Pioneering groove drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie has put together a new project called Bernard Purdie & Friends.

The band features Purdie, along with Dumpstaphunk’s Ivan Neville (keys), Pimps of Joytime’s Brian J (guitar) and The New Mastersounds’ Pete Shand (bass). They will make their live debut at New Orleans’ Bear Creek Bayou Music Festival on Friday, September 30.

In addition, Bernard Purdie & Friends recorded a full album of original material at Brooklyn’s Vibromonk Studio over the summer. The group plans to release the record, which was co-produced by Brian J and Shand, in the spring of 2017.

Purdie might not be a household name for most people, but he is for fans of funk, soul and R&B music. The innovative drummer served as Aretha Franklin’s musical director from 1970 to 1975, and played on albums by James Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Scott Heron, Steely Dan, B.B. King, Hall & Oates, Herbie Hancock, Johnny “Hammond” Smith and many more. We look forward to seeing what the new group has in store when Bear Creek Bayou takes over Mardi Gras World in New Orleans later this month.