Peter Erskine (album)

Peter Erskine (born June 5, 1954) is an American jazz drummer and composer. He has enjoyed a long and successful career as a session drummer, recording and touring with many famous jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan and Weather Report. Erskine also produces teaching materials, such as books, videos, and online content.

Biography
+ Erskine was born in Somers Point, New Jersey, U.S. He began playing the drums at the age of four. He graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, then studied percussion at Indiana University.

His professional career started in 1972 when he joined the Stan Kenton Orchestra. After three years with Kenton he joined Maynard Ferguson for two years. In 1978 he joined Weather Report, joining the legendary Jaco Pastorius to form a formidable rhythm section. After four years and five albums with Weather Report and the Jaco Pastorius big band Word of Mouth, he joined Steps Ahead. His big band recordings with the Bob Mintzer Big Band are excellent modern big band jazz/funk performances studied by many students of drums and drumming.

His music-style spanning talent also features on Kate Bush's 2005 album Aerial, where Erskine teams with bass player Eberhard Weber. Diana Krall, Eliane Elias, Queen Latifah and Linda Ronstadt among many more still choose Peter for his multifaceted musicality. Even Scottish and Finnish Classical Orchestras have had him as a featured musician.

Today, Erskine splits his time as a musician and that of a professor at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.

In 1983, he performed on the Antilles Records release Swingrass '83.

In 2011 he appeared on stage at the Royal Opera House, London in the new opera Anna Nicole.

As leader

 * 1982 Peter Erskine (Contemporary, reissued on OJC)
 * 1987 Transition (Denon)
 * 1988 Motion Poet (Denon)
 * 1989 Aurora (Denon)
 * 1990 Big Theatre (Ah Um)
 * 1991 Sweet Soul (Novus, reissued on Fuzzy Music)
 * 1992 You Never Know (ECM)
 * 1993 Time Being (ECM)
 * 1994 History of the Drum (Interworld)
 * 1995 As It Is (ECM)
 * 1995 From Kenton to Now (Fuzzy Music)
 * 1998 Lava Jazz (Fuzzy Music)
 * 1998 Behind Closed Doors, Vol. 1 (Fuzzy Music)
 * 1998 Juni (ECM)
 * 2000 Live at Rocco (Fuzzy Music)
 * 2002 Badlands (Fuzzy Music)
 * 2003 Cologne (w/ Bill Dobbins and John Goldsby) (Fuzzy Music)
 * 2005 The Lounge Art Ensemble: Music for Moderns (Fuzzy Music)

As sideman
With John Abercrombie With Warren Bernhardt With Randy Brecker/Michael Brecker With Gary Burton With Kate Bush With George Cables With Pino Daniele With Eddie Daniels With Al Di Meola With Marty Ehrlich With Joe Farrell With Maynard Ferguson With Alessandro Galati With Jan Garbarek With Yelena Eckemoff With Giorgio With Gordon Goodwin With Don Grolnick With Bobby Hutcherson With Marc Johnson With Rickie Lee Jones With Stan Kenton With Diana Krall With Rolf Kühn With Christof Lauer With Nguyên Lê With Manhattan Jazz Quintet With Mike Mainieri With Vince Mendoza With Bob Mintzer With Joni Mitchell With Jaco Pastorius With Gary Peacock With Thomas Quasthoff With Steely Dan With Rod Stewart With Steps Ahead With Christoph Stiefel With Ralph Towner With Mark-Anthony Turnage/John Scofield With Weather Report With Kenny Wheeler With Joe Zawinul With Linda Ronstadt
 * Current Events (ECM, 1985)
 * Getting There (ECM, 1987)
 * John Abercrombie / Marc Johnson / Peter Erskine (ECM, 1988)
 * November (ECM, 1992)
 * The Hudson Project (2000)
 * Warren Bernhardt Trio (1983)
 * Some Skunk Funk (2005)
 * Times Like These (GRP, 1988)
 * Reunion (GRP, 1989)
 * Aerial (2004)
 * Cables Vision (1982)
 * Passi d'autore (2004)
 * Benny Rides Again (1992)
 * Orange and Blue (1994)
 * The Infinite Desire (1998)
 * Relativity (1999)
 * Sonic Text (1979)
 * Conquistador (1977)
 * Jason Salad! (1997)
 * StAR (ECM, 1992)
 * Cold Sun (L & H Production, 2010)
 * Flying Steps (L & H Production, 2010)
 * Glass Song (L & H Production, 2013)
 * Party of the Century (2010)
 * Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band XXL (2003)
 * Weaver of Dreams (1990)
 * Un Poco Loco (1979)
 * Bass Desires (ECM, 1985)
 * Second Sight (ECM, 1987)
 * Flying Cowboys (1989)
 * National Anthems of the World (1972)
 * Stan Kenton Plays Chicago (1974)
 * Fire, Fury, and Fun (1974)
 * The Look of Love (2002)
 * The Girl in the Other Room (2004)
 * Internal Eyes (2003)
 * Christof Lauer (1989)
 * Miracles (1996)
 * E_L_B (2004)
 * E_L_B - Dream Flight (2008)
 * Funky Strut (1991)
 * American Diary (1994)
 * Start Here (1990)
 * Jazzpaña (1992)
 * Sketches (1993)
 * Quality Time (1998)
 * Mingus (1979)
 * Word of Mouth (1981)
 * Birthday Concert (1982)
 * Invitation (1983)
 * Guamba (ECM, 1987)
 * Watch What Happens (2007)
 * Alive in America (1995)
 * Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
 * Steps Ahead (1983)
 * Modern Times (1984)
 * Ancient Longing (1994)
 * Open Letter (ECM, 1992)
 * Scorched (2004)
 * Mr. Gone (1978)
 * 8:30 (1979)
 * Night Passage (1980)
 * Weather Report
 * Music for Large & Small Ensembles (ECM, 1990)
 * The Widow in the Window (ECM, 1990)
 * Weather Update (2005)
 * Hummin' to Myself (2004)

Books

 * Time Awareness
 * The Erskine Method for Drumset
 * My Book
 * The Drum Perspective
 * Drum Concepts and Techniques

DVD

 * The Erskine Method for Drumset (Alfred Publishing Company)