Niels playing with the legends: Steve Rodby & Paul Wertico of the Pat Metheny Group

Photo by Kannan Palanisamy

Steve Rodby & Paul Wertico
/ 1970s Disco @ Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Together with Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico, Niels Lan Doky blew the roof off of Louisiana at the Niels Lan Doky International Jazz Collective’s JAZZ/TAKEs series on 1970s Disco at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. It was absolutely intoxicating to see the audience move to all the hits we know and love but now with jazz as the main character of the story. To feel Rodby and Wertico playing together is a league of its own and it was only extra icing on the cake to see them with Niels and Mathias Heise. The iconic rhythm section from The Pat Metheny Group have been playing together for decades and their pocket has been cemented into their playing style. Alongside the legendary rhythm section was the talented Mathias Heise (DK) delivering his always impeccable harmonica. Unfortunately, Thomas Clausen had to call in sick, therefore our very own Niels Lan Doky sat at his seat giving the audience more than they could ask for. They performed jazz interpretations of 1970s Disco with the music of Chic, Bee Gees, Sister Sledge, ABBA, and more.

The quartet performed a captivating set of the following songs:

  • I Want Your Love (Chic)

  • Everybody Dance (Chic)

  • That's The Way I Like It (KC & The Sunshine Band)

  • How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees)

  • Last Dance (Donna Summer)

  • Gimme Gimme Gimme (ABBA)

  • We Are Family (Sister Sledge)

  • As encore: Lost In Music (Sister Sledge)

We feel lucky to finally have Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico as part of Niels Lan Doky International Jazz Collective’s musical journey. If you missed the show you can enjoy a selection of photos from the concert via the button below taken by the talented photographer, Kannan Palanisamy.

As one of the most iconic rhythm sections of modern jazz history, bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Paul Wertico gained widespread international acclaim as long time members of the Pat Metheny Group, which they both joined in the early 1980s. Paul Wertico stayed in the group for close to 2 decades and earned 7 Grammy Awards, won numerous magazine polls, received several gold records, and played drums & percussion on David Bowie’s hit recording (with the Pat Metheny Group), “This Is Not America”. Steve Rodby stayed on for 3 decades and early on also began producing records for the group, and for Michael Brecker, Eliane Elias and other artists in parallel, bringing his Grammy Award wins to a total of 15. The Rodby/Wertico sound is an integral part of some of the most revered and greatest masterpiece albums by the Pat Metheny Group, such as “First Circle”, “Still Life (Talking)”, “Letter From Home” and “The Road To You”.

Jonas HolmarkLouisiana Museum of Modern Art