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Classic Jazz Drummers

Review of Three Classic Jazz Drummer DVDs

Swing, Swing, Swing! A Tribute to the Legendary Gene Krupa

When I was first starting out on the drums, Gene Krupa was my idol. As far as I was concerned, Gene was drums. Although he didn't have the greatest chops in the world, Krupa single-handedly brought the drums out of the background and into the spotlight. He turned the drums into a solo instrument and he influenced practically every drummer who came after him. Even rockers like Carmine Appice name Krupa as a major influence.

Buddy Rich, who played a series of drum battles against Gene in the 1950's, summed it up best when he complained, "I played all the drums and Gene got all the applause!" Why? Because Gene was the first drummer with charisma.

As the producer, writer, and narrator of this video, Bruce Klauber says, "Gene Krupa was the first and perhaps only matinee and movie idol ever produced by jazz. Gene was a natural for TV and the silver screen." And this video contains 14 complete, rare performances of Krupa with Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Ventura, Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, and others that prove it. Also included is an interview with Gene himself who discusses, among other things, his successful comeback after an arrest on marijuana charges.

The Bottom Line
I recommend Swing, Swing, Swing! A Tribute to the Legendary Gene Krupa to anyone with an interest in drums. You owe it to yourself to check out the man who made the drums a solo instrument. And at a retail price of $29.95, it shouldn't break the bank. From Hudson Music.

Click Here to purchase Gene Krupa Swing, Swing, Swing! DVD at the lowest price on the Web.

Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles Vol 1

If the previous Gene Krupa video got you in the mood for more, you won't want to miss this one. Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles features 14 drumming greats in solos and rare drum battles. It contains:

• Sonny Payne from 1959: The Count Basie band exits the stage leaving Sonny to play his extended solo, which features single and double strokes on snare and toms along with some kick drum substitutions.
• Sam Woodyard from 1962: Plays a tom-tom solo including some elbow pitch control techniques, open rolls between toms, and single strokes.
• Joe Morello from 1961: In a clip with the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Joe solos in 5/4 from "Take Five" (still the best-selling single jazz recording in history). Joe begins the solo playing the kit with his bare hands and then picks up his sticks and moves into some speedy crossovers using doubles, paradiddles, and single stroke combinations - and don't miss that left hand chop!
• Art Blakey from 1965: Along with his Jazz Messengers, plays a short solo routine featuring his rolling style and concludes with his group.
• Rufus Jones from 1965: You'll learn why he was called Rufus "Speedy" Jones in his extended solo with the Count Basie band.
• Louis Bellson from 1969: Check out Louie's incredibly clean chops on his extended solo, in which you'll hear shades of Buddy and Gene. You'll especially dig it when Louie solos with the brushes and his ching-a-ling sticks.
• Buddy Rich from 1978: They chose a great solo for this one, featuring all the standard Buddy staples - crossovers, kick drum substitutions, incredible hi-hat stickings, and concluding with his closed roll chop.
• Jerry Lewis and Buddy Rich from 1955: In a humorous clip, Buddy copies what Jerry plays but needless to say Jerry (a drum buff himself) finds it impossible to keep up with the master.
• Gene Krupa and Cozy Cole from 1957: First, in a clip of the rehearsal followed by the broadcast version of a double drum solo lead-in to a Dixieland version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." The clip ends after the drum solo intro.
• Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, and Chico Hamilton from 1958: The three drummers are featured trading eights.
• Sunny Murray, Elvin Jones, and Art Blakey from 1968: Each takes a turn soloing before joining in to take it out together.
• Ed Shaughnessy and Buddy Rich from 1978: Have a great time trying to cut each other trading chops in this clip.

Don't stop the video at the credits or you'll miss the final clip of Gene Krupa with Lionel Hampton on the vibes. And after the credits, stay tuned for the bonus theatrical trailer for the 1958 movie, "The Gene Krupa Story."

The Bottom Line
The only fault I found with this DVD was that it was too short! At 60 minutes, I was just getting into it when it ended. Regardless, this is definitely another one that you should have in your collection. Produced by Rob Wallis and Paul Siegel with associate producer Bruce Klauber, this DVD retails for a reasonable $29.95. From Hudson Music.

Click Here to purchase Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles Vol 1 DVD at the lowest price on the Web.

