Bostic was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He turned professional at age 18 when he joined Terrence Holder's band. He made his first recording with Lionel Hampton in 1942 where he played along with Red Allen, J.C. Higginbotham, Sid Catlett, Teddy Wilson and Hampton. Before that he performed with Fate Marable on New Orleans riverboats. Bostic graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans. He worked with territory bands as well as Arnett Cobb, Hot Lips Page, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, Charlie Christian, Thelonious Monk and other jazz luminaries. He formed his own band in 1945, and turned to rhythm and blues in the late 1940s. His biggest hits were "Temptation," "Sleep," "Flamingo," "You Go to My Head" and "Cherokee." At various times his band included Jaki Byard, John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Blue Mitchell, Stanley Turrentine, Tommy Turrentine, Keter Betts, Sir Charles Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Tony Scott, Benny Carter and other musicians who rose to prominence in jazz. Bostic held his musicians to a high standard and demanded that they read music faultlessly. He was influenced by the great Sidney Bechet. John Coltrane in turn was influenced by Earl Bostic. James Moody said that Bostic was the chief influence on John Coltrane. Moody mentioned that "Bostic knew his instrument inside out, back to front and upside down."
His virtuosity is documented in records such as Up There In Orbit, Earl's Imagination, Apollo Theater Jump, All On, Artistry by Bostic, Telestar Drive, Liza, Lady Be Good and Tiger Rag. Bostic was a master of the blues and he used this skill in a variety of musical settings. Although Bostic recorded many commercial albums, some notable jazz based exceptions on the King label include Bostic Rocks Hits of the Swing Age, Jazz As I Feel It and A New Sound.
Bostic's King album titled Jazz As I Feel It featured Shelly Manne on drums, Joe Pass on guitar and Groove Holmes on organ. Bostic recorded the King Album "A New Sound" about one month later again, featuring Holmes and Pass. These recordings allowed Bostic to stretch out beyond the 3 minute limit imposed by the 45 RPM format. Bostic was pleased with the sessions which highlight his total mastery of the blues but they also foreshadowed musical advances that were later evident in the work of John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy.
He wrote arrangements for Paul Whiteman, Louis Prima, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Artie Shaw, Jack Teagarden and Alvino Rey.
Bostic's signature hit, "Flamingo" was recorded in 1951 and remains a favorite among followers of Carolina Beach Music in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Their style of Beach Music is heavily influenced by Rhythm-and-Blues music from the 40's, 50's and 60's. Bostic recorded for Cincinnati-based King Records, a small label that was well known for releasing "R and B" and Bluegrass records. In fact, the biggest star on the King label was "the Godfather of Soul", James Brown. Bostic was also popular among R&B and jazz followers in the United Kingdom, thanks to his records that were released on the Parlophone label.
Bostic died from a heart attack in Rochester, New York, while performing with his band in 1965. His widow, Hildegarde, was still living in San Francisco as of the mid-1990s.
Deep Purple
Earl Bostic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
In the mist of a memory
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
When the deep purple falls
Over sleepy garden walls
And the stars begin to twinkle
In the night
In the mist of a memory
You wander all back to me
Breathing my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when moonlight beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo,
Wo-o-oo-wo-wo
Earl Bostic's "Deep Purple" is a love ballad that speaks to the power of memory and the longing for a lost love. The opening lines, "When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls and the stars begin to twinkle in the night," set a romantic and dreamy scene. The singer then reflects on a past relationship, saying "In the mist of a memory, you wander all back to me, breathing my name with a sigh." The vivid imagery suggests that the memory is vivid and powerful, almost as if their lost love were physically present.
The chorus, "In the still of the night once again I hold you tight, though you're gone your love lives on when light beams," emphasizes the strength of the connection between the two lovers. The singer feels as if their love will endure, even though they are no longer together. The line "here in my deep purple dreams" reinforces this idea of an imagined, idealized connection.
The repeated phrase "wo-o-oo-wo-wo" serves as a melodic refrain that enhances the mystical and other-worldly tone of the song. Overall, Bostic's "Deep Purple" is a testament to the transcendent power of love and memory.
Line by Line Meaning
When the deep purple falls
When the dark purple hue of the night sky descends
Over sleepy garden walls
Covering the walls of the drowsy garden with its cloak
And the stars begin to twinkle in the night
And the stars start to shimmer in the darkness
In the mist of a memory
In the haze of a memory
You wander all back to me
You return to me in my thoughts
Breathing my name with a sigh
Whispering my name with a sigh
In the still of the night
In the quiet of the night
Once again I hold you tight
I embrace you tightly once again
Tho' you're gone your love lives on when light beams
Even though you are no longer here, your love persists when light shines
And as long as my heart will beat
As long as my heart keeps beating
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
My dear lover, we will always reunite
Here in my deep purple dreams
In my dreams that are colored with deep purple
And as long as my heart will beat
As long as my heart keeps beating
Sweet lover, we'll always meet
My dear lover, we will always reunite
Here in my deep purple dreams
In my dreams that are colored with deep purple
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter De Rose, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
richard Gardner
Earl Bostic along with Bird, the best Alto Sax man ever!