House of Drumming.com

WAY OVERDUE Erskoman thread!! I won't do it justice, a mere attempt to get the ball rolling from my perspective...

I know that some HODers have been students of Peter over the years.. Would be cool to hear stories, perspectives, etc...

https://www.petererskine.com/bio/

If I need to give someone an example of what making music with drums is all about, I often point them to Peter Erskine. Classically trained, Elvin Jones influenced, a pillar of modern jazz drumming. To me, he is one of the few able to make the drums "sing" so to speak. This is the track I use as reference in that regard.
Eliane Elias - A Long Story


Highly recommended is his refreshingly personal, thoughtful and witty autobiography.
https://www.petererskine.com/erskine-books/no-beethoven/

A few snapshots of his journey...

Stan Kenton Orchestra - The Daily Dance


Maynard Ferguson - Give It One


Weather Report - Live in Offenbach


Steps Ahead - Northern Cross


Steps Ahead - Oops


Jaco Pastorius - Live in Montréal


With John Abercrombie - Marc Johnson


With Steely Dan on Letterman


With Abercrombie, Mintzer, Pattitucci


With Pasqua, Carpenter - Badlands

Peter Erskine. He's not good.

He's great!

I remember seeing him with Bass Desires, blew my mind. I think a great radio experience I had was coming home from a Bullets game with my dad. A song was played, totally awesome. They mentioned Islands by Steps Ahead. Bought the album soon after. And I was sold.

The thing about Peter Erskine is his ability to sound great playing anything. I really wish he was the drummer for the CCEB. It would have been stellar.

Anyone wanna buy his latest CD "Dr. Um" from me? You can have it for $5 plus postage.

Think about those bitchen big bands from back in the day...a genre totally gone and not replaced. That Maynard stuff is insane!!!

HTis tune used to get played in the local eclectic NPR station...first time I heard it, I had to pull over. His drums sounded amazing.



We vacation in a place called Avalon NJ, my Dad grew up there, and in the 70s a family had the house next door, last name Erskine. The son used to tell me he had an uncle who was a big time drummer. I didn't believe him until one day he showed me some new Remo PTS bongos and a bunch of drum sticks. Never got to meet Peter.

Paul Marangoni wrote:Anyone wanna buy his latest CD "Dr. Um" from me? You can have it for $5 plus postage.

Not impressed, Paul?

No, I was expecting better I guess.

His book, "No Beethoven" is a great read - talks about his time starting at Interlochen, then Stan Kenton, Maynard, Weather Report (with good Jaco and Zawinul stories), Steely Dan, Diana Krall, etc.....

He's definitely one of my favorites. I have a recording of him playing Jose, with the Dan, back in their first tour in '93. Comparing his solo to Dennis' on "Alive in America" is a great exercise.

My favorite Erskine groove is his signature triplets on ride bell with 2/4 bass/snare one at the beginning of "Black Market", from 8:30 album.

Cool to see that his nephew Damian, is such a beast on bass as well.

Hip!