Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie (nascido em 11 de junho de 1939) é um baterista americano e influente músico de R&B, soul, funk e jazz. É conhecido por sua precisão rítmica e pelo uso característico de tercinas sobre um contratempo em meio andamento: o Purdie shuffle. Foi incluído no Hall da Fama da Modern Drummer em 2013. Purdie gravou Soul Drums (1968) como líder de banda e, embora posteriormente tenha gravado Alexander's Ragtime Band, o álbum permaneceu inédito até que Soul Drums fosse relançado em CD em 2009 com as sessões de Alexander's Ragtime Band. Outros álbuns solo incluem Purdie Good! (1971), Soul Is... Pretty Purdie (1972) e a trilha sonora do filme blaxploitation Lialeh (1973). Em meados da década de 1990, foi integrante do the 3B's, ao lado de Bross Townsend e Bob Cunningham.

Biografia Purdie nasceu em 11 de junho de 1939, em Elkton, Maryland, sendo o 11.o de 15 filhos. Ainda jovem, começou a bater em latas com baquetas e aprendeu os fundamentos da técnica de bateria ouvindo as aulas ministradas por Leonard Heywood. Mais tarde, teve aulas com Heywood e tocou na big band deste. As outras influências musicais de Purdie na época incluíam Papa Jo Jones, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Joe Marshall, Art Blakey, além de Cozy Cole, Sticks Evans, Panama Francis, Louis Bellson e Herbie Lovelle. Em 1961, mudou-se de Elkton para Nova Iorque. Lá, participou de sessões com Mickey and Sylvia e frequentava regularmente o Turf Club, na Rua 50 com a Broadway, onde músicos, agentes e promotores se reuniam em busca de trabalho. Nesse período, tocou para o saxofonista Buddy Lucas, que lhe deu o apelido de Mississippi Bigfoot. Posteriormente, Barney Richmond o contratou para trabalhos de músico de estúdio. Purdie foi contratado pelo arranjador Sammy Lowe para participar de uma sessão com James Brown em 1965, e os registros das sessões também indicam que ele tocou em "Ain't That A Groove" na mesma ocasião. Purdie recebeu créditos nos álbuns de James Brown Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud (1969) e Get on the Good Foot (1972). Purdie começou a trabalhar com Aretha Franklin como diretor musical em 1970 e manteve o cargo por cinco anos, além de tocar bateria para o grupo de abertura de Franklin, liderado pelo saxofonista King Curtis e os King Pins. Entre 5 e 7 de março de 1971, apresentou-se com ambas as bandas no Fillmore West; as gravações ao vivo resultantes foram lançadas como Aretha Live at Fillmore West (1971) e Live at Fillmore West (1971), de King Curtis. Sua faixa mais conhecida com Franklin foi "Rock Steady", na qual executou o que descreveu como "uma batida funky e pesada". Sobre o período em que trabalhou com Franklin, comentou certa vez que "acompanhá-la era como flutuar no sétimo céu". Purdie recebeu créditos no álbum da trilha sonora do filme Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978). Foi o baterista da remontagem da Broadway de 2009 de Hair e participou da gravação do elenco correspondente. Em 2016, recebeu um doutorado honorário em música pela Five Towns College. Purdie residiu em Nova Jérsia, vivendo em Edison, Teaneck e Springfield. Em 2023, mudou-se para New Bern, Carolina do Norte. Em 29 de setembro de 2024, Purdie recebeu o prêmio inaugural "Lifetime Achievement Award" no UK Drum Show, realizado em Liverpool. Em 13 de setembro de 2025, Purdie apresentou-se no Madison Square Garden com o Vulfpeck. Introduzido por Jack Stratton (músico) e auxiliado ao palco por Antwaun Stanley, Purdie tocou bateria em My First Car, demonstrou o Purdie Shuffle ao público e tocou em uma versão de Simply Beautiful.

