Paul Wertico


Paul Wertico is an American drummer. He gained recognition as a member of the Pat Metheny Group from 1983 until 2001, leaving the group to spend more time with his family and to pursue other musical interests.

Music career

Groups

After Pat Metheny heard the Simon & Bard Group with Wertico and bassist Steve Rodby, he invited both to join his band. During his time with Metheny, Wertico played on ten albums and four videos, appeared on television, and toured around the world. He won seven Grammy Awards, magazine polls, and received several gold records.
He formed the Paul Wertico Trio with John Moulder and Eric Hochberg and collaborated with Larry Coryell, Kurt Elling, and Jeff Berlin. From 2000 to 2007, he was a member of SBB, the platinum-record-winning Polish progressive rock band. Wertico was a member of the Larry Coryell Power Trio until Coryell's death in 2017.
In 2009, Wertico became a member of the jazz-rock group Marbin with Israeli musicians Danny Markovitch and Dani Rabin. The group performed as Paul Wertico's Mid-East/Mid-West Alliance and recorded an album for the Chicago Sessions label that received accolades from the Chicago Tribune, DRUM!, and Modern Drummer.
Wertico formed Wertico Cain & Gray with multi-instrumentalists David Cain and Larry Gray. Their debut album Sound Portraits won Best Live Performance Album in the 13th Annual Independent Music Awards, and their fourth album Realization was nominated for Best Live Performance Album and Best Long Form Video in the 15th Annual Independent Music Awards.

Appearances and other work

Wertico played drums on Paul Winter's 1990 Grammy-nominated album, Earth: Voices of a Planet. He played on vocalist Kurt Elling's 1995 Grammy-nominated album, Close Your Eyes, as well as Elling's 1997 Grammy-nominated album, The Messenger, 1998 Grammy-nominated album, This Time It's Love, and 2003 Grammy-nominated album, Man in the Air.
Some of the many other artists Paul has played with: Eddie Harris, Lee Konitz, Dave Liebman, Sam Rivers, Bob Mintzer, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco, Roscoe Mitchell, Evan Parker, Jay McShann, Herbie Mann, Lew Tabackin, Randy Brecker, Sonny Fortune, Paolo Fresu, George Coleman, Diane Schuur, Ira Sullivan, Kenny Davern, Mike Stern, Patricia Barber, Tim Hagans, Niels Lan Doky, Joe Daley, Makanda Ken McIntyre, Charlie Haden, Tierney Sutton, Joshua Breakstone, Marcus Belgrave, Charles Gayle, Sheila Jordan and Ramsey Lewis.
He hosted his own radio show, Paul Wertico's Wild World of Jazz, from 2010 to 2012. As Musical Director for the crowdsourced TV video series, Inventing the Future, Wertico was nominated for a 2012–2013 Emmy Award in the “Outstanding Achievement In Interactivity” category by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Midwest Chapter.
He's the inventor of TUBZ, made by Pro-Mark, which also made the "Paul Wertico Signature Drum Stick".
In November 2024, Dream Cymbals released two Paul Wertico signature flat ride cymbals, the 20” & 22” .

Teaching

Wertico is very active in the field of education. In addition to teaching drums privately for 55 years, he is an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University in Chicago, and he also headed the school’s Jazz & Contemporary Music Studies program for five years. He served on the faculty of the percussion and jazz-studies programs at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois for 16 years, and taught at the Bloom School of Jazz in Chicago for several years.
He has written educational articles for Modern Drummer, DRUM!, Drums & Drumming, Drum Tracks, and DownBeat, and for Musician.com. He serves on the advisory board of Modern Drummer, and is also one of their Pro-Panelists.
Wertico served five terms on the Board of Governors of The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, as well as serving on both the Advisory Board and the Education Committee of The Jazz Institute of Chicago.
Wertico has performed numerous drum clinics and master classes at universities, high schools, and music stores in the U.S. and around the world, including Drummers Collective in NYC, Percussion Institute of Technology in LA, North Texas State University, and the University of Miami, as well as Musicians Institute in England, Drummers Institute in Germany, Escuela de Música Creativa in Spain, Università della Musica in Italy, Escuela de Música de Buenos Aires in Argentina, and the Rimon School of Jazz in Israel.
He has been a featured clinician/soloist at numerous international drum festivals including Canada’s Cape Breton International Drum Festival and the Montréal Drum Fest, Uruguay’s Montevideo Drum Festival, the CrossDrumming International Festival of Percussive Arts in Poland, the Mendoza International Drum Festival in Argentina, the Percussion Camp International Percussion Festival in Greece, and the First International Drummers Week in Venezuela, as well as at schools and festivals in New Zealand, Chile, Mexico, Russia, Hungary, France, Sweden, Ireland, and Spain.
He also performed at the 1994, 1999, 2002 & 2018 Percussive Arts Society International Conventions, the 1997 Modern Drummer Drum Festival, and the 2005, 2013, 2014, 2019 & 2023 Chicago Drum Shows. Wertico is featured in the Drum Workshop videos, The American Dream II, The American Dream III and Masters of Resonance.
He has released two instructional videos: Fine Tuning Your Performance and — the latter, was named “One of the best drum videos of the last 25 years” by Modern Drummer magazine.
Wertico’s drum instructional book was published by Alfred Music on July 7, 2017.

