By Johnny Petersen 2020
An American in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has for many years attracted American musicians. One of them is the exiting guitarist and mandolin player Paul Banks. Born in Denver, raised in Chicago, he moved to Copenhagen with his mother and stepfather at the early age of nine in 1961. That is also were he has stayed ever since, except for a brief period in the early ‘80s when he lived in Philadelphia.
He began his musical journey by learning to play the guitar when he was 11. Fell in love with it, and still is, which you easily can tell when you listen to him and his broad versatility on the instrument. But he is not only hooked on the guitar – the mandolin has a big part of his heart as well. Paul grew up with folk music as his mother and stepfather was running the clubs The Purple Door and The Purple Room in Chicago and later in Copenhagen as well.
His first musical heroes were many of the old acoustic blues musicians, in particular Big Bill Broonzy’s acoustic recordings, Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Blind Lemon Jefferson. He was also a big fan of The Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson, The Weavers, Peter Seeger – and the Stanley Brothers, and various bluegrass groups. When Bob Dylan emerged, a new world and a new expression appeared and he became interested mainly in the singers/songwriters of the day.
There are a lot of great songwriters out there. A handful of those whom he has listened to intensely are Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Bert Jansch, Gillian Welch – and he could mention a dozen others….
Paul Banks has been a full-time musician since he dropped out of law school at 22. He used to teach a lot of guitar, but that’s something that now is weeded out of his schedule.
In the 70’s he became an ardent Hendrix fan and for a few years after that, listened almost exclusively to soul music. In the ’80s he began listening to a lot of jazz classics: in particular Ellington, Bix Beiderbeck, Desmond, Basie, Miles Davis, Armstrong, Mingus, Monk, Hawkins etc.etc. As if that weren’t enough, he also turns out to be big fan of Beethoven’s string quartets and lately has become an opera buff. But the roots are strong and his most recent musical hero is mandolin player Chris Thile. The reason for listing all this is to express his background as a reason for his great versatility in his performing.
Banks has performed around Europe over the years, mostly in Germany, Norway and Sweden, but also the occasional gig in France, Switzerland, Holland etc. When in Philadelphia he did play a lot of gigs in that area.
His very first professional gig was with his sister – she sang, he played guitar. Young Paul toured Denmark and the folk festival scene in Germany with his stepfather Jo when he was in his teens. For a while, he played any kind of music with various soloists/ bands before settling into his first serious collaboration with singer/guitarist Bill Hazen and the band Side Show.
In the last half of the ’70s Paul’s career took a serious turn as he began playing with harmonica virtuoso Jørgen Lang and later with violinist Martin Andersen and bassist Hugo Rasmussen with whom he formed the band Musikkorkesteret (The Music Orchestra). From the mid-80’s and the next ten years, he played with saxophonist Steen Vig – as a duo and with various rhythm sections. Since then he has concentrated on a solo career, although he still plays regularly with Jørgen Lang and Martin Andersen. The last few years he is often seen performing with his son Peter Banks (5-string banjo, vocal, guitar). Depending on who he is doubling with the repertoire alters between his original songs, jazz tunes, blues, gospel and ragtime. For a number of years, he toured with the young the South Sweden wonder Svante Sjöblom. Both of them being parts of the Scandinavian Blues Jamboree. If one were to describe the music of Paul Banks the best definition would be Acoustic Country Blues with a jazzy feel to it. He is always seen playing his acoustic Lariveé guitar.
Most often he is to be found at one of his two favorite venues in Copenhagen, The old Mojo Blues Club or the Bartof Café where he was asked the question: “If you could invite any famous musician to play with, whom would that be?” The answer wasn’t quite that simple.
He has had the privilege of performing with a handful of musicians whom he admires greatly: Bert Jansch, Martin Jenkins, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, Champion Jack Dupree, Louisiana Red, Don Partridge, Charlie McCoy, Pig Robbins, Kenny Malone and many others. Paul Banks wouldn’t know who to choose – there are so many fine musicians around.
Paul Banks has recorded 15 CDs over the years and of those “Blackberry Wine” from 2013 really stands out, showing his intimate sides. An unexpected feature of Paul Banks is the fact that he for 25 years is engaged in concerts for children together with flute player Charlotte Halberg. He has also published a children’s story book and translated several books..
