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Paul Meyers
AVAILABLE MERCHANDISE:
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:
"One of the most eloquent jazz guitarists since Kenny Burrell"
James Gavin, NY Times
Guitarist/Composer Paul Meyers has performed and/or recorded with Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, Andy Bey, Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Eliane Elias, Clare Fischer, Sonny Fortune, Eddie Gomez, Stephon Harris, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross, Marc Johnson, Wynton Marsalis, Rufus Reid, David Sanchez, Kenny Werner, Frank Wess and the Woody Herman Orchestra in appearances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kool Jazz Festival, jazz clubs and on national tours. He's also been touring for years with two great jazz singers - Jon Hendricks since 1993, and Andy Bey since 1997.
International performances include tours to Japan and Hong Kong with the Salute to Duke Ellington Orchestra (featuring Paul along with Bob Brookmeyer, Mel Lewis and Joe Wilder), to Spain with the great percussionist Cafe, to France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy with Jon Hendricks, to England, Greece and the Netherlands with Andy Bey, and to Argentina with Gary Burton. Mr. Burton also recorded one of Paul's tunes, "Panama," on his "Reunion" album with Pat Metheny. Since the mid 1980s Paul has been very active in the vibrant Brazilian jazz scene in New York City. He was a member of the Terra Brasil, which featured pianist/composer Cidinho Teixeira and vocalist Vera Mara, both veterans of the great Gilberto Gil's band. From 1994 to 2003 he co-led Brasil and Company with Ms. Mara, He was also hired to perform in New York and Tokyo with the Tango-jazz pianist and composer Pablo Zeigler, who worked with Astor Piazzola for fifteen years. His great skills in both the jazz and Brazilian arenas have made him one of the most in demand players in New York.
Paul's own projects include:
World on a string, a new group featuring his original compositions and arrangements w/a larger ensemble including saxophone/flute and piano, combining concepts and influences of jazz, Brazilian, Latin and musics from around the world into a new mixture
Euforia, a envelope pushing Latin Jazz trio with Panamanian bassist/composer Santi Debriano and Brazilian drummer Vanderlei Pereira. The group released its debut CD in 1998 on the Mapleshade label. Paul and Santi recently reunited on the same label for a duet CD, "Spirit and Samba"
Solo Guitar, a long term and ever evolving endeavor, with two critically acclaimed CDs (see below) that explores solo guitar playing from the roots to new dimensions
Trio Concertant (combining guitar with cello and bass), who perform their own arrangements of jazz, classical and Brazilian music and have a award winning CD out on the Gunmar label.
In 2004 Paul released his 2nd solo guitar CD, Dusk to Dawn, a collection of original arrangements of Ellington, Gershwin, Lennon/McCartney, Scott Joplin ( joined on this track by William Galison on harmonica ), and more. This was the follow-up to his first solo CD, Blues for the Millennium, released in 1997, which garnered many great reviews. It features his arrangements of jazz and Brazilian pieces, four original compositions (including the title track) and his transcriptions of 7 pieces from Bela Bartok's "Mikrokosmos." Other recordings include Trio Concertant (Gunmar Records), which was awarded the first runner-up for best chamber music CD of 1992, by NAIRD (National Academy of Independent Record Distributors) and a jazz trio album, Blues for Henry Miller (Adirondack). Paul is also featured on tyhe Grammy nominated American Song (Savoy), Tuedays in Chinatown (Ncoded) and Shades of Bey (Evidence) with Andy Bey, Hearts and Minds with Susannah McCorkle (Concord), 4 on 6 x 5 with the New York Jazz Guitar Ensemble (Choice), and three Latin/Brazilian jazz recordings featuring all original music - Obeah with Santi Debriano (Freelance), Utatuba with Kimson Plaut and Lucky (Origin) with Hans Teuber.
Paul has also given numerous clinics, master classes and workshops, travelling as far away as Argentina, Hawaii and Alaska.
He received a 1990/91 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for jazz composition and holds a Masters of Music in jazz guitar from the Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelors of Music with honors from the New England Conservatory. He also studied with Gene Bertoncini, Jackie Byard, Barry Galbraith, George Russell, Chuck Wayne and Jack Wilkins. Paul teaches jazz guitar, improvisation and coaches jazz and Brazilian ensembles at William Patterson University (since 1988) and at New Jersey City University (since 1993), and he also taught at the first year of the Jazz for Teens program at NJPAC in Newark.
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