Posts Tagged Bernard Purdie
Archive
December 5, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Poem: Tight But Loose
Playing along to Babylon Sisters on the drums. And Angela- the Theme from Taxi. Man, Bernard Purdie and Idris Muhammad. Beautiful. There’s a philosophy to their playing. They know the magic is in holding back. I never knew how to hold back, so I just dropped out. That’s how it’s usually been. Coming back to […]Archive
March 10, 2019 by Simon Sweetman
Nate Smith: Pocket Change
Nate Smith Pocket Change Ropeadope LLC Nate Smith, master drummer – as a composer and musician he is both bandleader and session-sideman. He’s racking up the credits – in the last week or so I’ve reviewed his James Gadson-aping star-support turn on the Jose James album of Bill Withers covers and his furious funk attack as a cameo-star with The Fearless Flyers. […]Archive
October 27, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 802
Aretha Franklin, Amazing Grace (1972) Recorded at The New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in LA, with the help of the incredible Southern California Community Choir (and of course her ace backing band with Bernard Purdie as bandleader/musical director) this is Aretha Franklin’s third live album, part of a magnificent run of nearly a dozen must-have […]Archive
August 26, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 831
Hank Crawford, We Got A Good Thing Going (1972) I was in Sydney the other week, but just for a few days. I like record shopping in Sydney. Some good stores. Only got into one this time. Only bought two records. And this was one of them. Slight punt this, in that I hadn’t heard […]Archive
January 14, 2015 by Simon Sweetman
Bernard Purdie: Let The Drums Speak! The Life Story of the World’s Most Recorded Drummer
Let The Drums Speak! The Life Story of the World’s Most Recorded Drummer Bernard Purdie/Jack Hoban Pretty Media LLC What a giant disappointment this was. Here I was looking forward to some great stories about one of the world’s very best drummers, instead I was bored silly with stories of him growing up a paperboy, […]Archive
December 8, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 981
Steely Dan, Gaucho (1980) I have the single of Hey Nineteen and that’s a favourite – and I had Gaucho on CD (along with everything else by Steely Dan) but now, finally, I have the LP. That lovely, loping groove of Babylon Sisters (go Bernard Purdie!) and some fantastic stuff here; indicative of where Donald […]Archive
September 24, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1027
King Curtis, Live At Fillmore West (1971) I think I must have read about this album first – and that had me importing a copy of the CD. Ever since that first listen I’ve had it on the list, an album I had to have – on vinyl. That CD’s done the rounds, been loaned […]Archive
June 8, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Mac Chrupcala Trio: One More For The Road
The Mac Chrupcala Trio One More For The Road Cat Paw Records At first glance I wasn’t sure I needed to hear this – yet another piano trio album, chock full of standards. I could imagine, pardon the pun, the saccharine treatment of John Lennon’s ugliest, laziest song. Another version of Summertime? No! No! But, […]Archive
May 18, 2014 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1123
Pretty Purdie, Soul Is…Pretty Purdie (1972) A while ago I set about the ridiculous task of trying to find almost everything by Bernard Purdie – I’m talking albums as a leader and sideman, the recordings where he was so crucial as groove-maker. It didn’t last long – not because I fell out of love with […]Archive
October 14, 2013 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 1261
Gabor Szabo, Jazz Raga (1967) Two rules came into play before I even figured that checking out Gabor Szabo on vinyl would be worth it and that an album called Jazz Raga from 1967 was always going to be interesting. You see those would be reasons enough – but before I even got to that […]Archive
March 20, 2013 by Simon Sweetman