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Peter Paulsen

Peter Paulsen was a student of Dr. Irving Cohen at West Chester University as a recipient of the Rob Simon Memorial Award. He went on to study with Homer Mensch of the Julliard School and graduate studies at Temple University with Michael Shahan of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Jazz studies included time with the late Al Stauffer and Rufus Reid. Mr. Paulsen has been on the faculty at Moravian College, Lehigh University, Temple University and is currently Instructor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at West Chester University. He is director and founding member of "Turks Head Knot" the West Chester University Faculty Contemporary Music Ensemble, commissioning and premiering new works by today’s leading composers. Mr. Paulsen is Assistant Principal Bass of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bass of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and has been Principal Bass with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy, the Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra and Pennsylvania Symphonia. He is also busy as a free-lance jazz bassist in the tri-state area and performs regularly with his own quintet and trio as well as many of Philadelphia’s top jazz performers. Mr. Paulsen is very committed to the education of young, up-coming musicians and has participated in masterclasses with Francois Rabbath, Hal Robinson, Mark Morton, Donald Palma and as a clinician with Jimmy Knepper, George Young, Clark Terry, Dennis DiBlasio, Valery Ponamerov, Ed Soph and Gunnar Mossblad. He is a member of the International Society of Bassists and an active composer of works for his instrument, receiving three prestigious Pennsylvania Council on the Arts composition grants and a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada. He has been awarded the 2007 PEW Fellowship in Music Composition and appears in the Glenn Holsten documentary "12 Short Films of the 2007 PEW Fellows." Mr. Paulsen and his wife, mezzo-soprano Charlotte Paulsen, continue to commission, premier and record many new works for the unusual combination of double bass and voice. His first CD as a leader, Three-Stranded Cord for jazz quintet, was released on R&Lrecords, receiving national airplay and high reports on Jazzweek and CJM (college radio) charts. As a member of the MPH Trio, with Gunnar Mossblad on saxophones and Chris Hanning on percussion, he has released Curves on GPC recordings which is also getting national airplay and reviews. Mr. Paulsen can also be heard on Jeff Baumeister's new quartet release, Useful Music on Wahbo Records and his second release as a leader on the Peter Paulsen Trio CD release, Tri-cycle also on Wahbo Records.

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8
Album Review

Peter Paulsen Trio: A Few Thoughts

Read "A Few Thoughts" reviewed by Karl Ackermann


Bassist and composer Peter Paulsen is not reticent in his willingness to quote the bible. He specifically cites Matthew 13: 31-32 in stating an approach to creating music rooted in observation and execution through improvisation, communication and impulsiveness. He references a line regarding the mustard seed, saying it is..."the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree...." In that vein, we have A Few Thoughts, Paulsen's trio outing ...

184
Album Review

Peter Paulsen Sextet: Change of Scenery

Read "Change of Scenery" reviewed by John Kelman


Building on the success of Tri-Cycle (Wahbo, 2005), Peter Paulsen expands from piano trio to multi-horn sextet. It's more ambitious, not just for the larger palette from which the bassist draws, but because, unlike Tri-Cycle's mix of originals and craftily arranged material by others, Change of Scenery consists entirely of Paulsen originals, with the exception of an innovative arrangement of Wayne Shorter's “Nefertiti" and the collectively composed/improvised “Random Width."

Drummer Joe Mullen is back and, while he didn't play on ...

297
Album Review

Peter Paulsen Trio: Tri-Cycle

Read "Tri-Cycle" reviewed by John Kelman


One of last year's most pleasant surprises was Philadelphia-based pianist Jeff Baumeister's debut, Useful Music. Multifaceted, intelligent writing and strong group chemistry made it all the more surprising that Baumeister's quartet--which has clearly been doing its share of woodshedding--came seemingly out of nowhere. The days where an artist emerges as a leader following mentorship with established players--as was the case with Miles Davis and Art Blakey--seem to be gone, and the relatively unannounced appearance of young performers is becoming more ...

253
Album Review

Peter Paulsen Quintet: Three-Stranded Cord

Read "Three-Stranded Cord" reviewed by Tony Rogers


It’s all very well to speak in abstractions about the state of the local jazz scene, but the proof, as they say, is in the playing. With talents like Ben Schachter, Tom Lawton and Bootsie Barnes keeping plenty busy in area clubs and recording studios, it’s clear that Philly and its extended environs have one of the most vibrant scenes around.

So it’s not only a pleasure but a vindication to find a recording by yet another stellar ...

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229

Recording

Free MP3 Download: Peter Paulsen's "Tight Lipped" from Change of Scenery

Free MP3 Download: Peter Paulsen's "Tight Lipped" from Change of Scenery

Source: All About Jazz

Download “Tight Lipped," a free MP3 from Peter Paulsen's latest release Change of Scenery.

Download: Tight Lipped Peter Paulsen 7:37 From: Change of Scenery

About Peter Paulsen Peter Paulsen was a student of Dr. Irving Cohen at West Chester University as a recipient of the Rob Simon Memorial Award. He went on to study with Homer Mensch of the Julliard School and graduate studies at Temple University with Michael Shahan of the ...

Primary Instrument

Bass, acoustic

Location

Philadelphia

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Instructor of Double Bass and Jazz Studies at West Chester University Private teacher of double bass in both classical and jazz styles.

Clinic/Workshop Information

High School and College clinics with working trio exploring and discussing our approach to composition and collective improvisation.

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

A Few Thoughts

Self Produced
2015

buy

Change of Scenery

Wahbo Records
2008

buy

Tri-Cycle

Wahbo Records
2006

buy

Three-Stranded Cord

R & L Records
2002

buy

Time Remembered

From: A Few Thoughts
By Peter Paulsen

Tight Lipped

From: Change of Scenery
By Peter Paulsen

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