Peter Erskine
Erskine in 2014
Erskine in 2014
Background information
Birth namePeter Clark Erskine
Born (1954-06-05) June 5, 1954
Somers Point, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Drums
Years active1972–present
Labels
Websitewww.petererskine.com

Peter Clark Erskine (born June 5, 1954)[1] is an American jazz drummer who was a member of the jazz fusion groups Weather Report and Steps Ahead.

Early life and education

Erskine was born in Somers Point, New Jersey, U.S.[2] He began playing the drums at the age of four.[1] He graduated from the Interlochen Arts Academy[3] in Michigan, then studied percussion at Indiana University.

Career

His professional music career started in 1972 when he joined the Stan Kenton Orchestra.[3] After four years with Kenton, he joined Maynard Ferguson for two years.[1] In 1978, he joined Weather Report,[3][4] joining Jaco Pastorius in the rhythm section. After four years and five albums with Weather Report and the Jaco Pastorius big band's Word of Mouth, he joined Steps Ahead.[1]

In 1983, he performed on the Antilles Records release Swingrass '83.[5] He toured the US in 1992 with Chick Corea.[4]

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

Erskine with Michel Benita in 2008.

He was featured on Kate Bush's 2005 album Aerial, where Erskine teamed with bass player Eberhard Weber. Diana Krall, Eliane Elias, Queen Latifah and Linda Ronstadt, as well as Scottish and Finnish classical orchestras, have had Erskine perform as a featured musician.

In 2011, he appeared on stage at the Royal Opera House, London in the new opera Anna Nicole.[6]

Honors and awards

In 1992, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.[7]

Personal life

Erskine is married to Mutsuko Erskine. The two have two children, actress and writer Maya Erskine,[8] and film editor and producer Taichi Erskine.[9]

Discography

As leader

Year recordedTitleLabelYear releasedNotes
1982?Peter ErskineContemporary1982
1986?TransitionPassport Jazz1986
1988Motion PoetDenon1988
1989?AuroraDenon1989
1991Sweet SoulNovus1991
1992You Never KnowECM1993
1993Time BeingECM1994
1995?History of the DrumInterworld1995
1995As It IsECM1996
1997?As The Lounge Art Ensemble, Lava JazzFuzzy Music1997
1997JuniECM1999
1999Live at RoccoFuzzy Music2000[2CD] live
2001Side Man BlueFuzzy Music2016
2010Joy LuckFuzzy Music2011[10]
2015Dr. UmFuzzy Music2016
2016?In Praise of ShadowsFuzzy Music2016[11]
2016Second OpinionFuzzy Music2017
2017Live In ItalyAbeat2018live in Occhiobello
2018?On CallFuzzy Music2018[2CD]

Source:[12]

As co-leader

Source:[12][13]

As a member

Steps Ahead

  • Steps Ahead (Elektra/Musician, 1983)
  • Modern Times (Elektra/Musician, 1984)
  • Magnetic (Elektra, 1986)
  • Holding Together (NYC, 2002)[2CD] – live rec. 1999

As sideman

Books

  • Time Awareness
  • The Erskine Method for Drumset
  • My Book
  • The Drum Perspective
  • Drum Concepts and Techniques
  • No Beethoven: An Autobiography and Chronicle of Weather Report

DVD

  • The Erskine Method for Drumset (Alfred Publishing Company)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. ↑ Stewart, Zan (April 25, 1993). "Drummer Discovers Small Is Beautiful". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 19, 2013. Last year, [Peter Erskine], along with bassist John Patitucci, traveled through the United States for a month with a threesome led by pianist Chick Corea. The Somers Point, N. J., native also worked in Italy and Spain as part of pianist Joey Calderazzo's trio, then recorded on the latter's upcoming Blue Note release.
  3. 1 2 3 Wynn, Ron. "Peter Erskine: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  4. 1 2 Wynn, Ron (2008-06-25). "Weather Report: Biography". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2010-06-04.
  5. ↑ "Swingrass '83 - Swingrass | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
  6. ↑ "Anna Nicole Review". The Guardian. 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  7. ↑ "Peter Erskine". MEINLPercussion.com. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
  8. ↑ "Erskine-Konkle". Vulture.com. 8 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "How PEN15's Mutsuko Erskine Wound Up Playing Herself on TV". Vulture.com. 27 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "Joy Luck". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "In Praise of Shadows". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Peter Erskine | Album Discography". AllMusic.
  13. 1 2 3 "Peter Erskine | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
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