In the undergrowth of the jazz tree

The familiar depiction of jazz as a sturdy tree with a rather slender trunk and a dense, shaggy crown has become ingrained in our minds. From the 1960s at the latest, a branching out of trends and developments set in that defies any linear representation. All too often, therefore, treatises on jazz history end shortly after the middle of the century or lose their conciseness and substance from then on.

Peter Erskine, long-time drummer of the legendary quartet Weather Report, is aware of the complexity of the undertaking of reappraising his time during his lifetime - i.e. from the middle of the branches - to the extent that he does not venture out onto the branches from the outset in terms of stylistic or musical descriptions. His approach is almost purely autobiographical and very drum-specific. For example, several chapters are dedicated to his drum manufacturers. As a reader, he imagines himself as a loyal fan who devours anecdotes from his companions and from his own rich artistic life with great pleasure. The result is an almost novelistic narrative style. The fact that Erskine simultaneously packages this account as a chronicle of the most famous, if not necessarily most personally formative, formation is forgiven as a marketing move. As a non-drummer, the writer would hardly have stuck to the name Peter Erskine alone, although it turns out that several of the 600 albums he helped to create also adorn his record collection. This wealth and variety of styles alone deserve attention.

Erskine guides us through his life's work with great respect and admiration for the co-creators of his time, including countless legends who also deserve to be chronicled, and with commendable modesty and self-irony. He dedicates very personal mini-biographies to all his companions in the appendix. There are also short anecdotes and background information on his fifty most important albums. Unfortunately, he often remains too much on the surface musically. With all the "genius" titles he bestows, it would be interesting to find out what exactly constitutes genius in a musical personality. In his case, we find out: he can tell a great story and, of course, "drum fabulously". He has managed to jam with most of the jazz greats of our era and thus made a considerable contribution to the undergrowth of the jazz tree.

Incidentally, the fame of his recordings means that practically everything is documented on YouTube. The inglorious thing about the German edition of this book is the careless editing with regard to the that/that rules.

Peter Erskine, No Beethoven, Autobiography & Chronicle of Weather Report, German Edition, 352 p., € 16.95, Fuzzymusic/Alfred Music, Cologne 2014, ISBN 978-3-943638-91-2