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Peter Erskine

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992).

Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and Maynard Ferguson Big Bands, Weather Report, Steps Ahead, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Diana Krall, Kenny Wheeler, Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Brecker Brothers, The Yellowjackets, Pat Metheny and Gary Burton, John Scofield, et al, and has appeared as a soloist with the London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Frankfurt Radio, Scottish Chamber, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Royal Opera House, BBC Symphony, Oslo and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. Peter premièred the double percussion concerto Fractured Lines, composed by Mark-Anthony Turnage, at the BBC Proms with Andrew Davis conducting, and has collaborated frequently with Sir Simon Rattle. He also premiered the Turnage opera “Anna Nicole” at the Royal Opera House in London. Turnage has composed a solo concerto for Peter titled “Erskine,” which received its world premiere in Bonn, Germany in 2013, with the US premiere scheduled for September 2014 at the Hollywood Bowl with the LA Philharmonic. Peter has been voted ’Best Jazz Drummer of the Year’ ten times by the readers of Modern Drummer magazine.


Peter graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and studied at Indiana University under George Gaber. In 1972 Peter commenced his pro career playing with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Four years later, he joined Maynard Ferguson before working with Jaco Pastorius in Weather Report and moving to Los Angeles. Peter recorded five albums with the band. He won his first Grammy Award with their album ’8.30’. During this time in LA, he also worked with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Farrell and George Cables. Peter then moved to New York City where he worked for five years with such musicians as Michael Brecker, Mike Mainieri, Eddie Gomez and Eliane Elias in Steps Ahead, John Scofield, Bill Frisell and Marc Johnson in the legendary group Bass Desires, the John Abercrombie Trio plus Bob Mintzer’s Big Band.

Peter’s lived in LA since 1987 but has been travelling around the world all of that time, working with such artists as Diana Krall, Joni Mitchell, Vince Mendoza, Steely Dan, plus European musicians Jan Garbarek, Kenny Wheeler, Palle Danielsson, John Taylor, Kate Bush, Nguyen Lê, Rita Marcotulli, the Norrbotten Big Band in Sweden plus Sadao Watanabe in Japan. He won his second Grammy Award as the drummer of the WDR big band in Köln along with Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Vince Mendoza and others for the “Some Skunk Funk” album. Meanwhile, Peter keeps busy in LA with such artists as Alan Pasqua, Bob Sheppard and Bob Mintzer as well as playing in studios. Films where Peter’s drumming can be heard include Memoirs of a Geisha, the new Pink Panther films and all three of the Austin Powers movies, plus the title music of the Steven Spielberg/John Williams collaboration “The Adventures of Tintin.”

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Album Review

Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters celebrate Clark Terry: CT!

Read "CT!" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


In jazz, where the past intertwines with the present and the future, few figures were as influential as the legendary trumpeter Clark Terry. During his playing career, he developed a creative, bouncy style with an irrepressible rhythmic verve that was entirely his own. The album CT! with baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder and arranger Mark Masters serves as a heartfelt homage to this jazz icon, presenting fresh and invigorating arrangements of 13 Clark Terry originals skillfully performed by a 12-piece ensemble. ...

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Live Review

Garda Jazz Festival

Read "Garda Jazz Festival" reviewed by Giuseppe Segala


Trentino Jazz Garda Jazz Festival Diverse località dell'Alto Garda 31.7-13.8.2023 Il Garda Jazz Festival, nell'ambito dell'ampia programmazione di Trentino Jazz, esibiva quest'anno sui propri manifesti lo slogan “Getting Younger," con riferimento sia al potere rigenerante della buona musica sulle funzioni cognitive, che alla presenza nel cartellone di una folta schiera giovanile. Dal primo punto di vista, quale esempio davvero significante, c'era il quartetto capitanato dal batterista Peter Erskine, che riuniva veterani in stato di ...

12
Album Review

Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra: Pain & Beauty

Read "Pain & Beauty" reviewed by Edward Blanco


A religious man at heart, composer/band leader and producer Brian Eisenberg leads an 18-piece big band (The Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra) on a personal musical exploration on the meaning of love through the perspective of what may be beautiful, and what may seem hurtful on the very introspective and challenging Pain & Beauty. The album, as he writes, “is dedicated to that ideal of genuine love...painful yet, beautiful love." Eisenberg sets the musical bar quite high on such lofty and ...

