Carl Verheyen Band

Having spent more than four decades as one of the recording industry’s most highly sought after musicians, guitarist Carl Verheyen is probably best known as a longtime member of the classic rock group “Supertramp.” Working with everyone from Cher to The Bee Gees, Verheyen’s list of accomplishments is impressive. He has appeared on hundreds of recordings as both a session and touring guitarist. He is also credited with soundtrack work on the films “The Crow,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Ratatouille,” “Mission Impossible 4” and all eight seasons of the 1980’s hit TV show “Cheers,” during which time he strategically carved out a solo career of his own.

The author of numerous instructional guitar books and a published writer for the popular magazines “Guitar for the Practicing Musician,” “Guitar Magazine” and “Chitarre” (Italy), Verheyen was honored nationally when he won in the 1996 LA Music Awards’ category as Best Guitarist.

While continuing to nurture a burgeoning audience overseas, Verheyen is now focusing his sights on America. His most recent live CD/DVD recording, “The Road Divides,” features unreleased material as well as extended jams and acoustic selections. Also included are interviews with Verheyen as well as his fellow band members Dave Marotta (bass) and Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (drums).

“Doing a live record was something I always wanted to do in terms of getting the developed versions of all those tunes on record. That’s what ‘The Road Divides’ is to me. I want to start hitting the East Coast every year,” Verheyen said. “I want to start doing it all the time. You don’t really make money touring. If you can break even then you are in good shape. At this point in my career, I hope to come back enough times to where I can break in. We might only get 80 people the first time, but when we come back those people tell their friends, and it bumps up from there.”

Verheyen released his highly anticipated solo debut album “No Borders” in 1988. With his skills in constant demand, it took six years for his sophomore effort, “Garage Sale,” to be released. It wasn’t until Verheyen’s third album, “Slang Justice” (1997), that he made the first of a number of solo concert tours featuring some of music’s most highly respected musicians, including Cliff Hugo, Chad Wackerman, Steve DiStanislao, Bernie Dresel and Greg Bissonette.

“There comes a point in your life where you say, ‘Did I really practice all these years to go down and play on a jingle that’s going to get aired in Louisiana, or do I want to make something a little bit more lasting with my music?’ I think there are people that are geared to be sidemen, which is really a lot of fun and something I am proud to have been able to do. I just think I have too much music in me to always do that in my life and let it go to that level and not let it go any further,” Verheyen said.

Open to a wide array of musical genres when it comes to creative exploration on the guitar, Verheyen recalls the inspiration that led to his impressive 40-year career.

“I went down that long dark jazz highway in the ’70’s and got really influenced by people like Wes Montgomery, Pat Martino and Pat Metheny,” Verheyen said. “Then one day I heard this Joe Walsh solo on the radio that was on an Eagles tune called ‘Those Shoes.’ His solo knocked me out so much I had to come to terms with the fact that rock guitar had progressed so much from where I left off in the middle ’70’s. It was time to get back into it. While I learned a lot from Jeff Beck, Albert Lee and the classical players and the blues guys, my motto became, ‘If you dig it you must learn it.’ Learn everything that you enjoy. That’s where I’m different from a lot of guys.”
In between his solo projects and sporadic recording sessions for film, TV and notable artists, Verheyen recently reunited with Supertramp to celebrate a milestone in their storied career.

“We did a two month 40th anniversary tour in 2010 and a 2011 trek across Canada and France,” Verheyen said. “It is still a great catalog to get out and play. There are a lot of people in the States that love this music and would like to hear them do it. Unfortunately, they just don’t want to dumb it down because it’s a huge production like Pink Floyd, with amazing sound and lights. They don’t want to put in on the level of playing the outdoor theatres. If they can’t do it the way they want to do it, they don’t want to do it at all. It’s a shame.” - Rob Nagy (The Mercury)

Carl Verheyen has been in the music business for many years. While he has toured all over the world and worked with many in the music and entertainment industry, he is best-known as a guitarist in the band Supertramp, whose hits include “Breakfast in America,” “The Logical Song,” and “Give a Little Bit,” among many others

When he’s not touring with Supertramp, he’s playing with his own group, the Carl Verheyen Band, which takes the stage of Sellersvile Theater 1894 on Wednesday, March 21.

Verheyen’s work as a guitarist is a well-known commodity in music circles. He writes for Guitar Player magazine and has videos online giving tips on how to play the instrument. Classic Rock Magazine says he is “one of the top 100 guitarists of all time,” while Guitar Magazine has him in its “top 10 guitar players in the world.”

“I got my first guitar and lesson on my 11th birthday,” Verheyen said. “That was a year and a half after begging for a guitar.”

