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Eric McPherson
By the time Eric was eight, he was teaching himself to play on a drum set borrowed from Charles Moffett. At twelve, he started seven years of formal drum studies under Michael Carvin, a master drummer and a brilliant teacher. Within the year, he was jamming with another kid, Abraham Burton (now a major saxophonist). Together, they started doing street performances at anti-apartheid rallies, soon to be joined by young Nasheet Waits (now an up and coming drummer). A year later they were performing on-stage at Barry Harris' Jazz Cultural Theater.
About the same time, Eric was admitted to New York's prestigious LaGuardia High School of the Arts, a school for gifted students. Soon he was selected for the New York All City High School Big Band, making his Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center debuts with the Big Band--and winning several Outstanding Soloist Awards.
Upon graduating, his mentor Michael Carvin recommended Eric to Jackie McLean. That led to a full scholarship for attending the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford. While still a student at Hartt, Jackie invited Eric to join the Jackie McLean Quintet--along with Rene McLean, Alan Palmer and Nat Reeves. For the next 15 years, until Jackie's recent death, Eric was his drummer, following in the distinguished footsteps of drummers Michael Carvin, Billy Higgins, Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams. Over those years, Eric recorded two CDs with Jackie and performed with him at major venues and festivals all over the Far East, Middle East, Latin America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the U.S.
In addition to his touring and recording with Jackie McLean, Eric has also performed with a wide range of major jazz figures, including Pharaoh Sanders, Andrew Hill, Richard Davies, Claudia Acuno, Jason Moran, Greg Osby and Avishai Cohen.
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Russ Lossing: Proximity Alert
by Mark Corroto
Is Russ Lossing's Proximity Alert more like football or baseball? The analogy works like this: Baseball is fathers and sons tossing a ball in the backyard, measured and casual; Football is a scrimmage, brothers running, grappling and tackling in the same yard. Throughout his career, Lossing has captained several exceptional trios. With bassist Ed Schuller, he had the rare honor of performing and recording alongside the legendary drummer Paul Motian. In the years that followed, he formed groups ...
Continue ReadingHillai Govreen: Every Other Now
by Kyle Simpler
Many musicians are content to write and perform songs, while others continuously explore deeper territory. Clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer Hillai Govreen belongs firmly to the latter camp. At heart, she is a storyteller, and with Every Other Now, her debut solo release, she creates music that invites not only listening but also imagination. Govreen first drew notice with Allusions (Starr Street, 2021), a duo with pianist Nitsan Kolko, where her sensitivity and command of dialogue came to the ...
Continue ReadingLegendary jazz drummer, bandleader and composer Eric McPherson
by Doug Hall
On this show we chat with legendary jazz drummer, band leader, and composer Eric McPherson. Mr. McPherson would be introduced to music and jazz at a very young age. Richard Davis, his godfather and an icon among jazz bassists, was a neighborhood friend of the family, and his mother, a superb dancer-choreographer, deep into the jazz scene was taking him to rehearsals and performances, as a child. Her wide orbit of friends included many drummers, major jazz artists like Max ...
Continue ReadingEric McPherson, Adegoke Steve Colson, and Emma Hedrick
by Jerome Wilson
This episode incudes recent music from Eric McPherson, Adegoke Steve Colson and Emma Hedrick as well as older tunes from Steely Dan, Lee Konitz, and Billy Childs. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Weather Report “Waterfall" from Live in Berlin 1971 (NDR Kultur) 00:53 Keith Tippett Group “Green and Orange Night Park" from Dedicated to You, But You Weren't ...
Continue ReadingEric McPherson: Double Bass Quartet - Live
by Pierre Giroux
Drummer Eric McPherson has long been recognized as a musician who combines rhythmic ingenuity and structural awareness in any project he undertakes. With Double Bass Quartet, recorded before a quietly appreciative New York audience, McPherson has assembled an unconventional line-up of Cuban pianist David Virelles along with bassists John Hébert and Ben Street, that challenges and redefines the traditional quartet format. The ensemble's two-bass configuration immediately invites comparisons to the more exploratory aspects of jazz history, yet this is no ...
