GENE KRUPA

Gene Krupa 

Gene Krupa Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements 

AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden  

Gerry Mulligan was only 19 in 1946 when he joined Gene Krupa's band, playing a bit of alto and tenor sax, but primarily serving as an arranger. But the Verve LP Gene Krupa Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements wasn't made until 1958, long after Mulligan went out on his own. Although there are solo features built into the framework of each piece, Mulligan was quite confident in his ability to showcase the entire band as well. Mulligan's "Disc Jockey Jump" became a hit for Krupa, though it wasn't recorded until after he left the band. The vague liner notes fail to identify any of the musicians in Krupa's big band, which includes Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones, Barry Galbraith, Kai Winding, and Phil Woods, though Woods' alto sax solos are easily identifiable to his fans. Baritone saxophonist Danny Bank is a bit disappointing compared to what Mulligan could have recorded on the instrument, though it would have been unlikely that the composer would have been interested in rejoining Krupa, even for one record date, at the time it was recorded. It's surprising that this excellent LP remained out of print for so long, particularly with the strong resurgence of interest in all aspects of Mulligan's work since his death in 1996.

Gerry Mulligan

Arranger, Conductor, Guest Artist

Jim Gannon

Bass, Double Bass, Main Personnel

Gene Krupa

Drums, Main Personnel, Primary Artist

Ken Druker

Guest Artist, Main Personnel, Piano

Phil Woods

Guest Artist, Main Personnel, Sax (Alto)

Barry Galbraith

Guitar, Main Personnel

Sam Marowitz

Main Personnel, Sax (Alto)

Danny Bank

Main Personnel, Sax (Baritone)

Frank Socolow

Main Personnel, Sax (Tenor)

Eddie Wasserman

Main Personnel, Sax (Tenor)

Eddie Bert

Main Personnel, Trombone

Billy Byers

Main Personnel, Trombone

Jimmy Cleveland

Main Personnel, Trombone

Urbie Green

Main Personnel, Trombone

Kai Winding

Main Personnel, Trombone

Al DeRisi

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Marky Markowitz

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Ernie Royal

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Doc Severinsen

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Al Stewart

Main Personnel, Trumpet

Willie Dennis

Trombone