Paul Giess

Paul Giess is a trumpet player, music maker and educator living in Philadelphia. Paul's musical practice is rooted in the jazz tradition, as seen is his debut album "U Suite U", but his taste is adventurous as he looks for ways to bring new perspective to old ideas. Paul shows his commitment to community and music making through his continued dedication to his role as the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Parts and his role making music with people with developmental disabilities at the Center for Creative Works. Pre pandemic, Paul is active in multiple ensembles in the Philadelphia area including Yolanda Wisher’s Afroeaters, Outside Sound, Bitters and Rye Jazz Band, The Abstract Truth, Erik Kramer and Friends, Dr. B's Groove, Band and The Philadelphia Jazz Project. He also leads his own ensemble, The Paul Giess Group. Paul’s trumpet playing can also be found on the opening track to V. Shayen Frederick’s album “Lovesome” In 2018 Paul completed a McKnight Visiting Composers Residency, awarded through the American Composers Forum. For this residency Paul collaborated with MSS, a community of artists with disabilities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. For over two months Paul work-shopped with MSS to record original music and produce a live concert featuring his collaborators from MSS. Paul’s composition "Prayer for Mimi" has been included in the Philadelphia Real Book, published in the spring of 2017. This composition has also been selected to be included in the second edition of this publication. In December of 2015 Paul was the trumpet player in the critically acclaimed performance of the musical Black Nativity, hosted by Theater Horizon in Norristown. Black Nativity won a Barrymore award for Best Musical Ensemble. In January of 2015 Paul traveled to New Orleans Louisiana to be the musical director for an original theater work, “AMERICANA”. That same spring Paul released his debut jazz album “U Suite U”.

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