Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973),^[1] was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer.^[2][3] 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 an accompanist to an important solo voice in the band.

In collaboration with the Slingerland drum and Zildjian cymbal manufacturers, he was a major force in defining the standard band drummer’s kit. Krupa is considered “the founding father of the modern drumset” by Modern Drummer magazine.^[4]

Upon his death, The New York Times labeled Krupa a “revolutionary” known for “frenzied, flashy” drumming, with his work having generated a significant musical legacy that started “in jazz and has continued on through the rock era.”^[5] – Wikipedia

When Benny Goodman first hired Krupa he was put at the back of the bandstand. The standard place for the drummer. That didn’t last long.

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