Album Notes

Guitarist Pete Weise has had the opportunity to demonstrate his diverse performing, composing, arranging, and teaching abilities nation-wide. Weise received his B.M. in Jazz Performance in 1997 and his M.M. in Jazz Performance in 2005 from the University of North Texas and is currently Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar at Collin County Community College. He also teaches privately at Schaelling Music Studios in Highland Village, TX, the Fine Arts Academy at the First Baptist Church in Keller, TX and is a seasoned faculty member of the renowned National Guitar Workshop. In addition to his quartet and quintet, Weise continues to perform with several D/FW area bands and artists.

Born and raised in Upstate New York, Weise’s original academic pursuits led him to earning a B.A. in Mathematics from Potsdam College of the State University of New York in 1990. Fortunately, he discovered Potsdam’s Crane School of Music which provided him with outlets to further develop his musical skills. After graduating from Potsdam, Weise sought out the full time study of music at the nationally-acclaimed jazz studies program at UNT.

Weise’s band, The Pete Weise Quartet, released Masch Branch in 2002, a compilation of modern, original jazz compositions tinged with shades of 60's Miles Davis recordings. Masch Branch features Weise on electric guitar and Chad Makela (from Doc Severenson’s Band) on baritone sax. The quartet also includes Paul Stivitts (of Maynard Ferguson’s Band) on drums and Rus Wimbish on bass. Weise draws subtly from his influences, John Scofield and Wayne Shorter being the most discernible, to create a sound and style that is very much his own.