Peter Erskine has been a drummer of choice for notable jazz musicians such as John Abercrombie, Marc Johnson, Gary Burton the late Stan Kenton and others. Stints with Weather Report and now the commercially viable “Yellowjackets have skyrocketed Erskine’s career into the stratosphere. Over the years, Erskine has released a string of worthy solo recordings for various labels yet his adventurous and prolific Piano Trio represent simple unrestrained elegance and class.
Juni is the group’s 4th release on ECM records under Erskine’s leadership. Along with John Taylor (piano) and Palle Danielsson (bass), Juni continues in the same direction as the previous 3 ECM releases. The trademark chamberesque-free jazz motifs and stylizations become evident on John Taylor’s “Prelude No.2”. Erskine’s “The Ant & The Elk” provides a good snapshot of the Trio’s long-standing implementations of shifting tempos, quiet dynamics, dazzling virtuosity and intuitive interplay. Here, Erskine’s drumming is intricate and sensitive yet the pulse tends to veer off in different time signatures, as The Trio are rarely complacent and continue to reinvent themselves as a unit. Taylor’s “Fable” is a somber, introspective ballad. The great bassist, Palle Danielsson pursues Taylor’s probing yet expansive chord progressions and interludes with uncanny insight. Here, Erskine provides a mini drum clinic with his adept brushwork. Erskine’s “Twelve” develops into a straight-ahead swing, which is pleasantly austere due to John Taylor’s jazz-classical approach. - Glenn Astarita
Tracks
01. Prelude No. 2 (John Taylor
02. Windfall (John Taylor
03. For Jan (Kenny Wheeler)
04. The Ant T The Elk (Peter Erskine)
05. Siri (Palle Danielsson)
06. Fable (John Taylor
07. Twelve (Peter Erskine)
08. Namasti (Diana Taylor)
PALLE DANIELSSON bass
PETER ERSKINE drums
JOHN TAYLOR piano
Recorded July 1997 at Rainbow Studio, Oslo
ECM 1657 / ECM 539 726 - 2