About Paul Metzke

"Paul Metzke has crafted a sound and style that is immediately recognizable, skillfully articulated, original, personal, powerful and passionate. With the feeling of the Blues, the energy and vitality of Rock and the freedom and spontaneity of straight ahead jazz." Roger-Z of "The Working Musician."

An accomplished professional on the New York music scene for well over 40 years, guitarist and composer Paul Metzke has built an impressive resume performing in concerts, clubs, Broadway shows, on television and recording with some of the icons of the music industry, including Gil Evans, Dave Matthews, Charlie Rouse, Gato Barbieri, Lionel Hampton, Tony Williams and Paul Motian.

In an article on Motian's "Tribute" CD, music reviewer John Kelman praised Paul Metzke's abilities, noting that while Metzke may not be a household name, he is "well-known amongst musicians, ranging from composer/arranger Gil Evans and saxophonist Gato Barbieri to drummers Joe Chambers and Al Foster." Describing him as an assertive, overtly pyrotechnical player with an ability to listen and interlock in a performance, Kelman added, "Metzke's gymnastics are clearly informed by early John McLaughlin, with the same kind of clear articulation, even at brighter tempos."

Born on September 11, 1946, this Detroit native grew up influenced not only by the Motown sound and guitarists Wes Montgomery, John McLaughlin and Jimi Hendrix but by his own mother's love of music.

"I got exposed to great music of all kinds thanks to her," commented Paul, who began playing at the age of 12 and quickly developed the mantra of "the more you practice, the better you get." "I loved music from early on and wanted to play piano or drums, but the guitar was what I got 'stuck' with. From the first lesson on, I couldn't put it down."

His guitar of choice is a Heritage 535 semi-hollow electric that he calls, "not only the best guitar I ever owned, but the best guitar I ever played." "The touch, the tone, the feel, and the sound. It is totally inspiring to play."

Paul Metzke made the move to New York in 1968 when a music producer asked him to back up a singer. The 21 year old found the city amazing, getting to watch jam sessions by Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Miles and later Jimi Hendrix, all on his first night.

"Sure enough there was Jimi in a very casual setting jamming on a small stage," Metzke recalled. "I think this was the beginning of what was to become the "Band of Gypsies" later on. My only regret of that evening is I had my guitar with me, and I could have jammed with Jimi, but I thought there would be other chances."

Metzke made New York his permanent home because of the city's energy, action and inspiration. He explained, "It is a Mecca for the best and greatest musicians from all over the world. New York is the city of professionals."

His first major gig there was an off-Broadway show called "Now" with Barry Manilow as the musical director. After that show's run, he performed with Paul Anka in Las Vegas at the Sands Hotel. Then, Metzke toured Panama with Maurico Smith, establishing his popularity on the Latin Music Scene.

This prolific musician's career has been highlighted by performances with: Harry Belafonte on a two country tour and Las Vegas, Gato Barbieri's concert in Puerto Rico and European tour, Nancy Wilson at Caesar's Palace and the Apollo Theatre, Michael Franks, the Joe Farrell Quintet, Al Foster, Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band, the Cincinnati Pops and Symphony Orchestra, three Newport Jazz Festivals and Bruce Ditmas at the Milan jazz festival.

Metzke performed over 30 classical and Flamenco guitar solos at the Alice Tully Concert Hall in Lincoln Center, was part of the historic 1972 President Nixon reelection celebration at the Smithsonian Institute, and played for President Jimmy Carter at the Waldorf Astoria.

He recorded on the "White Elephant" album with Mike Mainieri, "Two is One" with Charlie Rouse, "New World" with Joe Chambers, "Concerto de Aranjuez" with the Dave Mathews Big Band, and Gato Barbieri's albums "Live" (recorded at the Bottom Line) and "Yesterdays."

"Playing with Tony Williams was an incredible peak musical experience for me. It was one of the most powerful and soul satisfying musical experiences I ever had," Paul Metzke said of the famed drummer he first saw perform with Miles Davis in the early 1960s at the Minor Key, Detroit's first jazz coffeehouse. A decade later, while playing with the rock band Archie Whitewater, he opened for Tony at a NYC club called Ungano's and later played with Williams' band in Detroit, Boston and New York.

