Peter Erskine

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 Jaco Pastorius in the 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 modern big band jazz/funk performances studied by many students of drums and drumming.

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.

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

As co-leader

With Bob Mintzer, Darek Oleszkiewicz, Alan Pasqua

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 Yelena Eckemoff

With Marty Ehrlich

With Eliane Elias

With Joe Farrell

With Maynard Ferguson

With Alessandro Galati

With Jan Garbarek

With Giorgio

With Gordon Goodwin

With Don Grolnick

With Joe Henderson

With Bobby Hutcherson

With Marc Johnson

With Rickie Lee Jones

With Stan Kenton

With Diana Krall

With Rolf Kühn

With Christof Lauer

With Andy LaVerne

With Nguyên Lê

With Manhattan Jazz Quintet

With Mike Mainieri

With Vince Mendoza

With Bob Mintzer

With Joni Mitchell

With Francesco Nastro

With Jaco Pastorius

With Gary Peacock

With Thomas Quasthoff

With Linda Ronstadt

With Steely Dan

With Mike Stern

With Rod Stewart

With Steps Ahead

With Christoph Stiefel

With Richard Torres

With Ralph Towner

With Mark-Anthony Turnage/John Scofield

With Various Artists

With Weather Report

With Kenny Wheeler

With Joe Zawinul

With Dewa Budjana

Books

DVD