I listened very carefully to your presentation and from my own observation of interviews of Gene I think your points are valid. He strikes me as being humble while simultaneously being a great drummer. Gene has always been my favorite drummer but I watch and learn from many artists.
I learned probably half of what I know about drums and drumming by listening to Krupa, particularly in my early years. Whether they know it or not, all drummers owe him a debt of gratitude for his music and the legacy he left us.
Don’t know you personally Kevin but feel you have all these attributes. You come across as a very talented musician and genuine humble person. God bless you man. I notice you always wear black - like the great Johnny Cash.
I once met Jim Chapin who told me how Gene had called him up, asking for lessons in modern jazz playing: Chapin said at first he thought the call was a hoax from one of his friends but once Gene had convinced him that it was, indeed, a genuine call, Chapin said he'd do it for nothing but Krupa insisited upon paying.
Great video❤ what I loved about Gene Krupa the most, was his fluid style of playing. Some drummers go so wild with all their technique, that they are missing the soul that Gene Krupa put into his drumming.
Hi Kevin, been watching your videos on Gene and other great drummers for some time now, you have the measure of his spirit which means a deep understanding of the man and his drumming style, I'm teaching myself to play the drums but at 64'ish that is an up hill task, but it's made easier by you breaking down the beats so my old eyes can keep up, and the reward when I get a section to sound even something like it is great, there are times I feel all my favorite drummers are sat around listening to my efforts, Gene, Buddy, Louie, Art, Papa Joe and Joe Morello, shaking their heads but urging me on to do better, thank you for taking the time!
Thanks so mich, Steven. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! I think it's an uphill battle for all of us, but we just need to stay with it. Progress, not perfection. If I can help in any way, let me know.
Great to see I’m not alone .. I’m 60 only started drumming really 10 month’s ago . Had dabbled on out drummer’s kit when I played bass in a band 20 yrs ago and bought my kid’s drum’s when they little. I thought it would be easier ! Used to jam along to youtube video’s but record yourself and listen back. A friend / drumming 40 yrs recently called and played my old Slingerlands - he was doing Sing sing sing - well I was floored stood in front on my kit. I’d been listening to Buddy but something was not clicking - I appreciate how awesome he is but was not reaching my heart and soul like like Genes playing does. Finding Kevin’s channel has been awesome too - I can pound on my 16” floor tom now and ‘my’ version of sing *!* Fabulous - I can climb off my drum stool with adrenalin flying all over the place - really makes me feel GREAT Also there are the frustrating times. Currently working on my Paradiddles. I found a week on a pad tremendous help. Did find transferring back over to a drum head very different feel but the muscle memory is developing. Good luck with you drumming Stephen. Reading those rudiment’s while playing is a strain these day’s despite several pair of glasses - getting old sure sux. Paul S
@@Bigsbeee God bless you sir for the lovely comments and to Kevin's lovely reply to, question, do you find that you can work away at the drums and find your not getting anywhere, like hitting a brick wall, so you keep at it and all of a sudden you break through, when you were least expecting to and you've played what you have been striving to do for the last mouth or so by complete accident and you have to go over what you just did to find out how you did it!, I ask for help from my drumming legends every time I sit behind the kit, sometimes they come through me thinks!!!!! Thanks for your replys gentleman, very inspirational!
@@kevindorn Thank you Kevin for your reply and God bless you for the thoughts, much appreciated, if you could, in your own time and when you get any spare time!, is it possible to do a little video showing a left handed roll, there is a couple videos out there on the subject but it still eludes me, just wonder what your take is on it?, my efforts are sound shuffled, not even, and very hard to stop other limbs shuffling at the same time lol!, Thanks again young sir, great Jazz Drummers are not forgotten on the the otherside of the pond either!
@@stevenwring7317 Hi Steven, do you mean the left hand part of a timekeeping press roll or do you mean you're having trouble with your left hand when playing a sustained roll? If you're able to email me a video of what you're doing, I may be able to help. Feel free to email me regardless and we can get into more detail about it.
Nice comments....I was fortunate enough to have seen Gene twice in my lifetime...I still have one of his brushes, because he gave all the sticks he had away...I studied with Jim Chapin and he loved Gene.A great showman..He made drummers want to be him...He brought the drums out front-end the rest is history..
It's so great that you got to see Gene Krupa! I wish I could have. Also very cool that you studied with Jim Chapin. I got to take one lesson from him and I'm very grateful for it. Thanks for watching and for your comments!
