Eugene Bertram Krupa was an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. Krupa is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of "Sing, Sing, Sing" elevated the role of the drummer from that of an accompanist to that of an important solo voice in the band.
Krupa in 1944
Krupa performing in New York, 1946
Krupa's grave at Holy Cross Cemetery
Gene Krupa Drive in Yonkers, New York
Jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion in jazz styles ranging from 1910s-style Dixieland jazz to 1970s-era jazz fusion and 1980s-era Latin jazz. The techniques and instrumentation of this type of performance have evolved over several periods, influenced by jazz at large and the individual drummers within it. Stylistically, this aspect of performance was shaped by its starting place, New Orleans, as well as numerous other regions of the world, including other parts of the United States, the Caribbean, and Africa.
Max Roach (1924–2007), one of the pioneers of modern jazz drumming during the 1940s bebop era
The Old Plantation (late 1700s), illustrating some slave traditions
Image of Sonny Greer with his drum set, which included timpani among other accessories
