(Photo courtesy of Jazz at the Oxford)
On November 17 & 18, Peter Erskine New Trio brings the more intimate realms of improvised music to BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford’s second set of shows of the series’ 8th year.
Peter Erskine New Trio is Peter Erskine’s latest piano trio project, combining the exquisite touchand harmonic sensibilities of pianist Vardan Ovsepian with the earthy yet virtuosic electric bass of Peter’s nephew, Damian Erskine. Their latest album, “In Praise of Shadows” was released in 2017.
“Peter Erskine New Trio’s authentic sound is representative of each musicianand their individual accolades. Peter himself is a renowned musician,and when paired with Vardanand Damian, this trio is able to converse musically with one another in an inherently unique manner,” said Samuel Johnson, General Manager of the OXFORD hotel. “To be able to bring this world-class talent to Bend, we rely on the support of our dedicated sponsorsand interest from the community. We are continually humbled by the unwavering support for this series.”
Peter Erskine has played drums since the age of four. He is known for his versatilityand love of working in different musical contexts. Over his career, he has appeared on 600 albumsand film scores, has won two Grammy Awards,and holds an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee College of Music. Peter has been voted “Best Jazz Drummer of the Year” ten times by the readers of Modern Drummer magazine,and he was recently inducted into the magazine’s Hall of Fame.
Vardan Ovsepian is an Armenia-born pianist/composer whose studies include Yerevan State Conservatory, Estonian Music Academy, Helsinki Jazz Conservatoryand Berklee College of Music. Vardan has released five CDs with the “Fresh Sound New Talent” label, as well as independent releases of VOCE – Vardan Ovsepian Chamber Ensemble.
Damian Erskine is known for his ability to fit into any musical situation, extraordinary readingand improvising skills, as well as being an educatorand columnist. Damian is an adjunct professor at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon,and he regularly teaches abroad with Jazz Education Abroad in Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Cyprusand Lebanon.
Tickets are $42 plus fees,and can be purchased online at jazzattheoxford.com. Show times are:
Friday, November 17, at 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 18, at 5:00 pm
Saturday, November 18, at 8:00 pm
In addition, the popular Free Music Education Workshop will be held on Saturday, November 18, at 11:15 am at the OXFORD hotel. Hosted by Georges Bouhey, all agesand skill levels are welcome to gain insightand musical life lessons from the members of the Peter Erskine New Trio. No registration is required.
BendBroadband’s Jazz at the Oxford is made possible by the support of several local companies that are dedicated to the cultural enrichment of Central Oregon. In addition to BendBroadband, the series is supported by returning sponsors The Sunstone Store, Zolo Media, The Bulletin, Subaru of Bend, Central Oregon Radiology Associatesand First Interstate Bank. The series is produced by Patrick Lamb Productions of Portland, Ore.