Irv Kluger (July 9, 1921[1] – February 28, 2006)[2] was an American jazz drummer.
He was born in New York, United States.[1] Kluger played violin early in life before settling on drums; his first professional gigs came at age 15. He played with Georgie Auld in 1942-43, then with Bob Chester, Freddie Slack, Dizzy Gillespie (1945), Boyd Raeburn (1945–47), Bobby Byrne and Herbie Fields (1947).[1] Following this he played with Stan Kenton (1947–48), Artie Shaw (1949–50), then for a short time in 1950 with Tex Beneke.[1]
He played less jazz after 1950, working in the pit orchestras of Broadway shows such as Guys and Dolls (1950–53). He returned to play with Artie Shaw again in 1953–54 as a member of the Gramercy Five. In the middle of the 1950s he moved to California and played at the Moulin Rouge in Hollywood as the house drummer.[1] He played with Dave Pell in 1956, and with Benny Goodman and Woody Herman later in life, doing much freelance work through the 1960s and 1970s.[1] As a studio musician he played with Johnny Cash. Kluger never led his own recording session.