Customer Reviews

Drummer Man (Verve)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a fantastic session done for Verve Records in 1956 of Gene with an all-star studio orchestra featuring Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day. The album recaptures some of Krupa's greatest hits in glorious hi-fi sound. I think drummers suffered the most from the poor recording technology of the thirties and forties, and it is to the credit of producers like Norman Granz that veterans of the Swing Era like Krupa were able to re-record their hits in living stereo sound. This album captures everything that made Krupa a legend. While Krupa had slowed down some by this time due to various health problems, his drums constantly drive the band. Krupa demonstrated that sheer musicianship is more important than technique and speed (a lesson that a lot of drummers never seemed to learn). Nevertheless, the drum breaks during "Drummin' Man" and the blistering solo on "Wire Brush Stomp" are some of the most exciting sounds ever produced on a drum set. Also well-featured in this album are the two biggest stars to have emerged from Krupa's band, Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day. Their humorous and swinging interplay on "Let Me Off Uptown" is one of the highlights of this set. Also, Roy lights off some fireworks with his rendition of "After You've Gone" (my second favorite version of the song after the one by the original Benny Goodman Trio, complete with Gene Krupa). This album demonstrates the confident brilliance that only comes with maturity, and the fact that no one ever has or will again propel a big band like that drummin' man, Gene Krupa!

I can't fathom why this one isn't more popular. Krupa teams up with the great Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day to produce one swingin, sensational recording. This album could entice the most reclusive of nuns to get up and start shaking it. It's a whole lot of fun to listen to, and you can tell that they all had one hell of a great time getting together and creating this one. It's definitely Krupa's show, and he's the driving force behind the magic. He's the champion drummer of the Swing Era, and believe me, this one is all about swing! This is one of my favorite efforts and another prime example of why he is so revered among the greats (especially rock n' roll legends like John Bonham, Keith Moon, et al...). Check out his jaw dropping, blistering solo on "Wire Brush Stomp" and see for yourself what legends are made of.

We only get to hear O'Day's sultry, sensous voice for half the record, but man, oh man does she sure sound great. The lively way her and Eldridge play off of each other is truly a thing of beauty. And Eldridge is simply a marvel and one of the best ever. The fluent, rythmic way he blasts that sweet sounding trumpet of his in the highest register, it's absolutely breathtaking. The three of them made quite a team and this is quite an effort. An effort, that this particular jazz fan, awards with a five star rating.

ENJOY!

Gene krupa, Roy Eldridge, and Anita O'day come together to produce a masterpiece that has no equal. This album should be timecapsuled to represent what it means to truly swing.

This album is musical pornography. Hide your daughters. Warn Tipper Gore. Advise your parents. You're about to listen to something that is 100% pure-D raunch. Liquid panty stripper. If this does not make you want to get down and nasty, go back to your mother ship! You will never understand us nearly naked apes. And getting more naked as the platter spins...

Oh boy, this album is hot! Timeless. Being a younger guy, I didn't get into jazz and blues until a little bit later in my life, although my father was into it and I was definitely exposed to the great music that came before 1968. I have tons of LPs from Krupa and Buddy Guy, but it wasn't until I heard this album that I really decided to break them out and give everything a good listen.

Gene Krupa is, to me, like Elvis of the swing era. Yes there were other greats (Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Dorsey brothers, Glenn Miller, etc) but Mr. G provided a framework to change the direction of American music. I've loaned this album to people who thought Brian Setzer was what swing was all about and their lives were changed.

Regarding the tracks, I don't think there's a clunker on the entire album. I don't think there's a ton of cohesion between the tracks, although I don't believe it was necessarily recorded that way either. Then again, I could be missing something so please comment and fill in the gaps if you know! Oh, I know what's common about these cuts, they're all iconic swing played by expert musicians.

Drummer Man opens with a bang, Let Me Off Uptown. As others have reviewed, there's a great dialoge with O'Day and Eldridge that sets the context of this song; it's edgy and primal, for 1956! Captures the feeling of the swing era. A personal favorite of mine is track 3, Opus 1. Real classy big band sound. O'Day's dynamic vocals inspire goosebumps, and the layers of horns over Krupa's knockin' drums create a mood that you just can't get from any other source.

Drummin' Man and Drum Boogie show off Krupa's talents, even being a bit later in years during the session. If you can get your hands on an LP, it's interesting to compare his work and style over the years. Another favorite of mine is Leap Us Leap, where Krupa takes a backseat to the band for the most part, and you can see how diverse and skilled he is at combining rhythm and melody into his playing. It's subtle but drummers, bassists and pianists will probably really appreciate this one. Wire Brush Stomp sizzles, like a a refined explosion. While Woody Herman's Thundering Herd might take the prize for volume, speed and impact, Gene Krupa's band shows they can lay rubber with the best of 'em.

Track 11, That's What You Think is really the only ballad, and makes a nice shift, some time to relax, before the closing track of After You've Gone, where I think Eldridge had to quit because he wore out his trumpet! Not only is his playing powerful and crisp, but on a 2nd listen through take note of the backing horns and how tight the rest of the band sounds behind him. It's a testament to the hard work these professionals put into their craft, and how much Krupa demanded of them.

Thank you Verve for putting this amazing session on CD.

At first I had mixed feeling about this swing reunion of Krupa with Roy Eldridge and Anita O'Day: it is more of a recreation than a true creation...
But, the thing recreated (with better recording equipment!) is a very swinging big band; Krupa and Roy are as good as they were in the hay-day of swing, Anita O'Day is even better than she had been at the time... So in spite of "theoretical" problem I had initially, the album somehow refused to let go of my CD player...

As far as creation goes, check out the last two tracks: first a truly magnificent Anita O'Day vocal feature (backed up by Roy at his subtlest) and then the closing track, the everlasting standard "After you've gone", where Roy leads with verve and creativity he actually showed quite often in the 50s (but not on every track of this album)....

So, this is a very nice swing album, but mostly for swing fans (as opposed to O'Day and Eldridge recordings from the same decade which have much deeper musical meaning)...