Paul Wertico

Paul Wertico (born January 5, 1953 in Chicago ) is an American jazz drummer .

Paul Wertico began playing the drums at the age of twelve, which he learned essentially self-taught, and played in the Illinois High School Band, which earned him a scholarship. After his school days he became a busy member of the Chicago music scene, worked in big bands, rock groups, with folk singers (Terry Callier) and also in jazz formations of free improvisation, such as Earwax Control (which he founded with multi-instrumentalist Jeff Czech and keyboardist Gordon James) and Spontaneous Composition Trio , in which he was also one of the founders alongside Rich Corpolongo and bassist Doug Lofstrom. He also accompanied Larry Coryell , Bunky Green and Jack Bruce . He became known as a member of the Pat Metheny Group , to which he belonged from 1983 to 2001 and in which he replaced Danny Gottlieb . During this time he worked on Metheny albums such as First Circle or We Live Here in 1994. In the following years Wertico worked mainly in Illinois around Chicago and led his own fusion formation, the Paul Wertico Trio with guitarist John Moulder and bassist Eric Hochberg. He also worked with Kurt Elling , Jerry Goodman , Paul Winter and with pianist Laurence Hobgood and bassist Brian Torff in the Union Trio . In 1993 he recorded his first album under his own name ( The Yin and the Yout ). After his time with Metheny he also played in a trio with Larry Coryell. From 2000 to 2007 he was a member of the Eastern European progressive rock band SBB .

Wertico also worked on recordings by Derek Bailey ( The Sign of Four , 1996), Rich Corpolongo (1995) and Niels Lan Doky (1999).

In 2004, Wertico was named one of the Chicagoers of the Year by the Chicago Tribune . He won a total of seven Grammy Awards in jazz and rock with the Pat Metheny Group from 1984 to 1998 . He describes the drummer Roy Haynes as his most important influence .

Wertico teaches as Head of Jazz Studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and in the Percussion Department of the School of Music at Northwestern University .

literature

• Ian Carr , Digby Fairweather , Brian Priestley : Rough Guide Jazz. The ultimate guide to jazz. 1800 bands and artists from the beginning until today. 2nd, expanded and updated edition. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2004, ISBN 3-476-01892-X (English edition: The Rough guide to jazz. 3rd edition. 2004, ISBN 1-84353-256-5 .)

Web links

• Works by and about Paul Wertico in the catalog of the German National Library
• Paul Wertico's website
• Wertico at Drummer World