40+ Drum Channel Subscribe…

Modern Drummer
Jun 28, 2019

Dueling Drumsets

Back in the ’50s, Jazz At The Philharmonic presented a “drum battle” featuring Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. To my knowledge, it was the first time they had appeared together. It was an exciting event, and it generated great interest…

by Roy Burns
Sep 20, 2018

The 50 Greatest Drummers of All Time

Whose playing endures through the decades? Whose music do we reach for when we want new ideas? When we want to practice? When we want to laugh? Who inspires and delights us most? TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN…

Entries written by Adam Budofsky, Michael Dawson, and Michael Parillo
Feb 1, 2018

The New Peter Criss

It takes a lot of courage for a musician to leave an established group to pursue a solo career. It takes even more courage when the group is Kiss, who truly reached the top, both in popular success, and in…

by Rick Mattingly
Mar 20, 2017

The One-Thousand Year Old Duffy Jackson

When Duffy Jackson was 4, he started playing on stage. When he was 6, he appeared on major network TV with the late Gene Krupa. By the age of 9, he had already played with hundreds of famous musicians that…

Modern Drummer
Feb 23, 2017

From The Past: Big Sid Catlett

Sid Catlett, to those unfamiliar with the name, was considered one of the greatest jazz drummers of the 30's and early 40's, and is still recognized as one of the most significant forces in the evolution of the art of…

Modern Drummer
Feb 23, 2017

Gene Krupa 1909-1973

"I'm happy that I succeeded in doing two things: I made the drummer a high priced guy, and I was able to draw more people to jazz." TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99…

Modern Drummer
Feb 23, 2017

Krupa and the Small Groups: A Lesson In Individuality and Swing

The overwhelming majority of both jazz historians and laymen remember Gene Krupa as primarily, a big-band drummer. TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of Archives…

Modern Drummer
Feb 23, 2017

Reflections on Gene Krupa

In 1939, I first met Gene. I started at the Hickory House in 1938. So Gene and I had been friends for over 30 years. I guess that everything that has been said about the man has been said before…

Modern Drummer
Feb 23, 2017

Benny Goodman - The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert

It was the floor tom heard round the world, Gene Krupa’s call to revolution: “Drummers to the fore!” TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year SAVE 15% Digital Monthly Magazine 47 Years of…

Jeff Potter
Feb 23, 2017

October 2011 - Volume 35 • Number 10

Chad Smith, Gene Krupa, Greg Errico, Chris Corsano, Joey Dandeneau, Jim Payne, Tony Tedesco, Patrick Berkery, Patrick Hallahan, Tony Williams, Daniel Glass, Roy Mayorga, Mike Malinin TO READ THE FULL STORY: LOG IN Digital Access $4.99 /month or $49.99 /year…

Modern Drummer
Oct 1, 2011