Time Frames

...a beautiful, nuanced and expansive work. If Mr. Waldrop only played the drumset, that would be enough for me (he's top-notch on that axe!), but here he also acquits himself admirably on marimba and vibes, and represents himself as an extremely communicative composer. Listening to this CD, I close my eyes and imagine I am in a recital hall and the musicians are filling my head and heart with the many feelings and emotions conveyed in this wonderful program of music.
Joe Locke

While featuring the marimba as a melodic instrument throughout Time Frames, percussionist Michael Waldrop fully celebrates its origins as an African percussion instrument, creating provocative rhythmic undercurrents to offset his soaring melodies and improvisations. Surrounding himself with other renowned and musically diverse percussionists Gordon Stout, Brad Dutz, Jose Rossy and Marko Djordjevic, the heightened rhythmic colorings propel Waldrop's five original compositions. Jack Cooper's expansive "Three Mediterranean Views" gives space to pianist Steve Snyder, while two drumsets provide the hurricane power behind "Katrina's Path." Famed marimbist Gordon Stout's "Incoming" is a virtuosic study for himself on marimba and Waldrop on drumset. Stylistically vast—from delicate, classical chamber music, to intricate, groove-laden marimba and percussion atmospheres, or ferocious waves of drums—Time Frames retains a musical center, one that revels in the deep, fundamental human connection to rhythm.

"The music on this CD is often infused with influences from minimalism, popular music, and other styles and genres, but always informed with musical sensibility, harmonic sophistication and intelligence.  Most importantly, Michael Waldrop is both a lifelong fan and staunch devotee of both mallet keyboard percussion and all things drumming.  And, he knows how to groove!" - Gordon Stout

Production Info:

Produced by Michael Waldrop & Tim Reppert
Mixed by Tim Reppert, Boston, MA
Mastered by Scott Kinsey, Los Angeles, CA
Waldrop photos by Jordan Lewis
Zimbabwean Shona sculpture (The Drummer) by Phillip Mawarire
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
(1,2,7,12,15) Marimba - Recorded by Michael Lewis, Song Mill Studio, Hayden, ID; July, 2020
Percussion - Recorded by Jimi Tunnell, Buffalo Sound, Denton, TX; Nov, 2020
(3-6) Marimba / Piano / Vibes - Recorded by SaCha MÜller, Dead Aunt Thelma's Studio, Portland, OR Dec, 2020
(3-5) Percussion - Recorded by Brad Dutz, Los Angeles, CA / Piano - Recorded by Alan Johnson, Static Shack, Indianapolis, IN / Bass - Recorded by Travis Huisman, Catamount Recording. Cedar Falls, IA; Nov, 2020
(4) Bass - Recorded by Matt Tutor, Bloodworth Studio, Memphis. TN
(8-10) Recorded by Steve Gamberoni, SFCC, Spokane, WA; Jan, 2019
(11) Recorded by Shawn Trail, EWU Recital Hall, Cheney, WA; June 2020
(13) Recorded by Tim Reppert, REP Studio, Ithaca, NY; Dec, 2005
(14) Recorded by Wayne Peet, KillZone Studio, Los Angeles, CA; August 2010

Reviews of Time Frames

Midwest Record (Chris Spector)
The percussionist shows there's more that you can do with rhythm than provide heat for the feet. Kind of a world jazz based set that takes you well off the beaten path, if things like marimba, kalimba and such are familiar to you, this often trancy set with tickle your fancy in a nice way. Step into his chamber and feel the beat. ...

Jazz Weekly (George W Harris)
Playing marimba, drums, keyboard sequencing and vibes, Michael Waldrop creates a percussion discussion with Jose Rossy/perc, Marko Djordjevic/dr, Gordon Stout/mar and a sometime guest team of Alex Peshounin-Sam Shoup/b and Steve Snyder-Ivana Cojbasic/p. The sticks get tribal and pretty on "Fractals" with African heat beating on "Leon De Palamidi" a ...

33third.org (Michael Ambrosino)
Michael Waldrop skillfully explores the concentric circles of classical percussion and jazz. ...

Michael's Jazz Blog (Switzerland) (Michael Ferber)
Drummer, percussionist and composer Michael Waldrop has released a fantastic album featuring the marimba called ‘Time Frames'. The 15 songs, most of them originals by Michael Waldrop, present a wide spectrum of styles and sounds, from the origin of the marimba as an African instrument to eclectic contemporary compositions. Waldrop surrounds himse ...

All Music Guide (RJ Lambert)
4 1/2 STARS - TOP 50 RECORDINGS OF 2021 Time Frames is Michael Waldrop's fourth album, in collaboration with some of the most well-known names in percussion, including Gordon Stout and Marko Djordjevic. Showcasing compositions by Waldrop, Stout and others, this album features the marimba as the main melodic voice and rhythmic timekeeper. The inst ...

Take Effect (Editor)
The multi-instrumentalist and educator Michael Waldrop made me a fan pretty quick with 2019's Triangularity, and this follow up and 4th album highlights Waldrop's marimba talent as he takes help from Gordon Stout, Brad Dutz, Jose Rossy and Marko Djordjevic across chamber, classical and groove filled tracks. Waldrop starts the listen with the me ...

All About Jazz (Dan Bilawsky)
4-STARS While percussionist Michael Waldrop's previous work under the umbrella of the Origin imprint was firmly set in the jazz camp, with a pair of big band bonanzas and a magnetic trio date to his name and credit, this set typically moves beyond those borders, often offering an intriguing world music slant on contemporary classical percussion. H ...

Percussive Notes (Jim Lambert)
This 2021 CD features the music of Michael Waldrop on marimba, vibraphone, and drum set. Additionally, percussionists Gordon Stout, Brad Dutz, Jose Rossy, and Marko Djordjevic are featured on several tracks. In addition to Waldrop as a composer, other composers include Jack Cooper, Nathan Daughtrey, Jonathan Middleton, Stout, and Dutz. This CD refl ...

All About Jazz (C. Michael Bailey)
Another marimba recording, this one very different from Kuniko's Tribute to Miyoshi (Linn, 2021). Also, another collaboration with Jack Cooper for percussionist and drummer Michael Waldrop, the two having previously released Time Within Itself (Origin, 2015) and Origin Suite (Origin, 2018). Cooper's contribution this time is "Three Mediterranean Vi ...