My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Citadel for an advance copy of this biography about a true pioneer of percussion, a man who changed the way listeners and performers view the drums, and whose influence carries on even today

I have always been drawn to drumming and percussion in music, and wish if I had it to do again, would have loved to have taken musical lessons. My only foray was a brief attempt at school band, a way for schools to make money fooling kids into paying exorbitant fees of instruments that everyone knows they aren't going to play. Drums though always held my interest. When I went to Grateful Dead shows I was probably the only one enjoying the Drum Space sections. I have read numerous books by drummer, Mickey Hart, Neil Peart and I have noticed a consistency in the names that appear the most. The one that many seem to cite as the most influential was always Gene Krupa. I had heard the name on the Simpsons, but was unaware of his playing, or the shadow he cast on many drummers. Listening first to Benny Goodman records, and than his solos, one could see why people would be impressed, though outside of the movie made about him, I knew little. Which is why I loved this book. The Master of Drums: Gene Krupa and the Music He Gave the World by Elizabeth J. Rosenthal is not only a biography but a look at a percussionist par excellence, who transformed the way we listen, the way music was played, and even the instruments themselves, an influence that continues to the present day.

Gene Krupa was born in 1909, the youngest of nine children in Chicago. The family was doing well, but this was not to last. Gene's brother was murdered by suspects unknown going to the store. After the early death of his father, Gene's mother pulled away leaving the family to be raised by the oldest daughter. Krupa showed kill at an early age for the drums, and while not even a teen was in bands and acquired his musician union card. School was something Gene avoided, but he made a promise to his sister, one year at a Catholic seminary school to get a little education, after that he could chase his dream in music. Gene agreed and soon was on the road, but instead of settling that time in school showed him that there was much to learn about his instrument of choice the drums. Gene took lessons on the side, learning to read music, and about the different styles of drumming, incorporating them in his style. Gene was soon in demand, even with the specter of the Depression, recording sides, and moving his way up. Benny Goodman needed a drummer and soon Gene was playing with one of the hottest swing bands out there, broadcasted on radio, and traveling the country. Gene's playing was a little loud for Goodman, and soon Krupa was fronting his own band, and making his own way.

Elizabeth J. Rosenthal has done a wonderful job of capturing not only the man, but the way that he played, and his influences. The book is a straight ahead biography, filled with highs and quite a few lows. However, Rosenthal looks at Krupa's style, his way of playing, of adapting and learning, and explains this in such a way that even non-drummers and even non-musicians can understand. Rosenthal discusses how Krupa designed cymbals and tom drums that still continue to be used to this day. Rosenthal looks at his influence on many of the big drummers of the day, the different things they borrowed, and how different music would be. There is a lot of research, one can tell, but the writing is quite good, very informative and interesting without sounding like a lecture, more a conversation. One of my favorite books on jazz and drumming.

Fans of percussion and jazz will find a lot to like. As this is the first real biography on Krupa most of this will probably be new to people. A very comprehensive biography that covers quite a lot of information, and does it well. This is the first book I have read by Rosenthal, but I look forward to her next work.

I really enjoyed reading this, it had that element that I was looking for in this type of book. I enjoyed getting to know Gene Krupa from this book and had that biography element that I was looking for. Elizabeth J. Rosenthal was able to tell the story and was invested in what was going on.