Verheyen grew up in arguably one of the greatest eras of rock, which resulted in many notable role models.

“I was a big George Harrison fan and still am,” he said. “I had these older cousins that had George plastered all over their bedroom walls.”

Along with the quiet member of the Beatles, his musical influences are a who’s-who of the 1960s. He mentions Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Mike Bloomfield and Jeff Beck as those who had an impact on him.

“They led me to believe there’s a whole virtuoso side,” he said.

In 1985, he was offered a spot in Supertramp, but prior to that Verheyen also did studio work in Los Angeles, and contributed his talents to various popular TV shows.

His guitar can be heard in shows such as “Laverne and Shirley,” “Happy Days,” “Cheers” and even into the ’90s in shows such as “Seinfeld” and “Scrubs.” While he enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work, he knew he had a lot more potential to shine.

“There’s way too much of my own music in me to devote my entire life to that,” he said.

In 1988, he started his own band. Verheyen plays with Dave Marotta (bass) and Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (drums/percussion). Just like Verheyen, Marotta and Reyes both have a decorated history in the music business.

Marotta has worked on Colbie Callait’s debut album and recorded with big names such as Kenny Loggins and Phil Collins. Reyes has played with Santana, Steve Winwood and Lindsey Buckingham, just to name a few.

He looks back and laughs at becoming a member of Supertramp; he never would have expected it. He recalls his younger sister listening to the group when it first rose onto the main stage in the late ’70s.

“When she was in high school, it was Supertramp; she knew them well before I did. That’s what she was listening to.”

Verheyen has traveled all over the world; between his own band, Supertramp and his guitar work, he went to Italy 12 times in a three year period in the mid-2000s. Supertramp is still very popular over in Europe and Canada.

“We did seven festivals in France,” he said. “[There were] 77,000 for the last one.”

His own band has put out several CDs over the years, the most recent one: “The Road Divides.” It has recorded some original songs, along with a few covers, such as the Beatles’ “Taxman” and “All You Need Is Love.”

“I got the idea to do ‘Taxman’ as an up-tempo ska tune,” Verheyen said. “We break it down into a little reggae section.”

“I can probably play 50 Beatles songs,” he said. “The guys that were older than me knew 100 tunes out of the jazz repertoire – it’s the tunes they grew up with.”

When it comes to being listed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Verheyen recognizes the great accomplishment but knows there’s always room to improve.

“It motivates me to keep practicing to be in the league; you need to stay on top of your game,” he said. “It makes me smile.”
- Michael Berman (JournalRegister.com)

For Carl Verheyen, music is alive. It "lives and breathes." And like any living thing, it grows and changes as it interacts with the world.

"Musicians that improvise are bringing something special and creating a moment for the audience," he says. "An audience that can appreciate that and is open to improvisation is experiencing music on a much higher level."

In an era where lip syncing on stage and electronically generated instrumentation are de rigueur, The Carl Verheyen Band, with its improvisational, genre-defying sound, offers a refreshing antidote.

"We present real music, the opposite of a "canned" performance," says Verheyen, whose work with the band Supertramp and as a session guitarist has earned him a reputation as a guitar virtuoso.

Local audiences can be a part of the musical evolution when The Carl Verheyen Band appears at the Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry Tuesday, March 20. The band, made up of guitarist Verheyen, bassist Dave Marotta, and drummer/percussionist Walfredo Reyes, Jr., plays a mix of blues, rock, jazz, country, bluegrass, funk, and Latin music.

"Unlike many guitar, bass, and drums groups we are very dynamic. There are highs and lows, fast and slow songs and many styles of music are referenced throughout the set," Verheyen says. "I believe we can be described as a 'jam band' but on a much higher virtuosity level than the category usually implies."

Musicians around the world would likely agree with that assessment. Verheyen's musical virtuosity has been hailed by guys like Brad Paisley, who says he's "overwhelming to sit in a room and jam with," and Joe Bonamassa who's called him a "master of the guitar." His virtuosity is in demand across genres and across the world. One day he'll be "playing on a country record, and next week I'm producing a Brazilian artist ... the day after those record dates I fly to Italy for some solo performances," he says.

But the different genres don't pull him in a million directions; instead they get absorbed into his repertoire, allowing Verheyen's music to be infused with many influences, rather than fractured by them.

Verheyen has also penned instructional guitar books and articles and produced instructional CDs and DVDs. He says it's the duty of his generation — who witnessed the groundbreaking music of the 1960s and '70s — to teach, because he doesn't "want musicians in the future to end up as a bunch computer-bound typers."

