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 was not an example of unsubstan­tiated ego. Krupa was merely aware of the facts—he was the leader among drummers, the first to bring any semblance of esteem to the instrument. This is the reason drummers today revere Krupa and hope to, in some way, hold onto a small part of the Krupa legacy. Adoration and fame was something that Krupa knew throughout his career. The teeny-boppers and swing addicts couldn’t get enough of the handsome drummer who could drive any band to new heights of innovation. Krupa was an original and as such, notoriety followed him like a shadow. On Drum Solos “To me a drum solo must have sub­stance […]

December 2021 Issue