Metzke reminisced about his first gig with Tony Williams Lifetime at the Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit. "The incredible electric bassist Anthony Jackson provided a thunderous bottom, and Tony, who I considered the greatest drummer of my generation, was driving, leading and conducting the band with total authority, without a word. He would play a drum solo and end with a figure from the next tune to be played," Paul recalled. "Anthony Jackson wrote the famous bass line for the song 'Money' by the O'Jays. When we played that song with Tony, it was so strong it felt like Armageddon. Lightening struck and thunder rolled while the Earth moved beneath the bandstand it was such an unforgettable experience. Tony was and still is a great inspiration to me, he was a true master."

In 1974, Gil Evans asked Paul Metzke to join his European tour which included the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and appearances in France, Germany, Italy and Denmark. It was a dream come true for Metzke, who said, "I loved his music, and Gil was one of the coolest people I ever met. He never told anybody how to play, and yet, like a musical Svengali he could elicit the best playing out of a band as a whole and each player it it. And there were all the best New York jazz cats in the band. In 2012, I played with the Gil Evans Orchestra Centennial Concert in honor and memory of what would have been Gil's 100th birthday. It was a privilege, a pleasure, an honor, and a delight to have been a part of this incredible evening."

A 17 city tour of Japan with Astrud Gilberto (The Girl from Ipanema) that included the Expo 70 World's Fair in Osaka lead to Metzke being asked to audition for Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman's new band, Wings.

"(Paul McCartney) asked me what kind of music do you like to play? I answered honestly, 'Jazz and Blues.' I didn't get the gig...but that's OK, Jazz and Blues are still my top choice," said Metzke, whose creative and independent spirit lead him about 10 years ago to form his own group, Fusion Blues Trio.

While Paul still plays gigs with whoever calls him, he is also composing and performing original music, a unique style of jazz-rock fusion that is a blend of rock, funk and soulful blues.

"What counts most in any creative, artistic endeavor is cultivating your own distinct voice and unique identity," Paul said in a 2010 interview on LikeMindBlog. "As Miles Davis once said, 'When you're doing your own thing, not even the sky is the limit.'" And, for Metzke, his music is both a sensual and spiritual experience, an expression of thoughts, imagination and emotions to be shared and enjoyed.

When asked how he would like to be remembered, Paul Metzke said, "He loved much, laughed often, lived his life on his own terms and played his ass off."

Paul’s Story Continues

After years of working on the road as a sideman, Paul Metzke found himself becoming disenchanted with the music business and wanted to play music that was inspired, free, open and creative. He turned down work on a couple Broadway shows and opportunities to perform with Michael Urbaniak and Sammy Davis, Jr.

There were disappointments as well. “The only gig I really wanted at that time was to play with Miles Davis. I got the call once for a recording session with him, but I wasn't home and missed it, regrettably,” Metzke lamented.

“Gil Evans once told me that 'sometimes you have to go off on your own and do some real soul searching to find your way on your instrument, your writing, your music and your life.' I took his words to heart,” said Metzke of the years he spent away from the music industry writing songs and honing his own unique style. “I moved on. All my favorite musicians wrote and performed their own music. Original music, that was my goal, but it required lots of study and time.”

After 10 years of studying keyboard and another 10 years of performing solo flamenco guitar, Metzke returned to his “first and true love,” the electric guitar. He was playing a mix of original jazz, blues, fusion and funk tunes when he formed his own ensemble, The Fusion Blues Trio and started recording.

In the course of studying piano, Paul Metzke found he had a gifted ear for tuning the instrument. “It was a useful skill that snowballed into a sideline income tuning for some of the greatest musicians, bands, recording studios and concert halls in the New York City area,” he explained. Metzke's resume includes work for Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, BB King, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, The Apollo Theatre, St. Johns Cathedral, Ashford and Simson, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, Cecil Taylor, The Bottom Line, Village Vanguard, Village Gate, Lonestar Cafe and more.

“The greatest musical experience of my life was hearing the John Coltrane Quartet while I was 16 and still in high school. Seeing this amazing master musician performing and transporting the audience was a transcendent, life altering event. I didn't understand it at the time, but I could overwhelmingly feel it,” Metzke reminisced. “I saw that there is a spiritual dimension to all things and especially music. Music can be a bridge to heaven for the player and the listener.”

“At the present, I am inspired to constantly be seeking ever higher plateaus of attainment, achievement and accomplishment, both spiritually and musically, all for the love of it and the joy it brings.”