120749bk Krupa2 14/10/04 10:58 AM Page 8 The Naxos Historical labels aim to make available the greatest recordings of the history of recorded music, in the best and truest sound that contemporary technology can provide. To achieve this aim, Naxos has engaged a number of respected restorers who have the dedication, skill and experience to produce restorations that have set new standards in the field of historical recordings. Also available in the Naxos Jazz Legends series 8.120632* 8.120657* 8.120677* 8.120681* 8.120714* 8.120746* * Not available in the USA NAXOS RADIO Over 50 Channels of Classical Music • Jazz, Folk/World, Nostalgia www.naxosradio.com Accessible Anywhere, Anytime • Near-CD Quality 120749bk Krupa2 14/10/04 10:58 AM Page 2 Tracks 10, 11: Graham Young, Torg Halten, Track 15: Roy Eldridge, Mickey Mangano, GENE KRUPA Vol.2 Norman Murphy, trumpets; Roy Eldridge, Norman Murphy, Al Beck, trumpets; John Original Recordings 1939-1945 trumpet, vocals on track 10; John Grassi, Jay Grassi, Tommy Pederson, Babe Wagner, ‘Let Me Off Uptown’ Kelliher, Babe Wagner, trombones; Mascagni trombones; Benny Feman, Rex Kittig, altos; Ruffo, Clint Neagley, alto; Sam Musiker, Walter Jimmy Migliori, Don Brassfield, tenors; Sam He may not have been a virtuoso on the level of a the new Benny Goodman Orchestra. Krupa Bates, tenor; Bob Kitsis, piano; Ray Biondi, Musiker, alto, clarinet; Rex Kittig, baritone; Joe Buddy Rich or as swinging a performer as Sid played with Goodman on the famous Let’s Dance guitar; Biddy Bastien, bass; Anita O’Day, Springer, piano; Teddy Walters, guitar; Eddie Catlett or Chick Webb, but Gene Krupa was the radio series, went on the historic cross country vocals on track 10; Gene Krupa, drums Mihelich, bass; Anita O'Day, vocals; Gene first drummer to ever become a household name. tour that almost ended in disaster a few times Track 12: Graham Young, Torg Halten, Norman Krupa, drums A superstar and a matinee idol during the Swing and helped launch the swing era at the Palomar Murphy, trumpets; Roy Eldridge, trumpet, Track 16: Tony Russo, Joe Triscari, Don era and the decades that followed, Krupa was Ballroom in Los Angeles when Goodman’s vocals; John Grassi, Jay Kelliher, Babe Wagner, Fagerquist, Bill Conrad, trumpets; Leon Cox, one of the most colourful and exciting of all orchestra created a sensation. While Krupa was trombones; Mascagni Ruffo, Sam Listengart, Tommy Pederson, Bill Culley, trombones; Fran drummers. He also led a significant big band a relatively quiet drummer with Goodman during Jimmy Migliori, altos; Sam Musiker, tenor, Antonelli, alto; Murray Williams, clarinet, alto; during 1938-50. 1935-36, by 1937 he was taking drum solos clarinet; Walter Bates, tenor; Milt Raskin, Charlie Ventura, Andy Pino, tenors; Stuart Born 15 January 1909 in Chicago, Gene (most notably during “Sing Sing Sing”) and was piano; Ray Biondi, guitar; Eddie Mihelich, bass; Olson, baritone; Teddy Napoleon, piano; Krupa was classically trained on drums and almost as popular as the King of Swing, being Anita O’Day, vocals; Gene Krupa, drums Edward Vance, guitar; Clyde Newcombe, bass; throughout his career always took lessons. He one of the stars of the Benny Goodman Trio and Track 13: Roy Eldridge, Mickey Mangano, Gene Krupa, drums; 5 violins, 2 violas, 1 cello first emerged as part of the Chicago jazz scene in Quartet. Norman Murphy, Al Beck, trumpets; John Tracks 17, 19: Tony Russo, Joe Triscari, Don 1925, working with the bands of Al Gale, Joe After the famous Benny Goodman Carnegie Grassi, Jay Kelliher, Babe Wagner, trombones; Fagerquist, Vince Hughes, trumpets; Leon Cox, Kayser, Leo Shukin and bassist Thelma Terry in Hall concert of 12 January 1938 during which Benny Feman, Rex Kittig, Jimmy Migliori, altos; Tommy Pederson, Bill Culley, trombones; addition to the Benson Orchestra Of Chicago Krupa was heard at his most assertive, an Sam Musiker, tenor, clarinet; Don Brassfield, Johnny Bothwell, alto; Adrian Tei, clarinet, alto; and the Seattle Harmony Kings. In 1927 he argument with Goodman resulted in Krupa going tenor; Joe Springer, piano; Ray Biondi, guitar; Charlie Ventura, Charlie Kennedy, tenors; Stuart made his recording debut with the McKenzie- out on his own and forming his own big band. Eddie Mihelich, bass; Anita O’Day, vocals; Olson, baritone; Teddy Napoleon, piano; Condon Chicagoans and immediately made At first the Gene Krupa Orchestra did not have Gene Krupa, drums Edward Yance, guitar; Irv Lang, bass; Anita history by being the first musician to use a full much of an individual personality beyond its O'Day, vocals; Gene Krupa, Joe Dale, drums drum set on records. leader’s drumming, but by 1940 the band had a Track 14: Roy Eldridge, trumpet, vocals; Mickey After moving to New York in 1929, Krupa major singer in Irene Daye and strong