Eric McPherson

Born and raised in New York, Eric was immersed in music from birth on: Richard Davis, his godfather and an icon among jazz bassists, was present at his birth. It was Richard who suggested he be named after Eric Dolphy. Before Eric was three months old, his mother--a superb dancer-choreographer deep in the jazz scene--was taking him, strapped to her back, to rehearsals and performances. Her wide orbit of friends included lots of drummers, major jazz artists like Max Roach, Michael Carvin, Charles Moffett and Freddie Waits. Small wonder that Eric was beating on pots and pans before he could walk. At three, he told Elvin Jones, another household friend, that he was definitely going to be a drummer.

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.

Eric McPherson: Double Bass Quartet - Live

Read "Double Bass Quartet - Live" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
September 1, 2025

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 ...

Album Review

The Burton/McPherson Trio: The Summit Rock Session at Seneca Village

Read "The Summit Rock Session at Seneca Village" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
July 24, 2022

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 ...

Album Review

Borderlands Trio: Wandersphere

Read "Wandersphere" reviewed by John Sharpe

by John Sharpe
November 20, 2021

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 ...

Album Review

Stephan Crump: Wandersphere

Read "Wandersphere" reviewed by Mark Corroto

by Mark Corroto
September 24, 2021

Let's play a game. Call it “Is it improvised or composed?" Today's contestants are the Borderlands Trio, comprised of bassist Stephan Crump, pianist Kris Davis, and drummer Eric McPherson. Their release Wandersphere, recorded in December, 2020, consists of four tracks on two CDs. Four lengthy tracks, the shortest nearly twenty minutes and the longest at forty-one minutes plus. The game is, of course, rigged because listeners of the trio's previous release Asteroidea (Intakt, 2017) will know all the music is ...

Album Review

Borderlands Trio: Stephan Crump / Kris Davis / Eric McPherson: Wandersphere

Read "Wandersphere" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan

by Dan McClenaghan
September 22, 2021

It begins so quietly, whispering out of silence like a ghost. The creaking door of Stephan Crump's arco bass, the hiss of Eric McPherson's brushes, the parsimonious delicacy of Kris Davis' piano notes. This is what opens Disc one of this two CD outing by the Borderlands Trio. The tune's following half hour's worth of improvisational expressionism--an exercise in filling the vacuum with free flowing musical ideas--gathers momentum, like an incoming storm, or maybe a colony of microscopic organisms reaching ...

Album Review

Tony Davis: Golden Year

Read "Golden Year" reviewed by Kyle Simpler

by Kyle Simpler
July 27, 2020

Tony Davis definitely knows how to get things done. At 25, he has already earned a Master's Degree and is involved in musical education. He has played and recorded with some of the most notable jazz musicians around, including the group, Works for Me. With Golden Year, his first solo album, Davis captures the energy of his recent experiences and transforms it into an exciting musical offering. This record not only showcases Davis' talent as a guitarist and composer, but ...

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Album Review

Eric McPherson: Continuum

Read "Continuum" reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
June 6, 2008

Drummer Eric McPherson leads a creative ensemble on this eclectic program for the free transmission of ideas. He's grown out of deep experience with the late legends Jackie McLean and Andrew Hill. Tradition remains intact as his ensemble interprets pieces by the former and bassist Richard Davis, while several original compositions power the drummer and his partners solidly. Abraham Burton joins on saxophones and flute, adding an alluring voice. When they team with bassist John Hebert--McPherson's rhythm mate from Hill's ...

Recording

Will Sellenraad, Eric McPherson and Rene Hart release 'Greene Street Vol. 1' 0n Deko Music

Source: Jason Byrne, Red Cat Publicity
November 14, 2019

“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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Recording

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
June 2, 2011

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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Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad Trio @ Smalls 6/17 Feat: Kiyoshi Kitagawa & Eric McPherson

Source: All About Jazz
June 17, 2008

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Performance / Tour

JD Allen, Eric Revis and Eric McPherson at The Blue Note, August 14

Source: All About Jazz
July 25, 2006

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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103

Performance / Tour

Will Sellenraad & Root Down weekend extravaganza @ DETOUR NYC Feat: Eric McPherson & Gary Versace

Source: All About Jazz
January 28, 2005

***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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Performance / Tour