Quick Facts
Biography
Paul Peress (born November 14) is an American drummer, composer and producer, based in New York City.
Background
Peress grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, and also lived in Kansas City, Missouri for his last 2 years of high school.
He has a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University, and attended the Masters program at the Aaron Copland School of Music in Queens, NY.
Collaborations
Peress has worked as drummer/music director with Chaka Khan, Moby, The B-52's, Brenda Russell, Regina Belle, Deniece Williams, Mary Wilson, Tom Scott, Guy Davis, Jimmy Heath, Candido, Stephen Bishop, Jeff Golub, Michael Paulo, Eileen Ivers...
Appearances
His band, the Paul Peress Project, has appeared internationally at many festivals, including: St. Kitts Music Festival, Saint Lucia Jazz Festival, Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, Berkeley Jazz Festival, Heineken Jazz Festival, Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival, Puerto Rico's Festival Internacional de Jazz Latino, and Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival. Additionally, Peress has lent his services to such causes as Foundation Fighting Blindness' - Humanitarian Award Dinner in New York City, Farm Sanctuary, In Defense of Animals, and Humane USA, performing with such notables as Moby, B-52's, Stephen Bishop, and Eileen Ivers.
Paul Peress Project has opened for: John Legend, Maroon 5, Natalie Cole, Boyz II Men, Commodores, Wyclef Jean
Discography
- 2009 Can't Let Go
- 2006 Then Again
- 2002 Awakening
- 1998 Live at Chaz & Wilson's
- 1990 Double Exposure
- "Paul Peress Home Page". Paulperess.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
- "Discover and Buy Indie Music CDs, MP3s. FLAC, and Vinyl | CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
- "CAN'T LET GO: Paul Peress: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. 2009-11-14. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
Notable concerts
New-York Historical Society: Peress produced four concerts in 2005 and 2006 paralleling NYHS's groundbreaking exhibit, "Slavery in New York". The 2005 concerts were coined, "The Influence of Enslaved Peoples on Music in and About the Americas", and featured Arturo O'Farrill, Candido Camero, David Amram, and Guy Davis. In 2006, the series continued with two more concerts, one featuring Jimmy Heath, and the other, a return of Candido Camero. All four concerts were designed to show the evolution of the respective genres - Afro-Cuban Music, Latin Jazz, Blues, and Jazz - and demonstrated the music's development from its earliest forms to the present.
Lincoln Center: Paul Peress, Guy Davis, Michael Hill (Michael Hill's Blues Mob), and Paul Ossola were featured in a "Routes of the Blues" concert at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, demonstrating the history of the Blues.
Merkin Concert Hall: Peress was commissioned by Donald Maggin in 2007 to co-produce a concert titled, "Jazz, The Religious Roots". It featured Carla Cook, Arturo O'Farrill, and Paul Peress, with special guests, Michael Mossman, and Chembo Corniel.
Concert for Haiti: Peress performed at the Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana on April 30, 2011, in a concert benefiting Wyclef Jean's Yéle Haiti Foundation, to raise funds for Haitian earthquake victims. Special guests with the Paul Peress Project included Gerald Veasley, the Manhattans lead singer, Lee Williams, and grammy winner Deniece Williams.
Band members
His band has featured several prominent jazz artists, including Tom Scott, Jeff Golub, Gerald Veasley, Phil Perry, Michael Paulo, John Tropea, Russell Ferrante, and Lew Soloff.