A Brief History of Time (Volume 3)
“Bernard is very sharp,” once said Galt MacDermot. “He plays a lot of interesting rhythms.” Indeed. And many admirers have sought out Purdie’s now-reissued first solo album for his interesting rhythms and, let’s face it, his open drum breaks. But it’s not always about the open breaks; as a matter of fact, a drummer’s key role is to keep time for other players (to play with other players). “What a person plays means nothing if the time’s no good,” Wilbur Bascomb has said, “and Purdie is the king of time. The naval observatory can get their time from Purdie.” Witness Purdie’s time and rhythm.
Refer to Wax Poetics Issue #2 for album covers
Oscar Brown, Jr. Movin’ On (Atlantic, 1972)
“To Stay in Good with You”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Oscar Brown gettin’ groovy on this Atlantic side, arranged and conducted by the great William Eaton, produced by Joel Dorn, and joined by the Alantic regulars. Ralph MacDonald and Purdie intertwine once again.
Ronnie Foster Sweet Revival (Blue Note, 1973)
“Inot”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Like his oft-slept-on On the Avenue, Ronnie Foster’s Blue Note release Sweet Revival has a few jams on it. While “Inot” certainly has uprock qualities abound, “Some Neck” is the album’s choicest cut.
Profile Sands of Time (Encounter, 1973)
“99 Baseball”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
While this somewhat-rare LP sports Purdie on drums (some of the time) and Seldon Powell on sax, this jazz-funk band’s core is the trio of organist Don Sands, drummer Butchman Bateman, and guitarist Dave Barron. “99 Baseball”—perhaps more recognized in England than the U.S.—starts with the classic Purdie shuffle. The album was produced by Purdie.
John Murtaugh Blues Current (Polydor, 197?)
“The Sign Wave’s Connected to the Pulse Wave”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
“Slinky”
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Joined by blues/funk bassist Gerald Jemmott, Herbie Hancock on electric piano, and Bernard Purdie breaking the backs of the beats, Murtaugh is allowed to noodle on his drifting Moog all he wants on this hard-to-find LP.
Pee Wee Ellis Home in the Country (Savoy, 1973)
“Fort Apache”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The year is 1977 and drummers Bernard Purdie, Idris Muhammad, and Jimmy Strassburg kick out the jams for soul-smooth-sax-man Pee Wee Ellis.
Houston Person Houston Express (Prestige, 197?)
“The Houston Express”
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Typical mid-’70s Prestige soul-jazz fare, with Jemmott on bass, Billy Butler guitar, Buddy Caldwell conga, and of course Horace Ott with his hands to the orchestra
Jimmy Witherspoon Spoonful (Blue Note, 1975)
“Big Boss Man”Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Long-time blues man Witherspoon joins Blue Note for a funky blues release with Horace Ott rockin’ the clavinet and Purdie keepintime.
Charles Kynard Afro-Disiac (Prestige, 1970)
“Sweetheart”
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The greatest jazz-funk organist ever (according to me), Kynard teams up with Purdie for a classic Prestige session.
