A highly skilled, versatile drummer, Peter Erskine has anchored big bands and jazz-rock/fusion groups. He's known for sophisticated rhythms, distinctive accompaniment, and powerful, rippling solos. Erskine began drumming at three, and participated in Stan Kenton's National Stage Band Camps from the age of six. He studied with Alan Dawson and Ed Soph, attending the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and Indiana University. He played with Kenton from 1972 to 1975, then from 1976 to 1978 with Maynard Ferguson. Erskine joined Weather Report in 1978, and was their drummer and percussionist until 1982. He also did several West Coast sessions in the late '70s, and was a member of Steps and Steps Ahead. During the '80s he worked with John Abercrombie's groups and the quartet Bass Desires. Erskine has recorded as a leader for Contemporary, Denon, Ah Um, RCA/Novus, and Passport Jazz. He's worked with Joe Farrell, Marc Johnson, Mike Brecker, Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, Kenny Kirkland, Mike Mandel, and Kenny Werner, among others. He has several sessions available on CD. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
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 top jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan. He also releases very influential teaching materials, both in his excellent books as in videos and DVDs, and online.
Peter 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 he joined Steps Ahead. His big band recordings with the Bob Mintzer Big Band are excellent modern big band jazz/funk 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.
His playing style is characterized by a thorough dedication to time-keeping and swing, a great dynamic spectrum and an ability to play several styles of music very sensitively. These qualities may be the reason for his very wide use as a session drummer in musical settings of great variety. Hence he could also be labeled as an "all-around drummer", in terms of musical styles he is capable of playing with skill.
As a jazz drummer, his dedication to timekeeping makes his jazz playing sound quite modern, as he does not tend to play with "flexible" timekeeping as do most traditionalist jazz drummers. It remains a matter of personal opinion to be discussed whether he has thus brought jazz into the modern era of perfect timekeeping (a reference here is made to drum machines and electronic music with flawless metronomical timekeeping of today), or whether he diverges from traditional jazz drumming.
