Pretty Purdie - Soul Drums (Expanded Edition) (1968/2010)

Not so much an album as it is a master class in the art of funk percussion, Soul Drums is the quintessential Bernard "Pretty" Purdie LP, an unstoppable rhythm machine made all the more memorable by its fiercely idiosyncratic production. Paired with pianist/arranger Richard Tee, guitarists Eric Gale and Billy Butler, bassist Bob Bushnell, and tenorist Seldon Powell, Purdie creates a suite of deep funk grooves notable for the sheer insistence of their energy as well as the remarkable imagination and skill of their beats, all topped off with echo-chamber-like production that underscores the music's visceral punch. It is virtually impossible to listen to Soul Drums without nodding your head and tapping your foot and physical response, not thoughts or words, are its most sincere praise.