Born 115 years ago today in Chicago, the tremendous Eugene Bertram GENE Krupa. He was seemingly destined for a life in the priesthood, if his parents had any say in it. His 1st gig came at age 18, joining the band of Thelma Terry’s, the first American jazz band to be lead by a woman. His big break came in 1934 when he joined Benny Goodman’s band. There was no such thing as a drum solo until Gene’s in the song “Sing Sing Sing.” It made Krupa a celebrity, which didn’t sit well with his boss. He stayed for four years, during which time he disagreed incessantly with Goodman.

The tempos were a problem, the arrangements were a problem. But the biggest conflict came when Goodman would become jealous of the attention Gene was getting, and tell him to switch to brushes. He probably could have insulted Gene’s mother and had less of a furious reaction. Gene told John Hammond “I’ll never work for that son of a bitch again!” Krupa left Goodman in 1938, forming his own orchestra, though they’d have periodic reunions into the 1970’s.

During one such reunion in the 60’s, when Benny simply jumped up on stage at one of Gene’s gigs in NYC without being invited, he turned to Krupa and said “brushes, please.”

John Bonham considered Gene Krupa a God. Buddy Rich, a man not given to bestowing compliments, said “Gene was the inspiration for every big-name drummer in the business. At one time every drummer in the world wanted to play like Gene Krupa.” There would be a biopic starring Sal Mineo, The Gene Krupa Story. He was still gigging, less than two months prior to his passing in October ’73, in a gig in Saratoga Springs, NY.

With Benny Goodman.

Today’s Playlist is a brief look at some of Gene’s performances, on his own and as a sideman.

On television in the mid-60’s: