Rhythm keeps the breath in music and I am old enough to have friends who’ve considered themselves former beatniks.
A fine late drummer who comes to mind is the one some called a drum god and Buddy Rich called him the inspiration for every big-name drummer in the business. He was Gene Krupa, the king of swing.
Krupa offered a dazzling blast of cymbal and snare drum energy when he became and one of the most influential drummers ever. Here he is at Carnegie Hall, New York City, on 16 January 1938. An eager audience is keyed up with excitement, awaiting the first jazz concert at this prestigious classical music venue. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HsLmg4tfO1U&embeds_referring_euri=https%3…
John Hammond much later discovered Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen enticed Krupa back from Chicago, explaining that Benny’s new band would be playing top arrangements by Fletcher Henderson. After a particularly dull gig, Krupa agreed to join the new Benny Goodman Orchestra in December 1934. The band began making regular appearances on live radio shows. Some from neighboring New Rochelle, New York - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GHCaxVCXNIc&embeds_referring_euri=https%3…
However, despite his public success, Gene’s personal life reportedly rolled into turmoil. First, he split up with his wife Ethel in 1941, paying her a $100K settlement. But in the sign of the times, and a couple of years later Gene Krupa fell into the legal crapper with a drug bust for a few marijuana cigarettes that smoked his career with two criminal trials and an 84-day jail term which banged him up big time.
But he was not alone on the throne. Drum giant Max Roach inspired generations to come https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wnW2KLWE-g&list=RDEMgyHOJooygA0suD3YHK… https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2024-01-…
Then in the 1960s and ’70s, classic rock was big, and the spotlight was usually brightest on the guys with the mics and/or the guitars. We think the ones in the back, sticks in hand, setting the rhythm to every tune should get a lot more attention. https://americansongwriter.com/5-drummers-who-helped-make-classic-rock-…