If you are a bassist and looking for an interesting play-along book, this is it! (or if you just want a book of charts from my newest CD!!). You’ll receive the book and a version of the CD mixed without bass.
Right now, the book is currently available digitally over at my good friends
Enjoy!!
Link to the article HERE
Damian Erskine – “So To Speak”
Bassist Damian Erskine’s name may sound familiar – he is drummer Peter Erskine’s nephew – but he is also forging an identity as a top-notch electric bassist. On his newest recording – So To Speak, the Portland, OR-based artist has assembled some of the best Latin jazz musicians from the area to produce a hearty disk of funky Latin-flavored jazz fusion. Erskine’s sound is somewhat Jaco-esque, but with his own zest, and he plays several prodigious solos as well as propelling the songs with his acute sense of rhythm. However, despite his incredible technique, he never overplays and instead stays within service to the songs. Erskine is joined by drummer/percussionist Reinhardt Melz and percussionist Rafael Trujillo to create a monster rhythm bed that pianist Ramsey Embick and guitarist Chris Mosely are free to float over. Guests appear on tenor and soprano sax, trumpet and additional percussion on some of the songs. Everything is tasteful and melodic and compelling, with the delicious “Kaluanui” – driven by Erskine’s funky bass chords nearly reaching contemporary jazz “hit” status. Erskine has played with people like Gino Vanelli, Les McCann, Jeff Lorber and, of course, his uncle – who he says instilled a love of rhythm in him. Most of the songs such as “Inside Out,” “FIF,” “American Gyro” “Aslant,” “Caberina” and the album-ending “Creep” are mid-to-up-tempo with a funk fusion and Latin factor, but the tune “Light” lives up to it’s title and showcases Embick and Erskine nicely on a balladic tempo. I suspect with the talent he shows here, we will be hearing much more from this player/composer.
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Read the full interview here!
West coast bassist Erskine has been a name to watch for some time now, bubbling under with a debut album Trios that saw his vibrant six string bass playing tackle many well known standards such as Wayne Shorter’s ‘Footprints’, Chick Corea’s ‘Spain’ alongside some flamenco flavoured originals. While his technique and taste were impeccable it’s his mighty groove capabilities and strengths as a composer and bandleader that really shine here on his follow up. In fact it’s these latter qualities that make So To Speak a real joy to listen to, marking it out as a real ‘band’ record and not just a vehicle for some OTT bass chops. Fundamental to this is Erskine’s deep pocket grooves that while complex and full of his trademark syncopated thumb and finger plucking (his subtle update on Wooten’s double thumbing) it’s each song’s shifting meters, hefty Latin funk and soulful modern jazz that really make this a set that’s brimming with energy and emotion. One of the album’s more mind melting grooves is featured on ‘FIF’ which lopes along in decidedly funky 15/8 over which guitarist Chris Mosely and Erskine weave a snaking melody line, before a typically darting bass solo full of cracking percussive runs and a few close harmony chords. The percussion party really starts after Rafael Trujillo’s clattering timbale break and the band set up a Santana-esque Latin vamp in 5/4. It’s Erskine’s talent for blending subtle chords and a counterpoint bass line that adds weight to opener ‘Inside Out’ or the laid back funk of ‘Kaluani’, while the dark expanse evoked on ‘American Gyro’ takes on a hypnotic, pulsating quality. By tapping into his greatest strengths as a modern groove master with top-notch technique, Erskine shapes this exciting session perfectly from the low end, showing that a powerful groove-led performance can outshine the flashiest of soloists.
Mike Flynn – Bass Guitar Magazine
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By Bob Gish
More and more the bass is thought of not just as a solo instrument and the bass man is regarded as a likely front man.
Enter Damien Erskine leading a hip group with a Latin-fusion influence on a host of new tunes, all of them composed by Erskine. He’s the Man and proves it in his inventive compositions and in his imaginative ideas and performance.
Straight out of the shoot with the title track comes Chris Mosley, fusion guitarist par excellence, along side Erskine – a double “E” electrically engineered dynamic duo if there ever was one. Mosley drops the distortion tones for “Fif,” bringing on a more melodic, less affected tone which lends itself well to the foregrounding of Erskine’s electric bass funkiness on this tour de force, eight-minute excursion. Reinhardt Melz and Rafael Trujillo bring it all together with a percussion presence, which, all things considered, brings the entire project together. Latin-fusion is the name of the game here, so
to speak, making So To Speak a fantastically rhythmic offering. Much of the “sound” depends on the exchanges and complements of bass and drums, the bass serving as its own kind of percussive presence. “Kaluanui” features Mosley again on a long solo alongside Ramsey Embick’s piano/organ and Erskine’s bass – capturing a kind of smooth jazz, Foreplay sound without relinquishing the hard-beat fusion character of the group. Embick’s piano solo here both stands out and blends with the group in rapid unison playing. “American Gyro,” is an otherworldly tune made all the more ethereal by Mosley’s effects and harmonics. Erskine, with his slides and slaps, along with and his two “with-the beat” buddies ramp it up into warp-speed power with their rhythmic and percussive boosters. It spins, it sways, it sustains for a full six-minute blast. Traditional meet techno and say how do you do! “Light” softens things down a bit with more piano presence but never loses the edge that characterizes the project, the band, and the sound. “Aslant” resumes the heavy Latin beat with drums more or less defining the experience as, again, guitar and piano, sally forth in fine unison playing and respective soloing by drums and the guitar/piano twins. “Cabrerina” and “Creep” introduce trumpet and saxophones to the core quintet in fine orchestration that makes one, notwithstanding the satisfaction of their predecessor tunes, long for even more reeds and brass. In sum, Erskine and his rhythmic crew take us on an exciting, rewarding trip, so to speak.