6
Liner Notes

Dewa Budjana: Joged Kahyangan

Read "Dewa Budjana: Joged Kahyangan" reviewed by John Kelman


Dewa Budjana may not be a household name outside of his native country, Indonesia, but with MoonJune Records picking up this exciting guitarist and composer, all that could be about to change. He's already garnered some serious attention with his first recording for the label, Dawai in Paradise, released earlier this year (2013), but at home, he's nothing short of a pop star. Lead guitarist and songwriter for the multi-platinum, million-selling Indonesian pop/rock group Gigi, the fifty year-old Budjana has ...

21
Liner Notes

Peter Erskine Trio: As It Was

Read "Peter Erskine Trio: As It Was" reviewed by John Kelman


The box set you hold in your hands features three players who came together in an exceptional group to play some of the most compelling and exploratory piano trio music of the 20th Century's final decade. This threesome, led by Peter Erskine, released four albums recorded between July 1991 and July 1997: 1993's You Never Know, 1994's Time Being, 1996's As It Is and 1999's Juni. That the drummer's critically acclaimed piano trio, also featuring Swedish double bassist Palle Danielsson, ...

17
Album Review

Alan Pasqua, Peter Erskine, Darek Oles: Live In Italy

Read "Live In Italy" reviewed by Jim Worsley


Pianist Alan Pasqua and drummer Peter Erskine have been playing together for over fifty years now. For over twenty years Darek Oles has completed the trio on double bass. While brilliant upper-echelon musicians in their own right, the magic that ensues in this trio is remarkable. Could playing together for so long, performing thousands of shows over the years lead to burnout or it becoming “old hat?" Not for these three true jazz cats. The conversations just get deeper, their ...

4
Album Review

Massimo Colombo, Peter Erskine, Chuck Berghofer: Electric Parker

Read "Electric Parker" reviewed by Jim Worsley


While mostly under the radar, Massimo Colombo is surely one of Europe's finest talents. The Italian pianist and arranger has many works to his credit, including his exceptional tributes to Bud Powell and Weather Report, Powell To The People (Jazzland DZ, 2018) and Acoustic Weather (Self-produced, 2019). Colombo now reimagines the genius of Charlie Parker with drummer Peter Erskine and double bassist Chuck Berghofer. Having recorded together previously, the trio's chemistry flows easily. It is indeed electric as ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

3

Book / Magazine

Alfred Music Releases "The Musician's Lifeline" By Renowned Authors Peter Erskine And Dave Black

Alfred Music Releases "The Musician's Lifeline" By Renowned Authors Peter Erskine And Dave Black

Source: Dave Black

Alfred Music, the leading publisher in music education since 1922, announces the release of The Musician's Lifeline: Advice for All Musicians, Student to Professional. Written by Peter Erskine and Dave Black, The Musician's Lifeline represents the combined experience and knowledge of the authors gained through their lives in music. In addition, it includes advice from over 150 of the best musicians the authors have the honor of knowing, with topics ranging from sight-reading, learning, listening, auditions, the music business, practice, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

Education

Music Education Monday: A lesson from Peter Erskine on playing with brushes

Music Education Monday: A lesson from Peter Erskine on playing with brushes

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Today for Music Education Monday, you can get a video lesson from famed drummer Peter Erskine on “Playing Brushes With All Styles Of Music." First gaining wide attention in the mid-1970s as a member of Stan Kenton's big band, Erskine (pictured) can be heard on more than 600 albums encompassing styles including jazz, funk, rock, pop and more. He has performed and/or recorded with headliners such as Weather Report, Diana Krall, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Steps Ahead, Kate Bush, and ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Jazz Musician of the Day: Peter Erskine

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Peter Erskine's birthday today!

Peter Erskine has played the drums since the age of four and is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. He appears on over 600 albums and film scores, and has won two Grammy Awards, plus an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee School of Music (1992). Fifty albums have been released under his own name or as co-leader. He has played with the Stan Kenton and ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

CT!

Capri Records
2024

buy

Bernstein in Vienna

Origin Records
2024

buy

Pain & Beauty

Self Pulished
2023

buy

Convergency

Origin Records
2022

buy

Nora

Enja Records
2022

buy

Electric Parker

Play & Oracle Records
2022

buy

Somewhere

From: Bernstein in Vienna
By Peter Erskine

Serenade to a Bus Seat

From: CT!
By Peter Erskine

Convergency

From: Convergency
By Peter Erskine

Videos

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