Saw Bernard Purdie on Saturday

dougjwray · #1 08-03-2009, 10:56 AM

I saw "Hair" on Broadway (my birthday present to my wife) and Bernard "Pretty" Purdie was the drummer in the orchestra! At the stagedoor afterward, I got him to sign my Playbill and told him I'd seen him with Aretha back in '68. He seemed as jovial as everyone always says he is.
At times, his snare was the hottest thing in the mix (fine with me) and the few times he shifted briefly into the "Purdie shuffle" it was sublime.
The bassist was Wilbur Bascomb, no slouch either. (BTW, he was playing a Fender PJ.)
The show itself was fantastic-- the best production I've ever seen of "Hair."

LilRay · #2 08-03-2009, 11:00 AM

MAN! That sounds awesome. Always wanted to meet Bernard. Glad you had fun.

God Bless, Ray

Yvon · #3 08-03-2009, 11:06 AM

really cool!

Ed Fuqua · #4 08-03-2009, 11:26 AM

He's a very funny guy. We were on a very small tour of Quebec with the singer Sandra Reaves-Phillips many, many years ago. There were two vans, one was the road dog van -every body in it basically was asleep as soon as the passenger doors closed and didn't wake up until we pulled into the load in area at the venue. The other was the "story" van - Purdie had the shotgun seat and could be seen (since they were ahead of our van) talking the whole time from leaving the pick up point until we hit the next venue....

dougjwray · #5 08-03-2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

He's a very funny guy. We were on a very small tour of Quebec with the singer Sandra Reaves-Phillips many, many years ago. There were two vans, one was the road dog van -every body in it basically was asleep as soon as the passenger doors closed and didn't wake up until we pulled into the load in area at the venue. The other was the "story" van - Purdie had the shotgun seat and could be seen (since they were ahead of our van) talking the whole time from leaving the pick up point until we hit the next venue....

Good story. Yes, I imagine he'd be a great storyteller. On Saturday, I would have liked to spend more time giving him a opportunity to do just that, but I kept it short because I didn't want to be annoying. When I brought up that I'd seen him with Aretha in 1968, he pretended to be knocked back on his heels and said, "Who-eeee! That was several... centuries ago!"

ElMon · #6 08-03-2009, 01:14 PM

Hands down my favorite drummer. Not surprised he's an awesome person as well. Great story.

jaywa · #7 08-03-2009, 04:29 PM

If I had a chance to ride in a van with Bernard Purdie, I would ride in that van and hang on every word he said. I'd let him talk 12 hours straight if he wanted and I'd stay awake the whole time. He is that wise... and that good.

Hamrhed · #8 08-03-2009, 05:47 PM

Got a chance to catch the Classic album show "Steely Dan: Aja" and Bernard was featured- along w/ the Purdie shuffle

He seems like a really cool guy...

Ed Fuqua · #9 08-03-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

If I had a chance to ride in a van with Bernard Purdie, I would ride in that van and hang on every word he said. I'd let him talk 12 hours straight if he wanted and I'd stay awake the whole time. He is that wise... and that good.

Feel free to...