by Mark Kadzielawa

Paul Wertico is a well known personality in the music world. His drumming abilities recognized and respected among his peers. Wertico’s resume includes nearly two decades with the Pat Metheny Group. Countless side projects, seven year stint with legendary Polish progressive band SBB, and most recently Larry Coryell’s band. In fact, it is difficult to keep up with all the projects Wertico is/was involved with or lent a helping hand to.
In addition to being a first class musician, Wertico was recently appointed Assistant Professor and Head of Jazz Studies at Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL.
This feature however, concentrates on Wertico’s involved with SBB. Paul was very happy to speak about his time spent with the legendary Polish rockers, and hopes for additional collaboration in time to come.

How did you get involved with SBB? Were you aware of their music before you joined the band?
Paul Wertico: There are two things that are totally unrelated to how it all started. One of my best friends is a keyboard player. His name is Gordon James, and we both played in a band called Earwax Control. I remember Gordon’s brother once went to Germany back in the 70s. I recall Gordon saying that his brother came back home with bunch of vinyl records, and his favorite one was by some band called SBB. I didn’t know who they were at the time, and that was the end of it, but I always remembered that that was his brother’s favorite record. So, how did I get involved with SBB? It comes down to Marek Komar, who was the president of the Pat Metheny Group Fan Club. He was Polish, but he lived in Germany. He was a good friend and he helped book some shows for my trio in Europe in the 90s. In 2000, I believe it was, he said SBB was without a drummer, and they had two shows coming up. He told me that if I wanted to do them, that would be great, and I said sure I would do it. So, I flew over to do the gigs. I didn’t have any charts or recordings or anything to learn the music to prepare for the shows. Marek picked me up at the airport in Germany and I met Apostolis and Jozef later that day. We did a quick sound-check, and then we played the concert. In fact, that first concert I played with them came out as a CD titled Good Bye! (2000). It was an absolutely wonderful experience, even though unfortunately the second concert got cancelled for some reason. However, I loved doing that one show with them and we got along really well. I really liked their musicianship and I liked them as people. From there, it turned into something more serious…I got asked to join the band. I have Polish blood from my father’s side and I always loved going to Poland, so I thought this is great. So, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I was the drummer in the band.
What was your musical impression of SBB?
It was different from their old stuff. I had seen them play in Chicago back in 1993 and they sounded fantastic. I remember really liking their music. The drummer was very powerful. My personal impression of them was good too. It was always very natural. Nothing was ever about business or things like that. It was always about friendship, music, and good atmosphere. Their older records were very fusion oriented like the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but when I played with them it was more like blues-rock music. They always played wonderfully. Apostolis is a really incredible guitar player and he has a fantastic feeling of time. Jozef sang, played harmonica, keyboards, and bass. I always loved playing rock music, but I’m often known more as a jazz drummer. So, even though I grew up playing both styles, at that time it was a big change for me. I was in the process of leaving Pat’s band around then, and to play SBB’s music I felt I needed to get physically stronger. So, I started working out and lifting weights, etc., so I could play the drums harder with less effort. Then we started doing more shows and I would fly over to Europe to do them. I always had a great time. Jozef and Apostolis always treated me really well. They were like long lost brothers of mine. The shows were great, and the audiences were wonderful. It was a lot of fun. I really had a fantastic time.
Skrzek claims that your coming into the band reawakened their hunger to be a band again.
He always told me that. I would like to think that it’s true. When we played we always gave 1000%. We weren’t trying to prove anything, but it always felt so good. The chemistry was fantastic, and the camaraderie was really nice.

