A Salute to Gene Krupa

A Salute to
Gene Krupa
By The New
Gene Krupa Orchestra
www.artistsofmainstage.com
Email: [email protected]
314-862-1408 7150 Princeton Ave. St. Louis, MO 63130
Carnegie Hall, January 16, 1938... The Benny Goodman Orchestra swings its way into big band history!
And Gene Krupa, pounding out SING SING SING on
the tom toms, made his own bit of big band history
that night which would change the course of drumming forever. By the late 1930's. Gene Krupa had
emerged as a national phenomenon and his appearances on stage and film catapulted him to superstar
status, prompting him to step out from Goodman's
shadow and set out on his own.
Atlantic City's Steel Pier, April 16, 1938... a crowd of
4,000 listeners gathered in the Marine Ballroom to
hear the newly formed Gene Krupa Orchestra. Following this triumphant debut, the band recorded several
instrumentals, including, "Wire Brush Stomp" and
"Drum Boogie." In 1941, with the addition of singer
Anita O'Day and legendary trumpeter Roy Eldridge,
the Gene Krupa Orchestra really took off. Let Me Off
Uptown, After You've Gone, Rockin' Chair, Thanks for
the Boogie Ride, and Disc Jockey Jump are just a few
of the hits that Gene and his band served up during
this period.
Indianapolis, 1964... while appearing at the Embers in
Indianapolis, Indiana, a young drummer, Michael
Berkowitz, approached Krupa. Brought to the club to
hear his idol, Berkowitz was mesmerized by the Krupa
magic on the drumset. After the show, Krupa was
kind enough to e spend a few minutes with the
aspiring young drummer, and it was at that moment
that Michael Berkowitz knew he was going to be a
professional drummer. Berkowitz went on to live in
Los Angeles and New York, where he has performed
with everyone from Nelson Riddle, Liza Minnelli, Billy
Joel, Steve Lawrence, Michael Feinstein, Elton John,
Michael Crawford and countless others to conducting
Symphony Orchestras and drumming for the Academy Awards, the Tony Awards, Broadway shows,
event at Carnegie Hall and London's Palladium
Theatre, countless recordings, soundtracks and
television specials.
Now leading the new Gene Krupa Orchestra, Berkowitz brings the Krupa magic back to life for a whole
new generation. With an infectious energy that draws
both listeners and dancers alike, the Gene Krupa
Orchestra is a winner with audiences of all ages.
314-862-1408
[email protected]
www.artistsofmainstage.com