Hi Kevin, Thank you very much for this video, you are absolutely right on all five points. These are very valuable points and I find myself in them too. Greetings from overseas, T.J.
Great video. I really wish somebody--maybe you--would do a video on how Gene tuned his snare drum. Although he seems to have varied it somewhat, especially the snare tension, there is a certain relation between the tone of the batter head and the tone of the snare head that I have never been able to figure out. Probably my own lack of stick finesse adds to the problem. As far ss Gene studying, I seem to remember reading an interview with Bobby Scott relating the story of Gene following a high school or college marching band and asking one of the drummers in the band to show him how to do some particular drum pattern.
That's a great story and it doesn't surprise me from what I know about him. As far as the snare drum tuning, I don't know if this is what Gene Krupa did, but I've gotten closest to that sound with both heads on the looser side, the bottom slightly tighter than the top, and the snare wires fairly tight. A loose tuning with tight snares seems to work well. Let me know what you think!
I've never heard anything negative about Gene, Louis Bellson or Joe Morello. The movie about him with Sal Mineo was entirely fiction. Gene was respected by everyone, drummers or otherwise. Gene definitely "thought outside the box" and brought the drummer to the front of the orchestra. He had a great deal of input with Avedis Zildjian before cymbals had a specific purpose. I've admired him since I was a kid in the 50's.
Another great video, Kev! I know you must have been thinking of that interview with the "jazz priest" where he asks Gene, "What do you think of Elvin Jones?" and Gene replies "that's just another way of approaching the drums" ( or something like that). I keep that attitude close to my heart.
Here on YT is a clip from 1971 with Gene playing Sing sing sing. From 1.30 Gene does a couple of licks where he swoops his right hand in a circle, comes baxk to the snare with a thump of his BD. Is this something you could show us? 😊
I listened very carefully to your presentation and from my own observation of interviews of Gene I think your points are valid. He strikes me as being humble while simultaneously being a great drummer. Gene has always been my favorite drummer but I watch and learn from many artists.
Spot on Kevin. Hope you are keeping well and busy.
I learned probably half of what I know about drums and drumming by listening to Krupa, particularly in my early years. Whether they know it or not, all drummers owe him a debt of gratitude for his music and the legacy he left us.
Gene would be very proud of this, how deeply you understand him.
Don’t know you personally Kevin but feel you have all these attributes.
You come across as a very talented musician and genuine humble person.
God bless you man.
I notice you always wear black - like the great Johnny Cash.
That's very kind of you to say and much appreciated! Also, I too am a Johnny Cash fan. All the best!
I once met Jim Chapin who told me how Gene had called him up, asking for lessons in modern jazz playing: Chapin said at first he thought the call was a hoax from one of his friends but once Gene had convinced him that it was, indeed, a genuine call, Chapin said he'd do it for nothing but Krupa insisited upon paying.
That says it all.
Great video❤ what I loved about Gene Krupa the most, was his fluid style of playing. Some drummers go so wild with all their technique, that they are missing the soul that Gene Krupa put into his drumming.
Hi Kevin, been watching your videos on Gene and other great drummers for some time now, you have the measure of his spirit which means a deep understanding of the man and his drumming style, I'm teaching myself to play the drums but at 64'ish that is an up hill task, but it's made easier by you breaking down the beats so my old eyes can keep up, and the reward when I get a section to sound even something like it is great, there are times I feel all my favorite drummers are sat around listening to my efforts, Gene, Buddy, Louie, Art, Papa Joe and Joe Morello, shaking their heads but urging me on to do better, thank you for taking the time!
Thanks so mich, Steven. I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! I think it's an uphill battle for all of us, but we just need to stay with it. Progress, not perfection. If I can help in any way, let me know.
Great to see I’m not alone .. I’m 60 only started drumming really 10 month’s ago .
Had dabbled on out drummer’s kit when I played bass in a band 20 yrs ago and bought my kid’s drum’s when they little.
I thought it would be easier !
Used to jam along to youtube video’s but record yourself and listen back.
A friend / drumming 40 yrs recently called and played my old Slingerlands - he was doing Sing sing sing - well I was floored stood in front on my kit.
I’d been listening to Buddy but something was not clicking - I appreciate how awesome he is but was not reaching my heart and soul like like Genes playing does.
Finding Kevin’s channel has been awesome too - I can pound on my 16” floor tom now and ‘my’ version of sing *!*
Fabulous - I can climb off my drum stool with adrenalin flying all over the place - really makes me feel GREAT
Also there are the frustrating times.
