Jazz at Holmes: ‘In the Midst’ - Paul DeMarinis, William Lenihan with special guest artist Paul Wertico

Paul DeMarinis is a well known performer, educator, and clinician and has been active in the St. Louis jazz scene for thirty-five years. He was cofounder of the chamber jazz trio In the Midst with William Lenihan and Roger Guth, one of St. Louis’ first new music improvising ensembles, performing widely in the early 1980’s. 

Later, his cooperative Brilliant Corners recorded for the MAX JAZZ label in 1997. He has written extensively for his own trio, quartet, and sextet. He enjoys long term musical relationships with the Kim Portnoy Jazz Orchestra and the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra. He has also been a faculty member of the International Summer Jazz Academy in Poland.

DeMarinis has performed with many jazz notables including Count Basie Orchestra, Dave Liebman, Louie Bellson, Gary Foster, and Bobby Shew. In a supportive role he has been a member of ensembles accompanying a wide range of popular artists including Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr. and others.

DeMarinis presents with long-time collaborator William Lenihan a selection of new compositions for saxophone, guitar and ensemble. From the former jazz clubs-era to the concert scene today, they have shared the stage in numerous productions for small group, big band and orchestra. Over years, Lenihan has performed or recorded projects with Bob Brookmeyer, John Patitucci, Michael Brecker and many others. As a studio guitarist and composer he has worked over decades with numerous artists and entertainers in film and theatre, symphonic and opera orchestras in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Europe. As well, his concert and film compositions are performed, and in broadcast throughout the world. The new music presented by this ensemble brings together the diverse musical experiences shared by these improvisers. 

Paul Wertico was a member of the Pat Metheny Group from 1983 to 2001. During that time, he won seven Grammy Awards (three for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, three for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance, and one for Best Rock Instrumental Performance). He has been awarded in numerous magazine polls, has received several gold records, and played drums & percussion on David Bowie’s hit recording (with the Pat Metheny Group), “This Is Not America.”

Wertico has played with countless artists and has performed in all 50 states and in over 60 countries. Paul has also played drums and percussion on hundreds of recordings, including Paul Winter’s Grammy nominated release, Earth: Voices of a Planet, and on four of vocalist Kurt Elling’s Grammy nominated releases. He also hosted his own weekly radio show, Paul Wertico’s Wild World of Jazz, from 2010 to 2012.

Wertico is also extremely active in the field of education. In addition to teaching drums privately for over 45 years, Paul is an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, and before becoming a full-time faculty member at CCPA, he served on the wind & percussion faculty of Northwestern University for 16 years. For over four decades, he’s conducted drum masterclasses, clinics, and workshops around the world and has written educational articles for numerous magazines. He also serves on the Advisory Board and the Pro- Panel of Modern Drummer magazine, the Education Committee of the Jazz Institute of Chicago, and he served five terms on the Board of Governors of The Recording Academy Chicago Chapter.

In 2004, Paul was a Chicago Tribune “Chicagoan of the Year.” In 2010, the Cape Breton International Drum Festival honored him with a “Life Time Achievement Award” for his “Major Contribution To The World Of Drumming & Education,” and that year he was also a recipient of the Montréal Drum Fest’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.” 

As a solo recording artist, Paul’s recordings have all received high critical praise with DownBeat magazine listing his “Impressions of a City”, as one its “Best CDs of 2010.” His DVD, Paul Wertico's Drum Philosophy, was named “One of the best drum videos of the last 25 years” by Modern Drummer magazine. LA Weekly wrote “His recent records, such as 2000’s Don’t Be Scared Anymore and the new StereoNucleosis, are stunning examples of the electronic, rhythmic and intellectual directions jazz could be going."

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