Continue ReadingThe Burton/McPherson Trio: The Summit Rock Session at Seneca Village
by Jack Bowers
The Burton/McPherson Trio consists of tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, drummer Eric McPherson and bassist Dezron Douglas. Why it isn't called the Burton/McPherson/Douglas Trio is anyone's guess; the hope is that bassist Douglas' feelings weren't too badly hurt by the omission. He may have found solace in the outer jacket's addendum, “Featuring Dezron Douglas." In any case, this is the trio recorded live in June 2021 at Summit Rock in Seneca Village, an historic mostly African-American settlement in New York City's ...
Continue ReadingBorderlands Trio: Wandersphere
by John Sharpe
Like a billionaire with money to burn, the Borderlands Trio frequently launch into space, and hit the jackpot in doing so. On this double disc set, the threesome—comprising bassist Stephan Crump, pianist Kris Davis and drummer Eric McPherson—luxuriate in the wide open vistas of four expansive improvisations of between nineteen and forty-two minutes. The decision to play and present entire pieces rather than excerpts, as they did on some of the shorter numbers on their debut Asteroidea (Intakt, 2017), pays ...
Continue ReadingWill Sellenraad, Eric McPherson and Rene Hart release 'Greene Street Vol. 1' 0n Deko Music
Source:
Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
“For his fourth album, guitarist Will Sellenraad set out to capture a social dynamic in motion. He called on two longtime associates, bassist Rene Hart and drummer Eric McPherson, and made Green Street Vol. 1, which is due out on Deko Music on June 14. The album includes tunes by all three musicians, but its opening track—and first single, premiering here—is a song by pianist James Williams, “Alter Ego." Perhaps you remember the tune from Williams' album by that name ...
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Flutist/Composer Itai Kriss Releases New CD "The Shark" Featuring Aaron Goldberg, Omer Avital, Eric McPherson, Avashai Cohen, and John Ellis.
Source:
Two for the Show Media
Flutist/Composer Itai Kriss releases new CD “The Shark" featuring Aaron Goldberg, Omer Avital, Eric McPherson, Avashai Cohen, & John Ellis. Backed by a hard-grooving rhythm section and stellar special guests Itai Kriss explores the junction of swinging Hard-bop, Caribbean rhythms and funky beats in the first record as a leader from the virtuoso flutist and composer. Itai Kriss is a dynamic flutist whose musical style encompasses Jazz, Latin and Middle Eastern sounds. Born into a musical household in Israel, to ...
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Will Sellenraad Trio @ Smalls 6/17 Feat: Kiyoshi Kitagawa & Eric McPherson
Source:
All About Jazz
JD Allen, Eric Revis and Eric McPherson at The Blue Note, August 14
Source:
All About Jazz
The JD Allen Trio at The Blue Note Monday, August 14th, 2006 8pm & 10:30pm
JD Allen, tenor / Eric Revis, bass / Eric McPherson, drums
Hailed by the New York Times as “a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic,elegant and hard-driving style," J.D. Allen is one of the most thoughtful jazz saxophonists on the scene today.
The Detroit natives' apprenticeship has largely been in New York, where he has performed, recorded, and toured with legends Lester Bowie, George Cables, Betty ...
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Will Sellenraad & Root Down weekend extravaganza @ DETOUR NYC Feat: Eric McPherson & Gary Versace
Source:
All About Jazz
***Will Sellenraad & Root Down*** **Will Sellenraad- guitar** **Gary Versace- organ** **Eric McPherson- drums** *** get down... Friday, January 28th 9:30pm 1:30am & Saturday, January 29th 9:30pm 1:30am Detour 349 East 13th Street @ 1st Ave. NYC :: 212.533.6212 *** Hey folks, please join us for a very special winter weekend engagement at our favorite spot in NYC! ...
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Will Sellenraad Trio featuring Eric McPherson & Gary Wang @ Detour NYC
Source:
All About Jazz
Will Sellenraad & Root Down @ Detour Tonight feat... Eric McPherson
Source:
All About Jazz
Photos
Music
Cinco y Cuatro
From: Double Bass QuartetBy Eric McPherson
Questar
From: Sound RemainsBy Eric McPherson
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