Currently working on my Paradiddles.
I found a week on a pad tremendous help.
Did find transferring back over to a drum head very different feel but the muscle memory is developing.
Good luck with you drumming Stephen.
Reading those rudiment’s while playing is a strain these day’s despite several pair of glasses - getting old sure sux.
Paul S
@@Bigsbeee God bless you sir for the lovely comments and to Kevin's lovely reply to, question, do you find that you can work away at the drums and find your not getting anywhere, like hitting a brick wall, so you keep at it and all of a sudden you break through, when you were least expecting to and you've played what you have been striving to do for the last mouth or so by complete accident and you have to go over what you just did to find out how you did it!, I ask for help from my drumming legends every time I sit behind the kit, sometimes they come through me thinks!!!!! Thanks for your replys gentleman, very inspirational!
@@kevindorn Thank you Kevin for your reply and God bless you for the thoughts, much appreciated, if you could, in your own time and when you get any spare time!, is it possible to do a little video showing a left handed roll, there is a couple videos out there on the subject but it still eludes me, just wonder what your take is on it?, my efforts are sound shuffled, not even, and very hard to stop other limbs shuffling at the same time lol!, Thanks again young sir, great Jazz Drummers are not forgotten on the the otherside of the pond either!
@@stevenwring7317 Hi Steven, do you mean the left hand part of a timekeeping press roll or do you mean you're having trouble with your left hand when playing a sustained roll? If you're able to email me a video of what you're doing, I may be able to help. Feel free to email me regardless and we can get into more detail about it.
I loved how Krupa could disappear in the mix it was amazing
So nice!
Nice comments....I was fortunate enough to have seen Gene twice in my lifetime...I still have one of his brushes, because he gave all the sticks he had away...I studied with Jim Chapin and he loved Gene.A great showman..He made drummers want to be him...He brought the drums out front-end the rest is history..
It's so great that you got to see Gene Krupa! I wish I could have. Also very cool that you studied with Jim Chapin. I got to take one lesson from him and I'm very grateful for it. Thanks for watching and for your comments!
Hi Kevin, Thank you very much for this video, you are absolutely right on all five points. These are very valuable points and I find myself in them too. Greetings from overseas, T.J.
Thanks so much!
Another great video from you and great words of wisdom from Gene which all musicians of any instrument should make note of.
Thanks and glad you enjoyed it! Gene is a role model in so many ways.
Great video Kevin. I love Gene Krupa and I'm getting ready to go through his method book soon.
Thank you, Kevin!
Two Thumbs up 👍👍
Great video. I really wish somebody--maybe you--would do a video on how Gene tuned his snare drum. Although he seems to have varied it somewhat, especially the snare tension, there is a certain relation between the tone of the batter head and the tone of the snare head that I have never been able to figure out. Probably my own lack of stick finesse adds to the problem. As far ss Gene studying, I seem to remember reading an interview with Bobby Scott relating the story of Gene following a high school or college marching band and asking one of the drummers in the band to show him how to do some particular drum pattern.
That's a great story and it doesn't surprise me from what I know about him. As far as the snare drum tuning, I don't know if this is what Gene Krupa did, but I've gotten closest to that sound with both heads on the looser side, the bottom slightly tighter than the top, and the snare wires fairly tight. A loose tuning with tight snares seems to work well. Let me know what you think!
From one Gene fan to another, thankyou for all you do. Really enjoying your channel 🥁👍
Thanks!
I've never heard anything negative about Gene, Louis Bellson or Joe Morello. The movie about him with Sal Mineo was entirely fiction. Gene was respected by everyone, drummers or otherwise. Gene definitely "thought outside the box" and brought the drummer to the front of the orchestra. He had a great deal of input with Avedis Zildjian before cymbals had a specific purpose. I've admired him since I was a kid in the 50's.
Also love the way Gene would say "Baby DOTTS"!😊
Another great video, Kev! I know you must have been thinking of that interview with the "jazz priest" where he asks Gene, "What do you think of Elvin Jones?" and Gene replies "that's just another way of approaching the drums" ( or something like that). I keep that attitude close to my heart.
Here on YT is a clip from 1971 with Gene playing Sing sing sing. From 1.30 Gene does a couple of licks where he swoops his right hand in a circle, comes baxk to the snare with a thump of his BD. Is this something you could show us? 😊
I love that clip and I will try to get to that. Thanks for watching and for all of your kind comments! 😊