Classic Jazz Drummers: Swing and Beyond

This video brings us more of the classic drummers from jazz, swing, and bebop - Six decades of legendary drummers in all. Here's what it contains:

• Gene Krupa with The Gene Krupa Orchestra from 1940: Featuring Gene playing drums soli along with his band members (who each had a tom-tom of their own).
• Sid Catlett from 1942 with Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra.
• Joe Harris from 1947 with Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra. Check out Joe's extended solo on this one.
• Buddy Rich from 1948 with The Buddy Rich Orchestra. Nice extended solo.
• Panama Francis from 1950 with Cab Calloway and His Cabaliers.
• Lionel Hampton on vibes from 1950 (including his tom-tom playing and trademark stick flipping) with Curley Hamner on drumset playing with The Lionel Hampton Orchestra.
• Gus Johnson from 1951 with the Count Basie Septet.
• Ray Bauduc from 1952 with the Jack Teagarden Quintet. Check out the old press roll style of playing time.
• Don Lamond, Lionel Hampton, and Louie Bellson from 1956 with Steve Allen's Television Orchestra. What starts as trading four's on a single floor tom escalates into a three-way drum battle as each drummer makes his way to a drum kit. Good stuff times three.
• "Papa" JO Jones from 1957 with the JATP All-stars JO solos using sticks, bare hands, and back to sticks again.
• Louis Bellson from 1957 plays an extended solo with brushes and sticks. Watch for Louie's ride cymbal that starts to slip - luckily - just at the end of his solo.
• Stan Levey from 1958 with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-stars Stan stretches out a bit and gets to trade some fours with the band.
• Joe Morello from 1961 plays his "Take Five" solo using matched grip. Disappointingly, the entire solo is not included.
• Frankie Dunlop from 1963 with the Thelonious Monk Quartet. He stretches out a bit and then takes it home with the rest of the group.
• Kenny Clarke from 1964 trades 12's with the J.J Johnson All-stars Again, this clip is cut before the end.
• Sonny Payne from 1965 with Count Basie and His Orchestra plays an up-tempo version of "This Could Be the Start of Something Big."
• Kenny Clarke from 1966 with the Kenny Clarke Quintet.
• Harold Jones from 1968 with Count Basie and His Orchestra.
• Philly Joe Jones plays an extended solo from 1978.
• This is a very cool excerpt from the only known film of Baby Dodds. It was recorded in 1946 and shows Baby demonstrating his press roll and other drum techniques. This just might be the first drum instructional video!

The Bottom Line
Like the Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles reviewed above, the sequel Classic Jazz Drummers: Swing and Beyond was also produced by the team of Rob Wallis and Paul Siegel and CO-produced by Bruce Klauber. I recommend it. At a retail of $29.95, consider it an inexpensive lesson from some of the greatest drummers of all time. Another product from Hudson Music.

Click Here to purchase Classic Jazz Drummers: Swing and Beyond DVD at the lowest price on the Web.

The Bottom, Bottom, Bottom Line
No matter what your age, no matter what style of drums you play, Swing, Swing, Swing! A Tribute to the Legendary Gene Krupa, Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles, and Classic Jazz Drummers: Swing and Beyond should all be in your video collection. There is much to be learned from watching and listening to the masters on these videos. And at a total retail cost of under $90.00 for all three DVDs, they're a bargain - and they're an even better bargain when purchased online from Tiger Bill's Drum Shop.

Until next time: Stay loose.

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* S I D E B A R *

Following are related
links to this week's
feature article.

Related Links on this Site:

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Buy Gene Krupa Swing Swing Swing DVD at the lowest price on the Web

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Buy Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles DVD Vol 1 at the lowest price on the Web

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Buy Classic Drum Solos and Drum Battles DVD Vol 2 at the lowest price on the Web

 

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Buy Classic Jazz Drummers: Swing nd Beyond DVD at the lowest price on the Web

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Louie Bellson

 

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Art Blakey

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Ray Bauduc

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Big Sid Catlett

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Kenny Clarke

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Warren "Baby" Dodds

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Frankie Dunlop

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Panama Francis

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Chico Hamilton

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Lionel Hampton

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Joe Harris

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Elvin Jones

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Harold Jones

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Papa JO Jones

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Philly Joe Jones

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Gus Johnson

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Gene Krupa

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Don Lamond

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Stan Levey

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Joe Morello

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Sonny Payne

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Buddy Rich

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Ed Shaughnessy

Related Links on the Web:

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Hudson Music