Recordings

Wertico has also released numerous recordings as co-leader: a self-titled LP, Earwax Control, and a live Earwax Control CD entitled, Number 2 Live; a self-titled LP, Spontaneous Composition; a drum/percussion duo CD entitled BANG!; a double-guitar/double-drum three-CD set entitled The Sign Of 4; and two piano/bass/drums trio CDs entitled Union and State of the Union.
Some of his latest releases include a DVD & CD by David Cain & Paul Wertico entitled Feast for the Senses; a CD by Paul Wertico & Frank Catalano entitled Topics of Conversation; a CD by Fabrizio Mocata, Gianmarco Scaglia & Paul Wertico entitled Free the Opera!; a DVD & CD by Wertico Cain & Gray entitled Sound Portraits ; Wertico Cain & Gray’s second CD entitled Out in SPACE; Wertico Cain & Gray's second DVD & third CD entitled Organic Architecture; Wertico Cain & Gray's fourth CD & video release entitled Realization ; Wertico Cain & Gray's fifth CD entitled Short Cuts – 40 Improvisations; Wertico Cain & Gray's sixth CD entitled AfterLive; Wertico Cain & Gray's seventh CD & downloadable video release entitled Without Compromise; and Wertico Cain & Gray's eighth CD entitled Windows Of Time; a CD entitled Dynamics in Meditation by the Gianmarco Scaglia & Paul Wertico Quartet; The Paul Wertico/John Helliwell Project has two releases: a CD entitled The Bari Sessions and a 2-CD set entitled Live Under Italian Skies; and the Chicago-based Paul Wertico Trio released a CD entitled First Date, and the Italy-based Paul Wertico Trio also released a CD entitled Letter from Rome. Paul’s latest two CDs are entitled Paul Wertico’s Drums Without Boundaries, and Tuxedo Man by David Becker & Paul Wertico.

Influences

Wertico has cited Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, and Roy Haynes as continual influences on his musical work.

Awards and honors

Discography

As leader

Paul Wertico
  • The Yin and the Yout
Paul Wertico Trio
WERTICO
  • StereoNucleosis
Paul Wertico Trio
  • Another Side
Paul Wertico Trio
  • "Cowboys & Africans" - A Chicago Jazz Tour
Paul Wertico’s Mid-East/Mid-West Alliance
  • Impressions of a City
Paul Wertico Trio
  • Letter from Rome
Paul Wertico
  • ''Paul Wertico's Drums Without Boundaries''

As co-leader

With Spontaneous Composition
  • Spontaneous Composition
With Earwax Control
  • Earwax Control
  • 2 LIVE
  • "Mein Herr Ball" - Pro-Mark Collector's Edition Vol II
With Trio New
With Paul Wertico & Gregg Bendian
  • BANG!
With Derek Bailey, Pat Metheny, Gregg Bendian & Paul Wertico
  • The Sign Of 4
With Union
  • Union
  • State Of The Union
With Brian Peters & Paul Wertico
  • Ampersand
With Silvano Monasterios, Mark Egan & Paul Wertico
  • Jazz Impressions 1
With David Cain & Paul Wertico
  • Feast For The Senses
With Paul Wertico & Frank Catalano
  • Topics Of Conversation
With Fabrizio Mocata, Gianmarco Scaglia & Paul Wertico
  • Free The Opera!
With Wertico Cain & Gray
  • Sound Portraits
  • Out In SPACE
  • Organic Architecture
  • Realization
  • Short Cuts – 40 Improvisations
  • AfterLive
  • Without Compromise
  • Windows Of Time
With Gianmarco Scaglia & Paul Wertico Quartet
  • Dynamics In Meditation
With Paul Wertico / John Helliwell Project
  • Live Under Italian Skies
  • The Bari Session
With Marbin
  • Marbinico
With David Becker & Paul Wertico'
  • Tuxedo Man''

As member

With Pat Metheny Group
With SBB
  • Good bye!
  • The Golden Harp
  • TRIO Live Tournee 2001
  • Nastroje
  • Anthology 1974–2004
  • ODLOT Live 2004
  • New Century
  • Live In Theatre 2005
  • Tryptyk Bydgoski – czesc III: Live In Kuznia
  • Live Cuts: Ostrava 2002
With Simon & Bard Group
  • Musaic
  • Tear It Up
  • ''The Enormous Radio''

