Gene Krupa: Drummin’ Man: Hits and Classic Recordings 1938-50
Author: Alyn Shipton
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Musicians: |
Teddy Napoleon (p) |
Label: |
Acrobat |
Magazine Review Date: |
October/2023 |
Media Format: |
2 CD |
Catalogue Number: |
ADDCD 3475 |
RecordDate: |
Rec. 1938–50 |
In common with other recent Acrobat collections, this 2-CD set selects its repertoire at least partly on the popularity of the music. From 1940 onwards, this is based on Billboard chart positions, but prior to that, mainly on Joel Whitburn’s hypothetical “charts before charts existed”.
Undoubtedly many of these tracks did break through to a popular audience, and of these, most are musically as well as commercially excellent. It’s also good to have Krupa’s pioneering work with African American musicians documented with Leo Watson’s semi-abstract vocal on ‘Tutti Frutti’ from 1938, presaging the later collaborations with Roy Eldridge (also represented here). Most of the big hits with Anita O’Day are included, as are the (nowadays) less well-known tracks with Irene Day, including the title track, ‘Drummin’ Man’ (with some fine soloing from the leader). There’s also one piece from his short-lived Band That Swings With Strings, formed after the early 1940s AFM recording ban, and Krupa’s imprisonment on trumped-up drug charges.
Missing however, is the 1946 ‘bebop’ edition of his band with Red Rodney and arrangements by Gerry Mulligan and Ed Finckel, which made Krupa one of the first white bandleaders to tackle ideas from Parker and Gillespie.
But overall, picky omissions aside, what lets this collection down is the variable and often muddy quality of the transfers and remastering. Pieces such as 1938’s ‘Rhythm Jam’ weren’t that great to start with, but comparing this version to the CD reissues on the French Classics series or to Proper’s excellent 4-CD Gene Krupa Story set (now out of print but still available second-hand), the sparkle is missing, and the same goes for a large number of the other 47 tracks. Hence a three-star rating for what really ought to be a four-star collection.
Drummin’ Man: Hits and Classic Recordings 1938-50
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