Pet projects can be terrific, especially when they come from a legendary musician finally making the album he always had in his head. In the liner notes to Peregrine, drummer Peter Erskine puts it plainly: “This is the album I always wanted to make.”
He is joined by pianist Alan Pasqua, whose résumé includes the New Tony Williams Lifetime, Bob Dylan, and Santana, and bassist Scott Colley, who has worked with Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, and Joshua Redman. Together offering a combination of heartfelt originals and choice covers, the group delivers a lush, beautifully recorded analog jazz experience.
Peregrine embraces post-bop to pop sensibilities in a jazz mode, opening with Pasqua’s soulful “Gumbo Time.” They then dive into Keith Jarrett’s title track from his 1978 Impulse Records LP “Bop Be” (the first Jarrett album I ever bought, by the way!). The group transforms some classic pop into compelling jazz voyages in a totally refreshing manner such as on Jimmy Webb’s iconic “Wichita Lineman.” Phoebe Snow’s “Poetry Man” features fine guest vocals by Kate Lamont and additional saxophone and percussion from Bob Shepherd and Brian Kilgore.
Peregrine significantly also pays homage to the recently departed Brian Wilson, covering his gorgeous, iconic composition “God Only Knows.” This performance is particularly special to me not only as a fan of Wilson’s music but because just last year I was utterly blown away by The Julian Shore Trio’s take on another Pet Sounds-era Wilson composition, “Don’t Talk” (found on their brilliant LP Sub Rosa, which I reviewed in case you missed it).
Seriously, between these two tremendously beautiful tracks, I can easily envision a super compelling, poignant jazz tribute album to Brian Wilson being assembled. (Just sayin’ to all you music-industry powers-that-be out there reading this!).
Perhaps my favorite tune on Peregrine, however, closes the album: a haunting hushed meditation by Erskine called “On The Lake” which beautifully captures the essence of stillness through music. A remarkably understated and beautiful performance, this is very much one of those tracks where less is clearly more.
Produced at Reelsounds Studio in Illinois, album liner notes reveal that the album is likely an all-analog recording, and pretty much captured in first takes. The recording has that kind of energy to it. Accordingly, the vinyl pressing delivers a very warm, rich and welcoming portrait of the band in the studio.
This music feels fluid, with particularly rich natural presence and decay on Erskine’s sensitive drum and cymbal work — listen for those crips rides and wave-like splashes on “Bop Be”! — and Pasqua’s piano (check out those long held single notes on “Wichita Lineman”). Even though Mr. Erskine is the most well-known member of the group playing arguably the (potentially) loudest instrument, unlike many vintage jazz albums led by drummers (ie. Krupa, Blakey, Jones, etc), Peregrine presents the music as very much a balanced group sound.
Mastered by Jeff Powell at Takeout vinyl in Memphis, Peregrine is pressed on dark, quiet, perfectly well centered standard weight black vinyl, so the music appears transparently, and naturally out of your speakers. Peregrine is the work of serious music professionals creating music from the heart. Well worth your attention.
An independent release from Hard Wag Records, you can get Peregrine online at Amazon for $27.99.
Mark Smotroff is a deep music enthusiast / collector who has also worked in entertainment oriented marketing communications for decades supporting the likes of DTS, Sega and many others. He reviews vinyl for Analog Planet and has written for Audiophile Review, Sound+Vision, Mix, EQ, etc. You can learn more about him at LinkedIn.
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