soloists in Mangano, Norman Murphy, Al Beck, trumpets; Tracks 18, 20: Don Fagerquist, Pinky Savitt, worked with Red Nichols’ Five Pennies and trumpeter Shorty Sherock, trombonist Floyd John Grassi, Joe Conigliaro, Babe Wagner, Vince Hughes, Tony Russo, trumpets; Leon became a busy studio musician, playing dance O’Brien, clarinettist Sam Musiker and tenor- trombones; Benny Feman, Rex Kittig, Jimmy Cox, Dick Taylor, Nick Gaglio, trombones; music on radio and records. That lucrative work saxophonist Sam Donahue. Migliori, altos; Sam Musiker, tenor, clarinet; Harry Terrill, Charlie Kennedy, altos; Charlie allowed him to weather the Depression but the Feelin’ Fancy starts the set in swinging Don Brassfield, tenor; Joe Springer, piano; Ray Ventura, Buddy Wise, tenors; Joe Koch, music bored him and he longed to play jazz. fashion with the Krupa big band playing a Biondi, guitar; Eddie Mihelich, bass; Gene baritone; Teddy Napoleon, piano; Frank That opportunity came his way in December medium-tempo blues with a boogie-woogie feel Krupa, drums Worrell, guitar; Irv Lang, bass; Gene Krupa, Joe 1934 when he was hired to be the drummer with and solos from pianist Tony d’Amore, Sam Dale, drums 2 8.120749 8.120749 7 120749bk Krupa2 14/10/04 10:58 AM Page 6 15. Massachusetts 3:17 18. Yesterdays 3:18 Donahue and Shorty Sherock. Manhattan was originally recorded as a radio transcription. (Andy Razaf–Lucky Roberts) (Jerome Kern–Otto Harbach) Transfer, which like “Feelin’ Fancy” has an A short time later, the great trumpeter Roy Anita O’Day, vocal Featuring Charlie Ventura, tenor sax arrangement by Elton Hill, features some catchy Eldridge, who was at the top of his field, joined OKeh 6685, mx CO 33001-1 Columbia 36931, mx CO 35337-2 riffs that must have delighted dancers of the era. the Krupa band. In addition to his explosive Recorded 13 July 1942, New York Recorded 23 October 1945, New York I Like To Recognize The Tune introduces the solos, Eldridge was a personable singer. Let Me 16. Leave Us Leap 3:04 19. Boogie Blues 3:25 underrated Irene Daye, a delightful vocalist who Off Uptown is the Krupa classic of the period, (Eddie Finckel) (Gene Krupa–Ray Biondi) later in life became Mrs Charlie Spivak. with a memorable melody and lyrics, a swinging Columbia 36802, mx HCO 1231-1 Anita O’Day, vocal Tuxedo Junction was a hit for both Erskine vocal by O’Day, clever vocal interplay by O’Day Recorded 22 January 1945, Hollywood Columbia 36986, mx CO 35113-1 Hawkins and Glenn Miller. Gene Krupa’s version with Eldridge and an exciting trumpet solo. It 17. Opus No. One 2:58 Recorded 21 August 1945, New York is unusual in that it has a spot for his longtime was the Gene Krupa Orchestra’s biggest hit and (Sy Oliver) 20. Lover 2:56 rhythm guitarist Ray Biondi. Irene Daye returns made Anita O’Day famous. Anita O’Day, vocal (Richard Rodgers–Lorenz Hart) for the spirited How ’Bout That Mess which After You’ve Gone was one of Eldridge’s Columbia 37224, mx CO 35110-1 Columbia 36986, mx CO 35242-3 features her singing some of the more popular main features during his year with Krupa. No Recorded 21 August 1945, New York Recorded 24 October 1945, New York slang phrases of the period. She is assisted by matter how many times he played this solo, Transfers & Production: David Lennick tenor-saxophonist Walter Bates, Sherock, “Little Jazz” always stretched himself and took Digital Restoration: Graham Newton Musiker and Krupa. Hamtramck is a hot Elton chances. The Walls Keep Talking has more of Hill instrumental with spots for Sherock, Bates, O’Day’s singing and Eldridge’s playing. This Personnel D’Amore and Musiker, all driven by Krupa. Irene piece would otherwise be forgotten if it was not Daye’s last session with Krupa ironically resulted for this recording. Krupa’s orchestra was at the Tracks 1, 2, 4: Shorty Sherock, Corky Cornelius, Tracks 5, 6: Corky Cornelius, Torg Halten, Rudy in her greatest hit, “Drum Boogie”, which started height of its success in 1942. The meaning Torg Halten, trumpets; Floyd O'Brien, Sid Novak, Shorty Sherock, trumpets; Al Jordan, a series of blues/boogie tunes from Krupa’s band behind O’Day’s mostly wordless vocal on That’s Brantley, Al Jordan, trombones; Clint Neagley, Jay Kelliher, Babe Wagner, trombones; Clint including “Boogie Blues”, “Gene’s Boogie” and What You Think is mostly open to one’s alto; Bob Snyder, alto, baritone; Sam Donahue, Neagley, alto; Bob Snyder, alto; Sam Musiker, “Bop Boogie”. However by the time “Drum interpretation. Eldridge’s singing on Knock Me tenor; Sam Musiker, tenor, clarinet; Tony tenor; Walter Bates, tenor; Tony D'Amore, Boogie” caught on, Irene Daye had retired to A Kiss works quite well although the hit version D'Amore, piano; Ray Biondi, guitar; Biddy piano; Ray Biondi, guitar; Biddy Bastien, bass; marry trumpeter Corky Cornelius.