With such an emphasis on genre-bending and improv, it's no wonder that no two Carl Verheyen Band shows are alike; Verheyen estimates that about 50 percent of each live show is improvised. He says the audience has as much to do with the direction of the show as the musicians and set list.

"Our ears are wide open all the time," he says. "So for instance the vibe of the room as perceived by myself is reflected in what I might play on a given song, and that's picked up by Wally and transmitted through his kick drum to Dave's bass and the whole thing changes direction in a fraction of a second. This always causes us to smile and even laugh out loud!"

Verheyen says his group doesn't tour the east coast very often, so the upcoming Tupelo show is a rare chance for audiences see them in this area. He paraphrases John Coltrane, saying that he plays "for the sheer joy of hearing the music in the air."

"It is my hope that people walk away with that feeling," he says. "I know I do after a great night of live music!" - Alexandra Pecci (Eagle-Tribune)

“Carl is so overwhelming to sit in a room and jam with, let alone his playing on records and stage. You get the impression there is no style or territory he is unable to explore.” - Brad Paisley

"Carl is known as a studio guitar player but he's much more than that. His records have the great feel of a live player. He plays with a lot of feeling." – John Fogerty

“Every time I start to feel good about my playing and general overall knowledge of the guitar, I will get together with Carl and see truly how far I have to go. I am proud to call him my friend. A master of the guitar and a hellava nice guy to boot." – Joe Bonamassa

“Carl Verheyen is a REAL guitar player!” – Robben Ford

"Carl is a true pro and a great player/musician. He can do anything, and as one who is supposed to do this, me (ha-ha), Carl comes through with heart and soul and is really not only an awesome musician but a really good guy. That counts ALOT in this biz, especially these days. I have never heard anyone say anything but "wow, Carl can f-ing play" from anyone I have ever met, and that includes (back in 1927 when I started). He is a REAL MUSICIAN. I see him at the airport on the road with his own band (I can relate) and workin’ it, but yet a guy that few can emulate in the LA studios. I like it when good guys win and have the heart that goes with it. Yo Carl!" - Steve Lukather

“Carl is one of those rare talents that make you want to run out of the house to hear what he's doing next.”- Jennifer Batten

“Carl is a remarkably well-rounded guitarist who has been captivating audiences for over two decades, whether they knew it or not. His voluminous credits in major movie sound tracks and TV underscore have proven his expertise and versatility in this most challenging medium of studio work while his presence as a band member of Supertramp conveys his ability to function effectively and equally well as a live performer within pop and rock contexts. But it is his output as a leader and creative force guiding numerous Carl Verheyen solo projects that has assured his place in the pantheon of guitar greats of the modern era. He possesses one of the most distinctive voices on the instrument complemented by tremendous skills in song writing, arranging, singing and record production.” - Wolf Marshall, Vintage Guitar; musician; author

“With just a guitar and an amp, Carl Verheyen—with his tasty lines and powerful solo arrangements—can blow people’s minds more effectively than many great guitarists backed by entire bands.” - Jude Gold, Guitar Player; Director, Guitar Institute of Technology

"Carl is a great musician that I've had the pleasure of jamming with many times. He has amazing technique on the guitar, yet is also really musical. He's also very versatile and can cover many different styles like rock, blues, jazz and country, and sound very natural in all of them. It's always fun to jam with Carl!" - Scott Henderson

"Carl is one of those experienced, great players that you could put in any situation and get a wonderful guitar solo. I personally love the fact that he enjoys what he does and radiates positive energy whenever I have seen him." - Steve Morse

"Carl's mastery of the guitar is obvious, but the most impressive aspect for me is the amount of joy and spirit that comes through his music. He has reachedthat artistic height that all musicians aspire to, when the technique is transparent and allows the emotional content and purity of tone to take center stage." - John Jorgenson

"It takes a lot of mojo to be an established LA studio guitarist, as well as an active recording and touring artist and Carl has accomplished both. He's a distinguished member of an exclusive club." – Laurence Juber

“We've been friends for many years and Carl has always amazed me with his versatility and technique. He's a fine player.” – Albert Lee

“Carl is a true A-list musicians’ musician who inhabits the uppermost stratosphere of the guitar heavens. His awe-inspiring playing is endlessly amazing, and his mastery of styles knows no bounds. He is truly one of the best players of our generation. As a member of the GIT faculty, Carl was (and still is) an incredibly professional, conscientious, kind, open-minded, team player, who never failed to inspire the students (and the rest of the faculty!). It has been an honor to have worked with him.” - Beth Marlis, Vice President, Industry and Community Relations, Musicians Institute - Taken from his website