GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1938 | The Chronogical Classics – 767 (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The second Gene Krupa CD in Classics complete reissuance of his swing-era recordings has 22 titles from Krupa's Orchestra during the latter half of 1938. The big band did not yet have its own personality, but Irene Day was a fine pop/swing vocalist; Leo Watson is in typically eccentric form singing four goodtime numbers; the arrangements of Jimmy Mundy and Chappie Willett generally swing hard; Vido Musso and Sam Donahue get off some fine tenor solos; and the leader/drummer really drives the band. Well worth picking up by swing fans. Scott Yanow  
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GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1939-1940 | The Chronogical Classics – 834 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The fourth CD in the Classics label's "complete" Gene Krupa series contains 23 recordings recorded by the drummer with his big band during a seven-month period. Irene Daye does a generally fine job on her 14 vocals and singer Howard Dulany weighs down one ballad but naturally the instrumentals are of greatest interest. This period in Krupa's career is generally overlooked in favor of his famous performances with Anita O'Day and Roy Eldridge but there are several gems including a swinging rendition of "My Old Kentucky Home," "On the Beam," "Symphony in Riffs," the hit "Drummin' Man," "Three Little Words," the two part "Blue Rhythm Fantasy," "The Rumba Jumps" and "Boog It." The main soloists include trumpeter Corky Cornelius, the Artie Shaw-inspired clarinetist Sam Musiker and tenorman Sam Donahue in addition to the colorful leader. Scott Yanow       Tracklist + Credits :

GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940, Vol. 3 | The Chronogical Classics – 917 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The seventh CD in the Classics label's Gene Krupa reissue series is mostly fairly weak. Despite Krupa's presence, his band at the time was average (only trumpeter Shorty Sherock had much of a reputation as a soloist) and, of the 21 selections on this disc, only three are instrumentals. Irene Daye's nine vocals are certainly listenable, although Howard Dulany's seven ballad features are more routine; Daye and Dulany take "You Forgot About Me" as a vocal duet. The instrumentals ("Hamtramck," "Full Dress Hop" and an excellent version of "Sweet Georgia Brown") are fine, but this CD is only recommended to completists. Scott Yanow
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GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1941-1942 | The Chronogical Classics – 1096 (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Gene Krupa's big band made a sizable number of records for OKeh and Columbia during the 1940s, with gaping holes in the chronology caused by a World War and two AFM recording bans. The Classics reissue label presents all of this material in chronological order, with this volume covering a time line from October 1941 to February 1942. The main attractions throughout are perky, sensual vocalist Anita O'Day and trumpet archetype Roy "Little Jazz" Eldridge, who is particularly exciting on the instrumental "Ball of Fire." This disc just happens to contain some of O'Day's tastiest performances; "Skylark" and "Side by Side" are richly rewarding, as is a previously unreleased take of Jimmy Mundy's "Bolero at the Savoy." She also demonstrates a penchant for scat singing on the disarmingly cool "That's What You Think." Safer and more conventional pop vocals were emitted by Giovanni Alfredo di Simone, a wholesome young fellow from Detroit known in the music business as Johnny Desmond. Given the militaristically inclined material chosen by many of the big bands during the months preceding the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, it is clear that the U.S. was preparing for war. During Gene Krupa's recording session of June 5, 1941, Howard DuLany had sung "'Til Reveille," a sentimental offering directed at armed forces personnel who were separated from their loved ones (see Classics 1006, Gene Krupa 1941, Vol. 2). On November 25, 1941, Johnny Desmond chortled away during "Keep 'Em Flying," a zealous paean to the war effort that predates said war by nearly two weeks. By January and February of 1942, Desmond was in full harness with "The Marines' Hymn" and "The Caissons Go Rolling Along." By August of that year Desmond would find himself playing cymbals in the United States Air Force Band. His next involvement with a jazz-inflected big band would be as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Meanwhile, Anita O'Day paid dutiful tribute to "Fightin' Doug MacArthur" and even saluted Afro-American soldiery with "Harlem on Parade," a cousin to Irving Berlin's "That's What the Well-Dressed Man in Harlem Will Wear." These tracks prove that she could handle any subject matter without copping out or losing her cool. Here, then, is a variegated slice of history, packed with equal parts jazz and U.S. pop culture. The CD booklet contains a vintage photograph of Anita O'Day, looking dolled up and more than slightly dangerous. arwulf arwulf  
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JOE MARSALA – 1936-1942 | The Classics Chronological Series – 763 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All 21 of clarinetist Joe Marsala's early recordings as a leader are on this enjoyable CD. An excellent swing clarinetist who was flexible enough to play hot on Dixieland records, Marsala's six sessions reflect his versatile musical tastes. Among his more celebrated sidemen on these formerly rare selections are trumpeters Marty Marsala (his brother), Pee Wee Erwin, Bill Coleman, and Max Kaminsky, trombonist George Brunies, altoist Pete Brown, violinist Ray Biondi, drummers Buddy Rich and Shelly Manne (both making their recording debuts), and several fine rhythm sections. Marsala's wife, Adele Girard, the first great jazz harpist, is notably added on 11 of the numbers. Her hot harp playing on "Bull's Eye" and "I Know That You Know" steals the show. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
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