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PETER ERSKINE ~ BIG THEATRE
AH UM 004 ~ USA ~ Soundtracks

Recorded: 1986 - 1989 Released: 1990

This is an utterly obscure album by American Jazz drummer / composer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist, which collects music he composed and recorded for three Shakespearean plays “Twelfth Night”, “Richard II” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, which were directed by John C. FletcherFind albums by this artist. Erskine recorded the music mostly by himself, using synthesizers and drums, but a few special guests took part in the recording: percussionist Paulinho Da CostaFind albums by this artist, bassist Will LeeFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Don GrolnickFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Vince MendozaFind albums by this artist, French horn players Jerry PeelFind albums by this artist and Peter GordonFind albums by this artist and finally timpani player Gordon GottliebFind albums by this artist. The album presents forty short track, all composed by Erskine.

The album was released on the legendary British label Ah UmFind albums on this label, owned by Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist, which recorded several other albums, on which Peter Erskine performed. Although not really a Jazz album, the music has a strong Jazz-World Fusion tinge to it. Music for theater hardly makes any sense when heard outside of the stage context, but this music sounds very interesting on its own and definitely is worth being heard. Of course the album is also a collector’s item as one of the releases on this brilliant small and forgotten label.

Overall, this album presents a completely unknown facet of the musical career by Jazz drummer Peter Erskine, which is surprisingly worth being discovered, now almost four decades after it was recorded.
Side Note
British composer / arranger Nick PurnellFind albums by this artist founded the short-lived Ah UmFind albums on this label label in 1989, which existed until 1993 and released a total of sixteen albums with some of the top British Jazz musicians of that period and a few American guests, which remain as of the finest recordings of that period. For some inexplicable reason all these albums are almost completely obsolete today, despite their excellent musical value, which is a shame, as they all deserve an honorable place in any decent British Jazz collection.
Updated: 30/09/2025Posted: 30/09/2025CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

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