Caravan – 1961
Gene Krupa
Krupa and flutist Eddie Wasserman are featured
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The first superstar drummer, Gene Krupa (1909-73) became famous and influential as the drummer with Benny Goodman’s orchestra during 1935-38 and spent much of the rest of his life as a bandleader.
While other drummers were more modern or virtuosic, Krupa remained the most famous and colorful of all of them.
After a little bit of unintentional comedy, Krupa is featured on Hugh Hefner’s Playboy’s Penthouse in 1961 playing “Caravan.”
His quartet of the time included reed player Eddie Wasserman (featured here on flute), bassist Kenny O’Brien, and an unidentified pianist.
-Scott Yanow
Ella Fitzgerald