The Peter Erskine Thread

[Rodge]

[quote="Pocketplayer"]
I'd hire Pete on the mustache alone!
/quote]

[Paul Marangoni]

[Steve Holmes]

Thats some funky groovy Pete right there.

[Pocketplayer]

Dig his work with Diana

[AllenS]

OMG...

[langmick]

I love hearing Peter's playing with them, just really in the vibe.

[treeinrock]

Erskoman can make any gig sound great. I've seen him play a tribute to John Bonham at New England Conservatory. He was laying it down!

[kinkymook]

Here’s a first-
A month ago I got a re-book call for a gig I was a part of in in Breckenridge, CO last year. The employer was again looking for some light “background music” for an event. Now, I had done this same gig last year with my keyboard player and sequenced bass, playing lighter selections from Weather Report, Holdsworth and some other groups. This year, my keyboard player was off in Nepal climbing mountains so I had to come up with a solution.
So, I decided to check out Peter Erskine’s Jazz Playalong apps. I figured it might be an easy way to do the gig with world class players and a way for me to be booked as a “solo” act.
Words about the app- I chose Jazz Essentials 2 for (I think) $12.99, downloaded it, and then dug in.
The app has 10 tunes on it in various time signatures and feels, performed by Peter, Alan Pasqua on piano, and Darek Oles on bass.
The mixer function allows you to control the levels of all 3 instruments and/or mute them. There’s also a click track and countoffs if you need them.
It took me a couple weeks or about 20hrs of practice time to get somewhat comfortable with the tracks, and it should be noted that as I drove the area in my car, I would run the app and listen to the full trio to further my memorization. Once I got home for practice, I’d just plug my phone into my mixer, put in my in-ears and go.

So, the gig was a couple days ago and it went very well. I took a 4pc with coated heads cranked up to “jazz” level, a small PA, some brushes, a couple Paiste Trad rides, and my best suit.
I got lots of compliments and only a few odd looks as I imagine people had never seen a drummer playing solo with a “virtual” band.
Over the course of my practicing, my brush playing got better, my swing improved, my dynamics improved, and my ears got bigger, figuratively. What a GREAT app.
There was a bit of a problem I encountered with the countoffs for which I reached out to Peter personally via email. Over the course of a couple weeks, Peter, Lucas Ives and I communicated together and worked out a fix. It was a pleasure to work with them. Lucas was quick with his emails and Peter was there the whole time to help us along.

Check out Peters apps and dive in for a month. You’ll see remarkable improvement in your own swing and brushes in a trio setting.

[Paul Marangoni]

So, the gig was a couple days ago and it went very well. I took a 4pc with coated heads cranked up to “jazz” level, a small PA, some brushes, a couple Paiste Trad rides, and my best suit.
I got lots of compliments and only a few odd looks as I imagine people had never seen a drummer playing solo with a “virtual” band.

That is amazing! You basically turned it around. Usually it's the drums that are the first thing to be replaced by a machine. Kudos!

[kinkymook]

Paul- Right? Thanks! I might try to hire myself out for more of this type of thing.