As sideman

With Larry Coryell
  • The Power Trio: Live In Chicago
  • Tricycles
  • Larry Coryell Organ Trio - Impressions: The New York Sessions
  • Prime Picks: The Virtuoso Guitar Of Larry Coryell
  • Aurora Coryellis
  • Tricycles
With Kurt Elling
With Ken Nordine
  • Triple Talk
  • Grandson Of Word Jazz
  • Ear Package
  • Upper Limbo
  • Transparent Mask
  • Bits & Pieces Of Word Jazz
With Terry Callier
  • "I Don't Want to See Myself " / "If I Could Make You "
  • TimePeace
  • Lifetime
  • "Silent Night"
  • Life Lessons - The Best of Terry Callier
With John Moulder
  • Awakening
  • Through The Open Door
  • Trinity
  • Bifröst
  • John Moulder Quintet - The Eleventh Hour: Live At The Green Mill
  • Earthborn Tales Of Soul And Spirit
  • Decade: Memoirs
  • Metamorphosis
With Howard Levy
With Marbin
  • Breaking the Cycle
  • Last Chapter of Dreaming
  • Marbinico
With Scott Earl Holman
  • Faith & Works
  • Ode
  • He Will Be Immanuel
  • Easter
With Vangelis Katsoulis
  • Silent Voyage
  • An Unbearably Short Glance
  • The Exile of Dreams
With Niels Lan Doky
  • Asian Sessions
  • Haitek Haiku
  • New Visions For A New World
With Apostolis Anthimos
  • Days We Can't Forget
  • Back To The North
With Bobby Lewis
  • Inside This Song
  • Passion Flower
  • Here I Go Again
  • Flugel Gourmet
  • Just Havin' Some Fun
With Paul Winter

With others

With Eric Hochberg
  • Eric Hochberg's Reunion Band
With Kol B’Seder
  • We Are Partners
With Fareed Haque
  • Casseus!
With Alina Skrzek
  • Marzenia
With Roman Miroshnichenko
  • The Sixth Sense
With Paloma San Basilio
  • Más Cerca
With Fabrizio Mocata
  • Swango
With Andrea Miller
  • Maybe Today
With Fabio Armiliato
  • Recital CanTango
With Isabelle Olivier
  • Don't Worry, Be HaRpy
With Mario Parmisano
  • Forever Astor
With Bob Mamet
  • London House Blues
With Carrie McDowell
  • Talk About The Girl
With Willa Moore
  • Griffith Park
With Lisa McClowry
With Steve Behr And The Behrkats
With Frank Quintero
  • Guerreros De Luz
With Patxi Pascual
  • After Dark
With Dimension
  • 23
With Liam O'Connor
  • Tico Mystico
With Alberto Mizrahi
  • My World
With Julio Awad
  • Thousand Miles
With Jim Trompeter
  • Wakefulness
With Matt Geraghty Project
  • Passport
With Piotr Wojtasik
  • Circle
With Ronit Ben-Arie
  • More Hebrew In Song
With Synergy
  • Later
With Jill Jensen & Jack Grassel
  • It's About The Music
With Mike Phillips
  • Uncommon Denominator
With Walt Cunningham Jr.
  • Faithful Over a Few Things
With Insout
  • Acoustic Privacy
With Frontera Cero
  • Nada Que Declarar
With Anthony Plessas
  • Tales of The Water
With Lefteris Christofis
  • Nous Icons
With The Beth Emet Youth Choir 2004-2005
  • The Magical Makeilah
With Tom Mac
  • Upper Palette
With Allegra Rosenberg & Talia Wertico
  • Songs For The Swing Set
With Barbara Sfraga
  • Under The Moon
With Kindred The Family Soul
With David Bowie
  • "This Is Not America" - Best of Bowie
With Frank Kvinge
  • Gaucho Batuta
With Frank Catalano
  • Live At The Green Mill
With Gillespi
  • SuperChatarraEsp̩éshal
With John Williams
  • Steam
With Rob Ryndak
  • Stay With It
With Shakshuka
  • Ad Halom
With Hanako Takami
  • On The First
With Tom Gullion
  • Cat's Cradle
With Cheryl&Co.
  • Cookie Time.
With Willy Schwarz
  • Live For The Moment
With Jackie Allen
  • "Deserted Caravan" - Women Who Swing—Chicago
With Pat Belliveau
  • La Zona Blanca
With Eddie Marshall
  • Cookin' For You
With The Rich Corpolongo Quartet Plus Two
  • Just Found Joy
With Frank Gregory
  • Inner Drive
With The Chicago Hitmen
  • Ultimate Christmas
With Watermelon Sugar
  • Watermelon Sugar
With Pat Metheny
With Paul Halley
  • Angel On A Stone Wall
With Don Bennett
  • Sleeping Giant
With Eugene Friesen
  • Arms Around You
With Fred Simon
  • Usually/Always
With Brad Goode
  • Shock of the New
With Andrew Calhoun
  • Walk Me To The War
With Miss Jackie Weissman
  • Sniggles, Squirrels, And Chicken Pox: Volume One
With Jerry Goodman
With Guy Fricano
  • Jazz Inside Out
With Dave Gordon
  • Green Things
With Andre Caporaso
  • Collage
With Fred Koch
  • Children's Record
With Rich Fudoli
  • Getting Hooked On
With David Cloud & Jeffrey Thomas
  • The Jazz Dance Workout Giordano Technique
With Peggy Pascal & Jill Hearn
  • Music Is Magic
With Ellen McIlwaine
  • Everybody Needs It
With Mike Smith
  • Luminescence
With Amy Levin
  • "Sunglasses" / "Good To You"
With Paul Berliner and KUDU
  • ''The Sun Rises Late Here''