Jazz Articles about Michael Waldrop
About Michael Waldrop
Instrument: Multi-instrumentalist
Article Coverage | Calendar | Albums | Photos | Similar ArtistsMichael Waldrop: Time Frames

by Dan Bilawsky
While percussionist Michael Waldrop's previous work under the umbrella of the Origin imprint was firmly set in the jazz camp, with a pair of big band bonanzas and a magnetic trio date to his name and credit, this set typically moves beyond those borders, often offering an intriguing world music slant on contemporary classical percussion. Highlighting Waldrop's marimba (and vibraphone and drum set) work in a wide variety of settings, and showcasing his highly developed approach to composition and interpretation, ...
read moreMichael Waldrop: Triangularity

by Geannine Reid
Drummer and educator Michael Waldrop focuses on both drum set and tuned percussion (marimba/vibraphone). He is a Professor of Percussion and Jazz Studies at Eastern Washington University. Recording for Origin Records since 2014, Waldrop has already released two offerings on the label: Time Within (Origin, 2015) and Origin Suite (Origin, 2018). Waldrop's 2020 endeavor Triangularity is a remastered reissue of an earlier album, with bonus tracks added to the original tracks. It features a core jazz trio comprised ...
read moreMichael Waldrop: Origin Suite

by Jack Bowers
Drummer / vibraphonist Michael Waldrop's intriguing Origin Suite (deftly arranged by Jack Cooper) sweeps away musical boundaries to make its points, one of which is that big-band jazz needn't be ensnared in a time warp but is capable of changing with the times to engender songs that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are thematically stylish. The three-movement suite, written to feature Waldrop on drums and vibes, calls to mind in its powerful opening and closing narratives ...
read moreMichael Waldrop: Origin Suite

by C. Michael Bailey
Percussionist and big band leader Michael Waldrop has had a very successful relationship with composer Dr. Jack Cooper, late of the University of Memphis, Berlin, and parts unknown. Waldrop attended the University of Memphis for his master's degree (helming Cooper's Jazz Orchestra of the Delta) before completing his doctorate at the University of North Texas. Their previous big band collaboration, Time Within Itself Origin, 2015) was received with favorable reviews at All About Jazz. This was Waldrop's debut recording leading ...
read moreTop 12 "Recommended" Album Reviews: 2015

by Michael Ricci
All About Jazz tracks how often an album review is recommended, and the reviews listed below represent our top twelve published in 2015. Time Within Itself Michael Waldrop Big Band by Jack Bowers Published: April 2, 2015 Dreams Beyond George Spanos by Glenn Astarita Published: March 29, 2015 Heureux Comme Avec Une Femme Roberto Bonati and Diana Torto by Bruce Lindsay Published: ...
read moreMichael Waldrop Big Band: Time Within Itself

by Jack Bowers
Drummer Michael Waldrop has named his inaugural album as leader of a big band Time Within Itself. An even more appropriate name might have been It's About Time. Waldrop, who has taught for the past decade or so at Eastern Washington University, boasts a resume as long as one's arm. It includes a master's degree from the University of Memphis and a doctorate from the University of North Texas where he was a member of the celebrated One O'Clock Lab ...
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