Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing – Citadel and Tantor Audio for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I knew the name Gene Krupa while growing up because my dad was a big swing music fan. When I got older and began compiling my own music collection, Benny Goodman was always a favorite. Gene Krupa most famously played with Goodman for a few years before striking out on his own with his own band.

This is the first real biography of Gene Krupa that I’ve seen, and the author put a lot of research into his life. You don’t have to necessarily be a fan of jazz music because Krupa’s drumming transcended labeling. Indeed, many famous rock ‘n roll drummers credit Krupa for getting them interested in playing the instrument. Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and John Bonham are just a few of the great rock drummers who credit Krupa for their love of the drums. Surprisingly enough, Krupa did not like rock ‘n roll music, despite the fact that the music was heavily influenced by his style of playing.

I liked this biography because the author did not just focus on Gene Krupa’s professional life. She wove in many stories about his personal life, giving a more well-rounded picture of the man behind the music. I appreciated that. Krupa suffered some serious tragedies in his life, but there were also many moments of joy, too.

I thought the narrator of the audiobook did a great job with the text. I would listen to other books narrated by Samantha Desz.

I’d recommend this biography to fans of jazz or rock ‘n roll music and its history.

Other than being drummers, what else do John Bonham, Keith Moon, Greg Bissonette, Neil Peart, Ringo Starr, and many more all have in common? Their love of Gene Krupa and agreement that he was the finest drummer of all time (Bonham called him simply "God.") Krupa not only had technical prowess - explained in various examples in the book - but he had such heart and soul in his drumming that had never been witnessed before. It was Krupa who instituted what we now all are quite familiar with: the "drum solo"; it was Krupa who worked with Zildjian to improve cymbals; and, it was Krupa who worked with Slingerland to improve tomtom tuning by instituting dual tension among many, many notable advances in performing and in improvements in the instrument all so expertly and entertainingly detailed in this incredible book.

As fascinating as all of these Krupa drumming accomplishments are in this book, equally impressive are the windows into Krupa the man. While not perfect (he did like his weed), again and again he stood up for the musicians of color in his bands, trios, and quartets, even in one case being jailed and fined for having done so. Never overly impressed with himself, he remained a "regular Joe" with neighbor kids just knocking on his door in Yonkers to talk to the amazing Gene Krupa about drumming.

I loved this book: the details, the stories, the quotes from other musicians, the way Krupa was so impassioned about everything he did, always learning more, while always remaining a guy who was willing to just shoot the breeze with and have a laugh.

There are so many great anecdotes in this book that will make you laugh, tear up, or fill you with awe. Highest recommendation!

I loved this book. Anytime you combine music and history, sign me up. I just find it a fascinating subject to read about, and this story was no different. It was a no holds barred look into the life of a musician who broke boundaries, and musical genres. Through his eyes, we saw the highs and the lows of the jazz age and the racism that his band mate experienced and all the crazy in-between. I highly recommend this. The narrator was pleasant and kept me interested without zoning out. Well done.