About
Paul Giess is a Philadelphia-based musician, producer, and educator whose versatile musicianship crosses traditional boundaries. Described by Downbeat Magazine as delivering "lyrical, highly expressive trumpet work," Paul brings this quality to his performances with artists including Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Grant Calvin Weston, Yolanda Wisher, and Guthrie Ramsey.
2024 was a landmark year for Paul’s career. At the top of the year, Paul was featured on Jamaaladeen Tacuma’s album “The Lighthouse” alongside Odean Pope, Grant Calvin Weston and Marc Cary. Paul was also a featured composer for a WHYY podcast, Philadelphia Revealed, composing a variety of music in addition to the theme which he wrote with a long time collaborator Matthew Jernigan. Later that year, Paul joined Jamaaladeen Tacauma’s Groove Al a Moroc at the Timitar Festival in Agadir Morocco. That same summer, Paul joined Jamaaladeen again in his Solar System Boogie Band at the Lancaster Ave Jazz Festival in Philadelphia. Towards the end of the year, Paul was awarded a grant from Scribe Video to help fund an oral history project he has been pursuing with Chrisitiana Jackson, Director of African Studies at Rutgers University. By recording interviews with elders from the Philadelphia jazz scene such as Andy Aaron, Lovett Hines, and Cullen Knight they aim to document oral history while telling the stories of historic jazz clubs in the city.
His discography as leader includes "Hymns Vol. 1" (Ropeadope Records, 2021), featuring vocalist V. Shayne Frederick, and his debut "U Suite U" (2014). Most Recently, Paul has been releasing music from live performances of a new project, Untethered. This group explores the unknown through spontaneous creative composition using blends of sound design, funk, and energetic sonic interactions with veteran drummer Grant Calvin Weston alongside emerging Philadelphia talents, Lee Clarke and Timothy Ragsdale.
As a composer, Paul received the 2018 McKnight Visiting Composer Residency from the American Composers Forum. Paul held a two month residency at MSS collaborating with artists with developmental disabilities, which culminated in a concert featuring the artists from their program. Additionally "Prayer for Mimi" appears in the Philadelphia Real Book.
Paul’s work also ventures into the world of theatre. 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”. Most recently Paul produced performed and directed a two person show included in Urban Movements Arts’ offerings for the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Rubr Duki Dance Party, is a piece of immersive theatre which guides audiences through a surreal world to help them discover their inner rubber ducky by way of drawing, writing, dancing, quacking and playing with rubber duckies.
As an educator, Paul teaches through Artsmart, Mill Creek School, and The Concept School. He came to these positions following seven years at the Philadelphia Clef Club where he served as Education Coordinator under Lovett Hines, a prolific jazz educator. Concurrently Paul was also implementing a music program for adults with developmental disabilities at the Center for Creative Works, establishing Pop Pop Pop Records, and producing concerts that showcase their talents in the process.