Drummin' Men: The Heartbeat of Jazz, the Swing Years

In the 1930's, swing music was everywhere--on the radio, in the great hotel ballrooms, at the theatre, and in the clubs. And perhaps at no other time were drummers more central to the sound and spirits of jazz. There was Benny Goodman--and Genne Krupa, Jimmy Dorsey--and Ray McKinley, Artie Shaw--and Buddy Rich, Count Basie--and Jo Jones. Uptown at the legendary Savoy there was Chick Webb and His Orchestra. The Big Bands drew their life-blood from the drummers at their core. As Jo Jones once said, "The drummer is the key--the heartbeat of jazz."