Albums | Damian Erskine

Jan

“So To Speak” : New Album released Feb 1st, 2010 !!

The much anticipated new album from Damian is now available Feb 1st!! It will be hitting CDBaby first and spreading from there (and can, of course, always be picked up at any of Damian’s shows). 8 original compositions with an absolutely killing band. Check it out!!

Track Audio Samples

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Featuring:

Damian Erskine: Bass

Reinhardt Melz: Drums, Percussion

Ramsey Embick: PIano

Chris Mosley: Guitar

Rafael Trujilo: Percussion

John Nastos: Tenor

Jason Dumars: Soprano

Paul Mazzio: Trumpet

Derek Rieth: Percussion

Places to buy the album

Feb

Trios – Instrumental Latin jazz trio with a salsa groove.

This is one of bassist, Damian Erskine’s Portland, OR based trios with additional tracks by the Toshi Onizuka Trio with Damian playing bass.

The primary trio consists of Salsa and Jazz phenom, Ramsey Embick on Piano and virtuoso Portland drummer, Reinhardt Melz. The band speaks for itself…both fiery and spontaneous, it’s always all about having fun with the music and seeing where it can take you.

Equally versed at solidifying grooves, blowing lyrical solos, and providing chordal textures on his 6-string bass, Damian Erskine showcased his extraordinary level of musicianship with the release of Trios, his debut as a leader, in February, 2007. As the nephew of world-renowned drummer Peter Erskine (Weather Report), Damian spent much of his childhood surrounded by many legendary musicians. In addition to the degree he earned from Berklee College of Music, Erskine has studied privately with bassists including Marc Johnson, Victor Wooten (BNC 2001), Reggie Hamilton, and Kai Eckhardt. Erskine maintains an active presence in the club scene and performs regularly at festivals throughout the country. Besides touring and recording as a sideman, Erskine offers private instruction from his studio in Portland, Oregon and via webcam through MusicVirtuosity.com. He has also taught seminars at the National Guitar Workshop, SF Bass Weekend and Berklee’s Guitar Week. (~Cliff Engel • www.instituteofbass.com)

Track Audio Samples

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Places to buy the album

get in touch

Notreble.com Column

Ask Damian Erskine: Getting in the Scene
Q: I have some questions regarding studio bass work and other bass-related job possibilities. Since you are a man of many groups and projects, I was hoping you could share some of your valuable insight and experience about diversifying one’s opportunities as a bass player. What is the first step, besides practice of course, to […]
Ask Damian Erskine: Bass Tunings
Q: Is there any reason how and why the bass got tuned in fifths (B, E, A, D, G, C) as opposed to the guitar’s tuning (E, A, D, G, B, E)? A: Actually, those are fourths the bass is tuned in. If my memory serves, the bass tuning came first. Although, hundreds of years ago, it […]
Ask Damian Erskine: Bass Woods and Tops
Q: With some of the more pricey models of basses out there, it’s understood that they’re made with some of the most exotic and interesting types of wood. Why do these sound different, and how do colors and densities play their roles in determining the bass’s sound? A: Primarily, the density of the wood is what […]
Ask Damian Erskine: Passive vs. Active Circuitry?
Q: I’m just getting back into the bass and there’s something I’ve always been curious about: the differences (as well as the different kinds) of passive vs. active circuitry. What are the main differences between them, why are there only active and passive circuits, and what does it mean to have either in a bass? A: Although […]
Ask Damian Erskine: A Series of Questions on Promotion and Life as a Musician
I was recently emailed a list of questions by a student working on their dissertation. I enjoyed the dialogue and thought they might be useful to the general public as well. With his permission, I’m going to make this weeks post our quick Q&A. 1. In your experience what has been the most effective […]
Ask Damian Erskine: Chord Voicings
Q: Can you help me get away from the standard root position chords that I already know? A: Hopefully, yes! The following will presume an intermediate level of understanding of chords and basic theory. But, if you’re working on this stuff, you’ve probably already got at least enough of a grip on it to follow along. […]