What did you think you brought with yourself to SBB?
I don’t know. That’s not really for me to say. I would like to think that I reawakened a band that was sleeping at the time. I don’t know if they were going to make a comeback or not. I think maybe, but I can’t say this for sure. However, being an American and sort of a well known drummer, by me saying that I thought this band is really great and that I wanted to play with them, I think it assured them that they truly are a great band. You see, when you are a local band or a band that was more famous in the past, sometimes the people take you for granted. Me, coming in, seemed to make them feel stronger and more confident. When we played it was absolutely wonderful. They always made me feel good and I think I made them feel good. The audience could see that there was something special going on onstage. If anything, that’s what I think I contributed, but like I said, it’s not for me to say.
What was it like to record New Century with Mack?
As I recall, recording New Century was both exciting and somewhat frustrating. We had Reinhold Mack engineering and producing, and he was really wonderful. The only thing that made the experience not as good as it could have been was the Pro Tools set up we had. For sonic reasons, Mack wanted to record the music to tape and then transfer what was on tape to Pro Tools. But the Pro Tools system Mack personally owned wasn’t compatible with the Pro Tools system the studio in Poland had, so we were in the position of often having to settle for whatever takes we had taped. We couldn’t continually transfer each take from tape to Pro Tools and then re-record on the tape because of the incompatibility issue with the Pro Tools systems. So, we sort of had to keep whatever takes we had on tape, or take the chance of losing what we had in hopes of getting something better. And you never know for sure if you can actually get a better take or not. As a result, many of the tracks on the CD are first or second takes. Plus, if you consider that many of the songs on the CD were created for the first time in the studio, it was hard to decide exactly what to do. We just played, and it was like…can we do better? Maybe we can, or maybe we should just go with this particular take. If we would’ve had the ability to transfer different takes from tape to Pro Tools, then we could’ve re-recorded on the tape and done more takes. Obviously, when you have more takes to work with, you have more options in selecting the best ones. In the five/six days that we had to record, we really didn’t use our time completely or effectively. We just couldn’t. It was a gamble.
When I listen to that record, and I enjoy the material very much, but it just does not sound up to SBB’s full potential.
Absolutely, it was weird. The studio was good, and it wasn’t anybody’s fault. It was just something where technology was the missing connection. I think when Mack came over, he thought the studio had a compatible Pro Tools system to his, so then he could take all the transfers of all the takes back to Los Angeles. There, he could do whatever he wanted to do with them. So, because of this situation, a lot of the days were spent not doing much. It was still a good session, but we didn’t have the option “to go for the gold”.
Skrzek shared that opinion as well when he was airing his frustration out at the limitations the band is experiencing.
That’s right, I think he’s correct to say that. Then for the next CD, we were going do the recording at my house. I have a studio in my home. However, we couldn’t get a budget to fly them over. That was really too bad. Also, when we did the Nastroje (2002) CD, there were some problems as well. We did it at another home studio in Poland, but during the recording the engineer’s mother passed away. It was very sad and unfortunate. Around that time I remember my wife asking me what I was doing playing with some Polish band when I just left the Pat Metheny Group. Before I played her the Nastroje CD for the first time, she had no idea of what the music was like, and she didn’t quite know what to make of the situation. At first she didn’t want to listen to it. Then after about three weeks she said she was ready to hear it. I played it for her, and she was crying. She thought it was absolutely incredible, and she loved Josef’s singing. Everything about it she just loved. She was so excited and she thought that the band really had a chance to make a big impact. But again, there seemed to be some problems getting the recording the attention it deserved. I think what really frustrates those guys is a true realization of how well known and respected they really are. I was able to book an appearance for the band at the Baja Prog Fest in 2006. We made a lot of money doing that concert. We were the top billed band and I took care of everything. We had a first class hotel and just about anything you can ask for. Jozef and Apostolis arrived in Mexico a day before I did and when I met them in the hotel lobby, they were both elated. They could not believe that they met fans from Venezuela, Canada, and other places. Those people knew everything about the band. They had the records, and everything. Jozef and Apostolis then realized they were famous all over the world. But after that show, we immediately flew back to Poland and played smaller venues again. It was totally frustrating and I can totally sympathize. Being as good of musicians as they are, but being somewhat underappreciated, it’s just a shame.
So why did you stop playing with SBB?
Well, for one thing, it just got too expensive and difficult to commute. At first it was easy. I was getting all these direct flights between Chicago to Poland. But then it just got more complicated with connecting flights going through Milan, Geneva, or wherever. It got really crazy for me. It got to the point where what used to take 10 or 11 hours now took a day or two. The last time I played with them, getting back home was just a total nightmare. Then they called me to fly over for a couple of gigs in the former Yugoslavia, but my schedule didn’t allow it. At that time, I was also playing with a lot of different groups, like Larry Coryell’s trio, Jeff Berlin’s trio, etc. Nowadays, on top of that, I’m a full time professor at a university as well, so as you can guess, I’m extremely busy, but I still manage to do a lot of playing and recording around my teaching schedule. However, sometimes it’s difficult to make everything you want to do, actually happen. But, with SBB, it’s not like we necessarily ended our relationship. Hopefully, I’ll do some other gigs with them in the future. But it’s a lot easier for them not to have to spend all that money to fly me over. Plus the new drummer is great and he lives in Hungary, which is a lot closer to them. So, we didn’t break up in the typical sense, and I can definitely see myself doing some shows with SBB again. Let’s say, the new drummer can’t make it, and I happen to be around, or whatever the reason is. Playing with SBB was fun, and it was very democratic and balanced. We would often get to the cities in Poland, and the mayor of the city would present the band with a plaque or the keys to the city. It was always the three of us who got one. It wasn’t like the leader of the band got one, and the other two guys were left behind.
Do you keep up with their latest recordings?
I always try to keep track with all the bands I was involved with. However, you kind of move on, you know. I haven’t heard their latest record, but I did hear The Rock and I liked it. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to sit there and listen to everything I want to, I’m so incredibly busy, but I thought The Rock was a very good record.
What are you up to these days?
I just got back from Ireland where I did some recordings and then as soon as I got home I flew to Minnesota to play a festival with Larry Coryell. This summer I’ve got clinics and concerts in places ranging from Texas to Greece. I also played on several new recordings, including my own new CD entitled "Impressions Of A City" with my new band, Paul Wertico's Mid-East/Mid-West Alliance, on the Chicago Sessions Ltd. label. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. also just released a new DVD of mine entitled "Paul Wertico's Drum Philosophy". I’m doing some producing as well. I also teach at Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. I’m the Head of Jazz Studies there, so I’m running the whole department. I love being an educator because it’s like investing in the future and the students are really great. You take a very talented person and you guide them in the right direction. It’s absolutely wonderful.

Links:
http://www.paulwertico.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kh1uH2YVAE