Pretty Purdie Delivers Some Duke!

• Listen to this song on youtube: Caravan
• Listen to these 45s in a Spotify playlist here  with other 45s from the blog (though note, spotify doesn’t have all / many of the songs featured on the site so some playlists may be incomplete or feature slightly different versions than the original 45s I’m referring to here.
• This song is available on Musical Episode #016: Singles Mixer v. 5

How do you want to start off your week:  Revisiting a classic Duke Ellington track or with some wall to wall drum soloing?  Can’t decide?  Then how about we meet in the middle with today’s 45 wherein Bernard “Pretty” Purdie lets loose on some Duke!

“Pretty” Purdie is about as famous as they come when we’re talking drummers- he has his own 45 after all!- and deservedly so.  His drumming has graced more records than anyone on this earth, a fact that makes the world we live in a much better place.

This was his first 45 issued under his name though later pressings remove our outstanding featured side and replace it with “Soul Drums,” a song with more open, unaccompanied drums than you can shake a stick at, but a less musical and a little less interesting than the side it replaced in my opinion.  My guess would be having two sides with his writing credit seemed like a better idea when it came time to pay and get paid.

A little about Bernard, he was born in Maryland, later moving to New York to get experience clubbing and moving into session work.  Purdie quickly distinguished himself in Jazz circles and ended up in recording sessions that led him to work with esteemed players like Albert Ayler, Shirley Scott and Jack McDuff.  Not content to work within one genre Purdie also provided drum duties for James Brown, Nina Simone, BB King, and many more.  His movement between genres is what is often credited with his role in developing “funk” drumming.

After releasing his first solo album (and today’s single) Purdie became Aretha Franklin’s music director for the first half of the 70′s.  I don’t need to go into too much more biographical detail about Pretty Purdie- there are literally books written about him!- suffice it to say if you don’t know about him you should take a look at his discography, I can guarantee you’ve already tapped your feet to his drumming!

Hope you enjoy today’s record and have a great week!

-George / Snack Attack

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