With two successful large ensemble, jazz recordings completed with Origin Records (Time Within Itself and Origin Suite), Michael Waldrop contracted with the label for the third release. The primary aim of the album was to focus of Waldrop's prowess as a classic mallet virtuoso. Several of Waldrop's musical compositions made up the core of the album repertoire and several new works were commissioned for the project. Funding for Time Frames was provided by a University of Eastern Washington Faculty Research and Creative Work Fund (FRCW) grant (third FRCW grant Waldrop received).[1] Completed primary during the COVID-19 pandemic, remote recording was done in Los Angeles, Indianapolis and Memphis TN.[1]Time Frames was chosen for the 2021 AllMusic Guide Top 50 List for Classical Recordings.[1]
"Time Frames" features the marimba, its origins as an African percussion instrument and also includes jazz improvisation as a key element in the musical works/recording. Along with Waldrop, other established musicians are included on the release such as Gordon Stout, Brad Dutz, Jose Rossy and Marko Djordjevic. Jack Cooper's Three Mediterranean Views was specifically written for the Origin Records release. Music on the recording covers a wide cross section of influences from jazz, classical, minimalism, popular music and numerous other genres.[1]
"Although there are some passages where (two) drummers are playing in unison, the fusion of improvised and precomposed music is seamless. Time Frames reveals an unseen facet of Waldrop's musical individuality."[2]
"Easy to appreciate, hard to categorize and impossible to ignore, Time Frames is a testament to one exceptional percussionist's determination, skill and creative vision."[3]