Encounter Records Bernard Purdie fundou a gravadora Encounter Records em 1973 e lançou cinco álbuns:

EN 3000: Seldon Powell – Messin' With Seldon Powell (com Jimmy Owens e Garnett Brown) EN 3001: Sands of Time – Profile (com Jimmy Owens, Garnett Brown e Seldon Powell) EN 3002: East Coast – East Coast (com Larry Blackmon, Gwen Guthrie e Haras Fyre) EN 3003: Frank Owens – Brown 'N' Serve (com Hugh McCracken) EN 3004: Harold Vick como "Sir Edward" – The Power of Feeling (com Victor Gaskin)

Estilo de bateria

Purdie é conhecido como um baterista de groove, com senso de tempo impecável e uso preciso de mínimas, contratempos e grooves. Seu característico padrão de chimbal em semicolcheias — pish-ship, pish-ship, pish-ship — é marcante. Ele frequentemente utiliza um groove reto em colcheias, às vezes fundindo influências de swing, blues e funk. Criou o conhecido padrão de bateria Purdie Half-Time Shuffle, uma variação do shuffle ( ritmo baseado em subdivisões de tercinas [três notas por tempo], onde a nota central é omitida, criando um balanço "saltitante") de blues com a adição de notas fantasmas sincopadas na caixa. Variações desse padrão podem ser ouvidas em canções como "Fool in the Rain", do Led Zeppelin, "Walking on the Moon", do The Police, e Rosanna, da banda Toto. Purdie executa esse shuffle nas faixas "Babylon Sisters" e "Home at Last", da banda Steely Dan.

Discografia

Como líder/co-líder Soul Drums (Columbia, 1967) Purdie Good! (Prestige, 1971) [nota: relançado como Legends of Acid Jazz: Bernard Purdie em 1996] Stand by Me (Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get) (Mega Records [na série Flying Dutchman Series], 1972) com os Playboys Soul Is... Pretty Purdie (Flying Dutchman, 1972; relançado pela BGP/Ace em 2014) Shaft (Prestige, 1973), gravado em 1971 [nota: relançado como Legends of Acid Jazz: Bernard Purdie em 1996] Lialeh (Original Movie Soundtrack) (Bryan, 1974) Delights of the Garden (Celluloid, 1975) com os Last Poets Purdie as a Picture (Kilmarnock, 1993) com a New Pulse Jazz Band de Galt MacDermot Bernard Purdie's Jazz Groove Sessions in Tokyo (Lexington/West 47th, 1993) Coolin' 'N Groovin' (A Night At 'On-Air') (Lexington/West 47th, 1993) After Hours with the 3B's (3B's Music, 1993) Soothin' 'N Groovin' With the 3B's (3B's Music, 1994) com Houston Person The Hudson River Rats (3B's Music, 1995) Fatback! The Jazz Funk Masters Featuring Bernard Purdie (Seven Seas, 1995) Kick 'N Jazz (Drum Beat Blocks, 1996) Soul to Jazz I (Act, 1996) com a WDR Big Band Soul to Jazz II (Act, 1997) com a WDR Big Band In the Pocket (P-Vine, 1997) Get It While You Can (3B's Music, 1999) com os Hudson River Rats The Masters of Groove Meet Dr. No (Jazzateria, 2001) com Reuben Wilson, Grant Green Jr., Tarus Mateen King of the Beat (3B's Music, 2001) Purdie Good Cookin' (3B's Music, 2003) com Purdie's Powerhouse The Godfathers of Groove (18th & Vine, 2007) com Reuben Wilson, Grant Green Jr., Jerry Jemmott [nota: lançado originalmente como The Masters of Groove] The Godfathers of Groove 3 (18th & Vine, 2009) com Reuben Wilson, Grant Green Jr., Bill Easley Jersey Blue (Running Rogue, 2009) com Gene McCormick e Jack Hoban Selling It Like It Is (Cadence Jazz, 2009 [lançado em 2013]) com David Haney Cool Down (Sugar Road, 2018)