All About Jazz review of “So To Speak” (link here) : 3/24/10
Bassist Damian Erskine is a master in the art of rhythmic trickery. Erskine, the nephew of famed jazz drummer Peter Erskine, has put together a program of original music that demonstrates his skills as a bassist, composer, and manipulator of time. The material here, whether placed in an odd time signature or simply feeling like it might be, is fusion-leaning music with some Latin underpinnings. The odd-metered workouts, bass virtuosity, and edgy guitar work from Chris Mosley help the music to lean toward fusion, while the percussion work from Rafael Trujillo, along with Mosley’s note choices and pianist Ramsey Embick’s playing, provide the Latin emphasis.
The fusion/Latin hybridization is best demonstrated on the opener, “Inside Out”—an introduction to the pairing of Erskine’s syncopated bass work and Mosley’s intense guitar lines. When Embick joins in, and the percussion takes on a more prominent role, the music takes a turn toward the Latin side of things. The odd-metered “FIF” opens with a rock solid groove in fifteen. It eventually evolves, through a rumbling percussion solo, and winds up with a completely different feel in five before returning to the original groove. “Kaluanui” has a smoother, more straight-ahead fusion orientation than the earlier tracks and the album benefits from this contrast.
“American Gyro,” featuring some spacey sounds and straightforward delivery, tends to meander and lose focus, but the band quickly rebounds. The music shifts to a post-modern jazz sound on “Light,” and this proves to be one of the strongest performances on the album. Reinhardt Melz provides a steady, enthusiastic ride pattern, while a saxophone/piano combination spins out an absorbing melody line. Erskine’s solo is one of the track’s highlights, and Melz’s move to brushes lends the music a different character. Erskine follows this delightful detour with a choppy, syncopated bass line on the engaging “Aslant,” which brings the band back to more familiar territory.
Rhythmic mastery and the Erskine name continue to be synonymous with Damian Erskine’s smoking performances on So To Speak.
by Dan Bilawsky
Bassist/composer Damian Erskine is the nephew of legendary jazz drummer Peter Erskine. Damian arrives from the West Coast this spring with a distinctively seasoned debut appropriately titled “So to Speak.” According to the press release, Damian’s debut “promises to be one of the most exciting recordings of 2010.”
I’m always elated to hear an artist’s of Damian Erskine’s caliber. On his debut, he attracts equivalent talent with the proper chemistry to achieve the quality of music found on his momentous recording. Therefore, he called on the following talented ensemble of musicians which is comprised of … Reinhardt Melz on drums, Ramsey Embick on piano, Chris Mosley plays guitar and Rafeal Trujillo is the percussionist. Also on hand is John Nastos on tenor horn, Jason Dumars on soprano saxophone, Paul Mazzio plays the trumpet and Derek Rieth working out on percussion.
On the opening selection Erskine’s rhythmic voice ascends progressively as his fingers rumble furiously up and down the fret with symmetrical results on the venomous “Inside Out.” Yes, this young cat came to play with chops galore he stands among the best of his peers yet they’re not imposing to the point of being abrasive … the music here is distinctive, stylish and tastefully managed!
Erskine’s assails his instrument unapologetically as it groans with enthusiasm extending the velocity of his musical vocabulary with the infectious Latin tinge grooves and textures on “FIF.” While connected in fluid motion, Damian’s tenacious voicing doesn’t ease up on the lively “Kaluanui” which complements the previous tune both compositions are in the spirit of his apparent musical influence bassist Jaco Pastorious.
The intensity of music rooted in the frame of “So to Speak,” awakens from within on the African influenced “American Gyro.” This sumptuous composition ultimately transcends style blending coherent rhythms and interrelated melodies for the cross-genre music aficionados to fest their ears on with each play.
The adventurous Erskine approaches his compositions with a sense of urgency on “So to Speak.” He strategically unleashes his voice with each note to increase the pulse with enthralling dexterity many of his rivals have yet to concur.
As a skillful songwriter and arranger, Erskine exudes his sound with three more powerful gems titled “Aslant, Cabrerina and Creep.” Although strikingly similar, on all three cuts Damian Erskine brilliantly fuses the elements of jazz accented with colorful Latin favors challenges the virtuosity of this marvelous ensemble.
Damian Erskine’s “So to Speak,” is simply flawless, rhythmically mesmerizing and underneath it all melodically transparent! “So to Speak,” by Erskine escapes the spoils of commercialism untarnished to unveil a musical gem that want disappoint even the hard to please music enthusiasts! Recommended: –Rob Young
http://theurbanflux.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/damian-erskine-so-to-speak/
My official CD release party for “So To Speak” will be held at Jimmy Mak’s on April 9th!! Here are the details:
Jimmy Mak’s
221 NW 10th Ave
Portland, OR
503.295.6542 for reservations
Show starts at 8pm
$12 at the door
The fabulous BEN DARWISH GROUP will be opening the evening (and they always impress!). Don’t miss one of the greatest nights in live and local music to hit Portland!
Jimmy Mak's : April 9th !
If you are a bassist and looking for an interesting play-along book, this is it! (or if you just want a book of charts from my newest CD!!). You’ll receive the book and a version of the CD mixed without bass. Right now, the book is currently available digitally over at my good friends [...]
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Link to the article HERE Damian Erskine – “So To Speak” Bassist Damian Erskine’s name may sound familiar – he is drummer Peter Erskine’s nephew – but he is also forging an identity as a top-notch electric bassist. On his newest recording – So To Speak, the Portland, OR-based artist has assembled some of [...]
If you are a bassist and looking for an interesting play-along book, this is it! (or if you just want a book of charts from my newest CD!!). You’ll receive the book and a version of the CD mixed without bass. Right now, the book is currently available digitally over at my good friends [...]
