Gene Krupa, his life and times

by Bruce Crowther

This concise 142-page look at the life of Krupa has a text liberally sprinkled with photos, and seeks to place the drummer in the context of the cultural and sociological developments and changes surrounding him and his fellow musicians. While certainly not a definitive bio of Krupa, it succeeds in giving the reader a clear idea of what the man and his music were all about. It makes the point that although Krupa was not a truly great drummer in the technical or artistic senses, his flamboyant style and personality while performing did indeed increase interest in his instrument in jazz as a whole, certainly inspiring many to take up the drums. ( Amazon customer)

Genres: Music

144 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1986

About the author

Bruce Crowther began writing fiction in the 1970s with novels such as "Island of Gold" and "The Rose Medallion," the latter of which was was serialized by the BBC in 1981. His work includes some 25 crime novels, often using the pseudonym James Grant but he has also published one novel as Michael Ansara.

Writing under his real name, Bruce Crowther, he has written 16 non-fiction books, mainly focusing on cinema and popular music; his 1989 book, "Film Noir: Reflections in a Dark Mirror", was nominated for an Edgar Award. He is also a frequent contributor to the magazine "Jazz Journal."

A few years ago, he returned to crime fiction, and have published several new novels including "Dead Man Running", "Dark Echoes", "Penitence", "Harlem Nocturne", "All Cut Up", "Harlem Madness", "Shadows Of The Night", "Harlem Blues", "The Girl in the Green Hat", "Lies Kill", "The Cave".