Como músico de apoio Herbie Mann – Our Mann Flute (Atlantic, 1966) Jack McDuff – A Change Is Gonna Come (Atlantic, 1966) Freddie McCoy – Funk Drops (Prestige, 1966) Gábor Szabó – Jazz Raga (Impulse!, 1966) Benny Golson – Tune In, Turn On (Verve, 1967) King Curtis & the Kingpins – Instant Groove (Atco, 1967) Tim Rose – Tim Rose (Columbia, 1967) Ben E. King – What Is Soul (Atco, 1967) Nina Simone – Nina Simone Sings the Blues (RCA Victor, 1967) Phil Upchurch – Feeling Blue (Milestone, 1967) Nina Simone – Silk & Soul (RCA Victor, 1967) Tom Rush – The Circle Game (Elektra, 1968) The Soul Finders – Sweet Soul Music (RCA Camden CAS-2170, 1968) Wilson Pickett – The Midnight Mover (Atlantic, 1968) David "Fathead" Newman – Bigger & Better (Atlantic, 1968) Freddie McCoy – Listen Here (Prestige, 1968) Barbara Lewis – Workin' on a Groovy Thing (Atlantic, 1968) Albert Ayler – New Grass (Impulse!, 1968) Shirley Scott – Soul Song (Atlantic, 1968) Solomon Burke – King Solomon (Atlantic, 1968) Gary McFarland – America the Beautiful: An Account of Its Disappearance (Skye, 1969) Jimmy McGriff – Electric Funk (Blue Note, 1969) Sonny Phillips – Sure 'Nuff (Prestige, 1969) David "Fathead" Newman – The Many Facets of David Newman (Atlantic, 1969) James Brown – Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud (King, 1969) John Lee Hooker – Simply the Truth (BluesWay, 1969) Randy Brecker – Score (Solid State, 1969) Carla Thomas – Memphis Queen (Stax, 1969) Bill Danoff – Reincarnation (ABC, 1970) Al Kooper – You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (Columbia, 1969) Hank Crawford – Mr. Blues Plays Lady Soul (Atlantic, 1969) Gary Burton – Good Vibes (Atlantic, 1969) Shirley Scott – Shirley Scott & the Soul Saxes (Atlantic, 1969) Yusef Lateef – Yusef Lateef's Detroit (Atlantic, 1969) Boogaloo Joe Jones – Boogaloo Joe (Prestige, 1969) Johnny "Hammond" Smith – Soul Talk (Prestige, 1969) Gene Ammons – The Boss Is Back! (Prestige, 1969) Gene Ammons – Brother Jug! (Prestige, 1969) Rusty Bryant – Night Train Now! (Prestige, 1969) Herbie Hancock – Fat Albert Rotunda (Warner Bros., 1969) Dizzy Gillespie – Cornucopia (Solid State, 1969) Johnny "Hammond" Smith – Black Feeling! (Prestige, 1969) Larry Coryell – Coryell (Vanguard, 1969) Sonny Phillips – Black on Black! (Prestige, 1970) Jimmy McGriff & Junior Parker – The Dudes Doin' Business (Capitol, 1970) Johnny "Hammond" Smith – Here It 'Tis (Prestige, 1970) Louis Armstrong – Louis Armstrong and His Friends (Flying Dutchman, 1970) Boogaloo Joe Jones – Right On Brother (Prestige, 1970) Boogaloo Joe Jones – No Way! (Prestige, 1970) James Brown – It's a New Day – Let a Man Come In (King, 1970) The Insect Trust – Hoboken Saturday Night (Atco, 1970) Charles Kynard – Afro-Disiac (Prestige, 1970) Percy Mayfield – Weakness Is a Thing Called Man (RCA Victor, 1970) Five Stairsteps – O-o-h Child (Buddah, 1970) – crédito contestado Charles Kynard – Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui (Beautiful People) (Prestige, 1970) Houston Person – Houston Express (Prestige, 1970) Eddie Palmieri – Harlem River Drive (Roulette, 1971) Hank Crawford – It's a Funky Thing to Do (Cotillion, 1971) Boogaloo Joe Jones – What It Is (Prestige, 1971) Eddie Harris & Les McCann – Second Movement (Atlantic, 1971) David "Fathead" Newman – Captain Buckles (Cotillion, 1971) Oliver Nelson – Swiss Suite (Flying Dutchman, 1971) King Curtis – Live at Fillmore West (Atlantic, 1971) Johnny "Hammond" Smith – Wild Horses Rock Steady (Kudu, 1971) Larry Coryell – Fairyland (Flying Dutchman, 1971) Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson – You Can't Make Love Alone (Flying Dutchman, 1971) Herbie Mann – Push Push (Atlantic, 1971) Dizzy Gillespie – The Real Thing (Perception, 1971) Gato Barbieri – El Pampero (Flying Dutchman, 1971) Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces of a Man (Flying Dutchman, 1971) Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace (Atlantic, 1972) Les McCann – Invitation to Openness (Atlantic, 1972) Hank Crawford – Help Me Make It Through the Night (Kudu, 1972) Aretha Franklin – Young, Gifted and Black (Atlantic, 1972) Hubert Laws – Wild Flower (Atlantic, 1972) Leon Thomas – Blues and the Soulful Truth (Flying Dutchman, 1972) Gil Scott-Heron – Free Will (Flying Dutchman, 1972) Esther Phillips – Alone Again, Naturally (Kudu, 1972) Miles Davis – Get Up with It (Columbia, 1972) Donal Leace – Donal Leace (Atlantic, 1972) Dakota Staton – Madame Foo-Foo (Groove Merchant, 1972) Jerry Lynn Williams – Jerry Williams (Spindizzy, 1972) Howard Tate – Howard Tate (Atlantic, 1972) Teresa Brewer – Singin' A Doo-Dah Song (Flying Dutchman, 1972) Ronnie Foster – Sweet Revival (Blue Note, 1972) Hank Crawford – We Got a Good Thing Going (Kudu, 1972) Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (Atlantic, 1972) Esther Phillips – From a Whisper to a Scream (Kudu, 1972) Brook Benton – Story Teller (Cotillion, 1972) Jackie Lomax – Three (Warner Bros., 1972) Oscar Brown – Movin' On (Atlantic, 1972) B.B. King – Guess Who (ABC, 1972) Buddy Terry – Lean on Him (Mainstream, 1973) David "Fathead" Newman – The Weapon (Atlantic, 1973) Gato Barbieri – Bolivia (Flying Dutchman, 1973) Leon Thomas – Full Circle (Flying Dutchman, 1973) Richard "Groove" Holmes – Night Glider (Groove Merchant, 1973) Garland Jeffreys – Garland Jeffreys (Atlantic, 1973) Lightnin' Rod – Hustlers Convention (Celluloid, 1973) Danny O'Keefe – Breezy Stories (Atlantic, 1973) Cat Stevens – Foreigner (A&M, 1973) Hall & Oates – Abandoned Luncheonette (Atlantic, 1973) Bette Midler – Bette Midler (Atlantic, 1973) Teresa Brewer – It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (Flying Dutchman, 1973) Margie Joseph – Margie Joseph (Atlantic, 1973) Jimmy McGriff & Richard "Groove" Holmes – Giants of the Organ Come Together (Groove Merchant, 1973) Richard "Groove" Holmes – New Groove (Groove Merchant, 1974) Robert Palmer – Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley (Island, 1974) Eric Kaz – Cul-De-Sac (Atlantic, 1974) Gato Barbieri – Yesterdays (Flying Dutchman, 1974) Aretha Franklin – With Everything I Feel in Me (Atlantic, 1974) Richie Havens – Mixed Bag II (Verve, 1974) Joe Cocker – I Can Stand a Little Rain (A&M, 1974) Rusty Bryant – Until It's Time for You to Go (Prestige, 1974) Margie Joseph – Sweet Surrender (Atlantic, 1974) Aretha Franklin – Let Me in Your Life (Atlantic, 1974) Tim Moore – Tim Moore (Mooncrest, 1974) Esther Phillips – Performance (Kudu, 1974) Arif Mardin – Journey (Atlantic, 1974) Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Change Up the Groove (Polydor, 1974) Cornell Dupree – Teasin' (Atlantic, 1975) Geoff Muldaur – Is Having a Wonderful Time (Reprise, 1975) Todd Rundgren – Initiation (Bearsville, 1975) Margie Joseph – Margie (Atlantic, 1975) Paul Butterfield – Put It in Your Ear (Bearsville, 1975) Joe Cocker – Jamaica Say You Will (A&M, 1975) Roy Ayers Ubiquity – A Tear to a Smile (Polydor, 1975) Jorge Dalto – Chevere (United Artists, 1976) Hummingbird – We Can't Go On Meeting Like This (A&M, 1976) Michael Bolton – Michael Bolotin (RCA, 1975) Steely Dan – The Royal Scam (ABC, 1976) Letta Mbulu – There's Music in the Air (A&M, 1976) The Tymes – Tymes Up (RCA Victor, 1976) Essra Mohawk – Essra (Private Stock, 1976) Steely Dan – Aja (ABC, 1977) Hummingbird – Diamond Nights (A&M, 1977) Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis – Home in the Country (Savoy, 1977) Joe Cocker – Luxury You Can Afford (Elektra, 1978) Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Pronto Monto (Warner Bros., 1978) Cheryl Lynn – Cheryl Lynn (Columbia, 1978) Felix Pappalardi – Don't Worry, Ma (A&M, 1979) Cheryl Lynn – In Love (Columbia, 1979) Far Cry – The More Things Change... (Columbia, 1980) Dizzy Gillespie – Digital at Montreux, 1980 (Pablo, 1980) Steely Dan – Gaucho (MCA, 1980) Al Johnson – Back for More (Columbia, 1980) Aretha Franklin – Aretha (Arista, 1980) B.B. King – There Must Be a Better World Somewhere (MCA, 1981) Houston Person – Heavy Juice (Muse, 1982) Houston Person – Always on My Mind (Muse, 1985) Bob Cunningham – Walking Bass (Nilva [Fr], 1985) Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff – Soul Survivors (Milestone, 1986) Hank Crawford – Mr. Chips (Milestone, 1986) Jimmy McGriff – The Starting Five (Milestone, 1987) Flip Phillips & Scott Hamilton – A Sound Investment (Concord, 1987) Jimmy McGriff – Blue to the 'Bone (Milestone, 1988) Hank Crawford – Night Beat (Milestone, 1989) Jimmy McGriff – You Ought to Think About Me (Headfirst, 1990) Hank Crawford – Groove Master (Milestone, 1990) Garland Jeffreys – Don't Call Me Buckwheat (BMG, 1991) Cissy Houston & Chuck Jackson – I'll Take Care of You (Shanachie, 1992) Al Green – Don't Look Back (BMG, 1993) Carrie Smith – June Night (Black & Blue, 1993) Laura Nyro – Walk the Dog and Light the Light (Columbia, 1993) Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers – Jungle Strut (Lexington/West 47th, 1993; relançado como Pucho's Descarga pela ¡Andale! em 2014) Carrie Smith – Every Now and Then (Silver Shadow, 1994) Jimmy Smith – Damn! (Verve, 1995) Al Green – Your Heart's in Good Hands (MCA, 1995) Raw Stylus – Pushing Against the Flow (Geffen, 1995) Houston Person – The Opening Round (Savant, 1997) Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff – Road Tested (Milestone, 1997) Jimmy McGriff – The Dream Team (Milestone, 1997) Hank Crawford – After Dark (Milestone, 1998) Jimmy McGriff – Straight Up (Milestone, 1998) Hank Crawford & Jimmy McGriff – Crunch Time (Milestone, 1999) Leslie West – As Phat as it Gets (Mystic, 1999) Jimmy McGriff – McGriff's House Party (Milestone, 2000) The Hitman Blues Band – Blooztown (Nerus, 2000) Reuben Wilson – Organ Blues (Jazzateria, 2001) Oliver Darley – Introducing Oliver Darley (East West, 2001) Jimmy McGriff – McGriff Avenue (Milestone, 2002) Liv Warfield – Embrace Me (A&M, 2006) Elliott Randall – Still Reelin' [EP] (Private Collection Records, 2007) Larry Coryell – Earthquake at the Avalon (Inakustik, 2009) Hair – Broadway Cast Recording (Ghostlight/Razor & Tie, 2009) Chihiro Yamanaka – Reminiscence (Verve, 2011) Mick Taylor – East Coast Tour Appearances (2012) Vulfpeck – Various Tour Appearances (2016) Eddie Palmieri – Sabiduria (Wisdom) (Ropeadope, 2017) George Freeman–Mike Allemana Organ Quartet com participação especial de Bernard Purdie – Live at the Green Mill (Ears & Eyes, 2017) Gonzalo Aloras – Nuestra Canción (2020) Vulfpeck – The Joy of Music, the Job of Real Estate (Vulf, 2020) Vulfpeck – MSG II (2025)

