Hittin’ skins

by SCOTT C
It wasn’t but a month ago that legendary drummer Bernard Purdie came to Montreal to participate in a Red Bull Music Academy info session, but according to my boy Ilya Pauly from Afrokats Records and Studio Furnace, the world’s most recorded studio drummer will return to Montreal next week to begin recording a new project with local singer and House of Jazz mainstay Michelle Sweeney.

Purdie’s resume doesn’t even seem possible when you realize that he’s recorded with the Beatles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan, Bob Marley, Gil Scott Heron and hundreds more, but he is a bona fide living legend. I sat at the bar with Bernard on a Friday night back in April while a flustered Sweeney, fresh from a set of standards and covers with her own band, tried to place Bernard’s face without any hints from us. That conversation led to Purdie jumping onstage with her and the house band for an impromptu rendition of “At Last.” So, when Sweeney confessed that she wanted to record an album with Bernard, Studio Furnace stepped in to make it happen. Can’t wait to hear the results.

As a result of some of that good ol’ “internal restructuring,” Keithy Antoine, aka Lady SpecialK, has left her position as host of XM Satellite Radio’s La Zone Urbaine. They plan on repeating shows and interviews that have already been aired, Monday to Friday from 3–4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10–11 p.m., on XM100-Air Music. Keithy is truly a busy lady though, with big involvement in both Montreal Underground and the family businesses, Make Media and Good Life Apparel. This month, Good Life was invited to design an exclusive t-shirt for the Wonder-Full Party in New York, this Saturday, May 12, where DJ Spinna and Bobbitto honour the musical contributions of the one and only Stevie Wonder, on the eve of his birthday no less. Needless to say that Montreal will be in the house, or on the backs of some discerning New Yorkers.

Looks like DJ Dav has moved into Pearl for some funky, jazzed-out underground house music, ready to get you in the mood every Thurdsay night. This week, Bounce Thursdays present Phono Jones from Ottawa, and release Kinjo Music EP 03 digitally on www.stompy.com. Three-dollar cover, $3 drinks all night.

Seven reasons I’m putting the band back together:
1. Robert Glasper “J Dillalude” (Blue Note)
2. Sa-Ra The Hollywood Recordings (Babygrande)
3. Matthew Herbert Score (K7)
4. Mr. Oizo “Analog Worms Attack” (F Communications)
5. Baron Zen “Burn Rubber” Dam Funk remix (Stones Throw)
6. Polyrhythm Addicts “Headsense” (Babygrande)
7. Rene Costy “Scrabble” (Chappell)

What chu got in dem sacks, boy, warsh? fathead@videotron.ca