From a funny arrangement by Peter Erskine and Danny Grissett, from Erskine’s new record Vienna To Hollywood, out now on Origin Records (hey, as is a new record I play on) which features the music of movie composers E.W. Korngold and Max Steiner. The tune is the theme from the movie A Summer Place, and has become better known than the movie. It was used in the movie Animal House— in the kleenex in the brassiere scene— and certainly many others.
Erskine put it in 5/8 time, and gave himself a solo— some have that thrust upon us, some thrust it upon themselves. He’s always been a highly musical player, and has long been trending to thinning any pyrotechnics out of his playing. On this whole record there’s a lot to learn in what he doens’t play. He’s not sweating on this solo, he’s being a gentleman, contenting himself with grooving along lightly with just some minor embellishments.
Played with brushes, though the sound is a little unusual, so maybe it’s some sort hip brush. He’s playing taps, any sweeping with the brushes is indicated by a tenuto mark. Tenuto marks below the staff indicate a half open sound with the foot on the hihat. As always, the dynamics are two dimensional as written; he plays the 8th note line with a lot of variation, maybe suggesting an alternating sticking, with one hand accenting. There’s also some variation in the muting of the drum, from the other brush resting on it.
There’s really no technical concept or pattern to pull from this, beyond the 8th notes on the snare drum, and bass drum outlining the 5/8, with light embellishments and variations. He’s not locked into it, it’s all by choice.
Quit screwing around, buy records— get this one via that link.