Referências

Bibliografia Everett, Walter. The Beatles as musicians: the Quarry Men through Rubber Soul. Oxford University Press EUA (2001). ISBN 978-0-19-514105-4 Gottfridsson, Hans Olof; Sheridan, Tony e Beatles. The Beatles from Cavern to Star-Club: The Illustrated Chronicle, Discography & Price Guide 1957–1962. Premium Publishing (1997). ISBN 978-91-971894-7-7 Kernfeld, Barry Dean. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz segunda edição. Grove's Dictionaries Inc. (2002). Digitalizado em 21 de dezembro de 2006. ISBN 978-1-56159-284-5 Miles, Barry; e Badman, Keith. The Beatles Diary: The Beatles years. Omnibus Press (2001). ISBN 978-0-7119-8308-3 Payne, Jim; e Weinger, Harry. The Great Drummers of R&B Funk & Soul. Mel Bay Publications (2007). ISBN 978-0-7866-7303-2 Rabb, Johnny; Brych, Ray; e Lohman, Gregg. Jungle/Drum 'n' Bass for the Acoustic Drum Set: A Guide to Applying Today's Electronic Music to the Drum Set. Alfred Publishing (2001). ISBN 0-7579-9025-8 Weinberg, Max. The Big Beat: Conversations with Rock's Greatest Drummers. Hal Leonard Corporation (2004). ISBN 978-0-634-08275-7 York, William. Who's Who in Rock Music+. Atomic Press (1978). Digitalizado em 30 de agosto de 2007.

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