1943 Drug Bust

[Dr. Bruce H. Klauber]

Bruce Klauber here, hoping everyone is well and swinging. I just came upon something that is possibly very, very interesting, and I came upon it quite by accident. In the "Annual Review of Jazz Studies" (number ten, I think) published in 1999 by Scarecrow Press, there is a chapter entitled "Busted." This piece, written by a Theodore Dennis Brown, is said to tell the "true" story of Gene Krupa'sarrest in 1943. In doing some brief research on Brown, it appears that he's written a bunch of drum articles over the years, though I get the sense that he is of an academic, rather than sheer musical, orientation (I saw one old post from him looking for info on Gene's family). It's possible that he may be teaching at Rutgers. Does anyone know anything about Brown and/or this article? I've read several "definitive" accounts about this unfortunate time, including the one in lawyer Jake Ehrlich's book, "Never Plead Guilty," but Brown's piece may addd something to what we already know.

[Brooks Tegler]

Bruce,
I would say that Dennis' piece on Gene's drug issues is excellent and should, in my humble opinion, be considered a 'definitive' resource about the whole thing. Don't know too much about Dennis but he did send me a couple 'rough" versions while putting it to paper. Quite a sholarly and well researched treatment.
BT

[Brooks Tegler]

Bruce,
I would say that Dennis' piece on Gene's drug issues is excellent and should, in my humble opinion, be considered a 'definitive' resource about the whole thing. Don't know too much about Dennis but he did send me a couple 'rough" versions while putting it to paper. Quite a scholarly and well researched treatment.
BT

[Brooks Tegler]

....obviously a better typist than me too !!
bt

[jim miller]

I think it is unfortunate that this aspec of gene's life should be getting so much attention after all these years,especially in view of todays attitude on drugs.we all know that many of the yesteryear,and todays musicians are using but gene's seems to generate the most attention. i don't care if he swung from trees,i still think he was the ,if not the fastest,the greatest and he inspired more people to take up drumming than anyother player.

[Brooks Tegler]

AMEN! (i think Bruce just wanted to point out that,....FINALLY, someone had done their "homework" on the topic). I wholeheartedly concur. Although it had a profound effect on Gene and how he lived, it is a tiny blip in a great man's history and nothing more.

[jerry brennan]

Hey Brooks,

Great to see you involved with these things, the Dennis Brown work is probably the best detail I originally read for some significant time on our idol.

Best personal regards,

Jerry.