GENE KRUPA - Four Classic Albums (2 CDS)

AVID Jazz presents four classic Gene Krupa albums, including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
For our second set from the giant of the drums, Gene Krupa, we have selected “Sing Sing Sing”; “Gene Krupa Quartet”; “Krupa Rocks” and “The Jazz Rhythms of Gene Krupa”.
Our first selection “Sing Sing Sing” re-visit a Krupa classic known as the “killer driller” when the great showman drummer stole the show from his band leader, Benny Goodman at the historic Carnegie Hall concert of 1938. For this particular version recorded in New York 1954 we hear Krupa alongside Eddie Shu on clarinet and Teddy Napoleon on piano for a fine ten minute workout! Nice! Our next selection “Gene Krupa Quartet” finds Krupa in a “first” as this is his first recording as a Quartet. Recorded in New York and Los Angeles in 1954 and 1955 he is joined again by Eddie Shu and Bobby Scott with Milt Hinton on bass in L.A. and John Drew on bass in New York. “Krupa Rocks” recorded in Chicago in 1957 finds Krupa joined by Gail Curtis on clarinet, with old chum Teddy Napoleon on piano and Mort Herbert on bass for another Quartet outing which as the original liner notes mention…..”leads to an unusually gentle Krupa set….for the most part”. “The Jazz Rhythms of Gene Krupa”was recorded around the same time as the “Quartet” album in 1954 and 1955 and again features Eddie Shu and Bobby Scott with Milt Hinton on bass in L.A. and John Drew on bass in New York and Teddy Napoleon on piano in New York.
All four albums plus have been digitally re-mastered.

CD1
1-5: ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’
1. Don't Be That Way
2. How High The Moon
3. Sing, Sing, Sing
4. Love For Sale
5. Booted
6. This Can't Be Love
7. Harmonica Shu Boogie
8. September Song
9-14: ‘Gene Krupa Quartet’
9. Makin' Whoopee
10. All Of Me
11. Sleepy Lagoon
12. Little White Lies
13. Strike Up The Band
14. Bach's Blues
15: ‘Krupa Rocks’
15. I Only Have Eyes For You

CD2
1-9: ‘Krupa Rocks’
1. The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart
2. Gone With The Wind
3. Pick Yourself Up
4. Fire Place Blues
5. But Not For Me
6. Memories Of You
7. Three Little Words
8. Avalon
9. Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)
10-17: ‘The Jazz Rhythms Of Gene Krupa’
10. Tenderly
11. Tepee
12. 'S Wonderful
13. Hippdeebip
14. Krupa's Wail
15. Strike Up The Band
16. Undecided
17. Gene's Bass Blues