AllMovie

In the '30s, drummer Gene Krupa shifted percussion from supportive background music to a standalone art form, tout seul. Millions so worshipped his ability with the sticks that he became something of a heartthrob and even a screen idol, with onscreen appearances in such films as Howard Hawks' 1941 Ball of Fire. The home-video release Swing! Swing! Swing! presents 14 back-to-back, unexpurgated Krupa performances, where he plays with such greats as Lionel Hampton, Charlie Ventura, Anita O'Day, and Benny Goodman.