Gene Krupa on Drum Solos

Hi Jazz Fans,

I'm reading this little book on Gene Krupa. It's a biography, but it also contains lots of quotes from Krupa himself from different interviews. There's a little spot where he mentions something about his solos from the swing years that I thought was interesting. When you think about it, drum solos were almost always this way in swing music. Straight from the horse's mouth, Gene Krupa on Drum Solos:

About the solos on the song Drummin' Man Recorded 11/2/1939

"Notice how I stop every phrase on the last beat of the bar. In those days it was considered a cardinal sin to carry over and end on the first beat of the next bar. But now all drummers do it to bring in the rest of the band."

About the song Drum Boogie Recorded 1/17/1941

"Hey listen to the way I stop that break right on the 4th beat of the bar again. I stop completely, and then I make the final chorus."

This isn't the exact recording he's talking about, but check out Krupa's solos on the same tune from the same year in the film "Ball of Fire." There's always a break before the band re-enters. Classic.

Gene Krupa Orchestra playing Drum Boogie in Ball of Fire

Neat drummer that Krupa fella.

cheers,

Glenn