Soul Talk (Part 2)

One of the things I'm trying to do in early 2006 is knock off the few remaining Prestige 45s that I am after. Johnny "Hammond" Smith's "Soul Talk" was one of them, which happened to show up today. This 45 is from his album of the same name, and the featured players were Rusty Bryant, Wally Richardson, Bob Bushnell, and Bernard Purdie.

Now I like both sides of this 45, side A featuring the organ, but Mr. Purdie's extended drum solo on part 2 just eeks by the organ-led soul jazz that makes up part 1. Side 2 opens with a solid groove, but then that all gives way to Pretty Purdie, who pretty much takes it all the way to the end. The solo is quite amazing, so amazing I can't do it justice (you can barely hear someone yell 'oww!' in excitement in the background during the middle of it). The organ comes in for a nice flourish here and there, but it is all Purdie's show. Then group comes back in to finish the show, re-establishing the tune featured in part 1. Great 2-sider.