JazzWatch #56 | Peter Erskine

February 22, 2016 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged album, bam, band, black american music, concert, conversation, discussion, drummer, drums, improv, improvisation, Indie, Interlochen Arts Academy, interview, Jaco Pastorius, jazz, jazz night in america, jazz release, Joe Zawinul, Kate Bush, label, long form, manager, Maynard Ferguson, miles davis, music, nashville, New Jersey, new york, new york city, Night Passage, npr, podcast, producer, quartet, Rhythm, Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, song travels, soundcheck, Stan Kenton, Steely Dan, Steps Ahead, Thornton School of Music, tiny desk, trio, University of Southern California, usc, Weather Report, web series, webisode, Word of Mouth | Leave a comment

Peter Erskine is one of the great drummers of our time. Most recently, he has shared his amazing personal collection of live and unreleased material from his tenure with one of music’s greatest groups, Weather Report. Released at the end of 2015, “The Legendary Live Tapes 1978-1981” features four discs of pure excellence. Not only do we further experience the brilliance of Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius and Bobby Thomas, but we hear an energy from Mr. Erskine’s drums that linked tradition to the future.

He isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Peter Erskine has just released “Dr. Um”, a new project featuring the exceptional talents of John Beasley, Janek Gwizdala, Jeff Parker and Bob Sheppard that is sure to satisfy lovers of groove and swing. It’s a wonderfully eclectic project that suggests where Erskine-era Weather Report might have gone if they were around today. Get hip and give a listen to our chat with the great Peter Erskine.

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JazzWatch #51 | Orrin Evans

October 28, 2015 by jazzwatch in JazzWatch Blog Posts, JazzWatch Podcast and tagged afro blue, album, bam, band, black american music, California, cannonball adderley, CD, cd release show, chicago, christian mcbride, concert, conversation, Criss Cross, Dawn Warren, discussion, Genesis, Grover Washington Jr., Hard Bop, illinois, improv, improvisation, Indie, interview, jazz, Kareem Riggins, Kenny Barron, label, long form, LP, manager, music, nashville, national music scene, New Jersey, new york, new york city, npr, Pennsylvania, Pew Fellowships in the Arts, philadelphia, pianist, piano, podcast, Post Bop, quartet, Rutgers, Sideman, Smalls, Smoke, Smoke Jazz Club, smoke sessions, Soul Jazz, tennessee, The Evolution of Oneself, Trenton, trio, usc, web series, webisode, Wildwood Flower | Leave a comment

As one of the most prolific pianists today, Orrin Evans remains constant in his documentation of his growth and musical wisdom. His latest CD, “The Evolution of Oneself” places him in a premier trio context with drummer Kareem Riggins and bassist Christian McBride. The music swings, grooves and floats but always with a pulse. This album further captivates with a few surprises. Evans’ youngest son produces a very captivating three-part interlude, “Genesis,” that is broken up over the course of the CD, while the surprising appearance of the Americana tune, “Wildwood Flower,” and Grover Washington Jr.’s, “A Secret Place” further demonstrates Evans’ ability to consistently shine through among the diversity of material and influences.

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