was a lead trumpet performer with many big bands and Latin bands on the
jazz scene both in New York and L.A. Tito Prente, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson,
Machito
to name a few etc.
He was just a fun guy and was my best friend in New York. He went to Monroe High
School in the Bronx and Manhattan School of Music BM (63) where he received his Masters
Degree in Music (64). He lived in Florida the last nine years of his life with his
friend Susan.
This webpage is to celebrate Paul's Life as a musician.
He said, 
He understood what great music was about and the joy of a
great performance.
I can only say now that he is in a more peaceful place and
that I miss him and I wished I could of done better for him so he could perform
the music he really loved.
But as most people know big bands jobs are far and
few
between.
Suite for Paul by Greg Henry Waters: March 15, 2004
(listen below) These
jazz tunes are to commemorate his love for jazz and the big band. Also for
the reverence I had for him and his belief and love of music. I
composed these songs from the 60's jazz style and two Latin songs, plus one
combination song. Paul's first gigs were with Tito Puente's Band in NYC. He went
on their first tour to South American and is on many early records with Tito. He
helped create the Tito's sound with western horn players and Latin Percussion. So
a tribute to his contribution to Latin Music and Jazz is certainly deserved. He was the first original
trumpet player in the Blood Sweat and Tears Band. Few people know this fact
about Paul.
I 'through composed' (musical term) these songs to make them not sound repetitious or commercial. The songs are written in a free form style so as to bring the feeling of empty ness when I cannot express myself in such a situation with a passing of a loved one. I did not think so much I just let the songs compose themselves. Paul's life was about music is my point.
Saint Peter's Concert New York
If anyone has any stories about Paul or pictures you would like to
place here please let me know about them.
greg@cmporg.org
If you would like to
send a donation to Creative Music Productions Inc. For
Family contact
write 
for Paul. Paul was
vice-president of Creative Music Productions Inc. (since 1977) and always supported
the goals of CMP. He said, "we
should have moved to France and started the band, (the 12 piece jazz ensemble
there;) We would have been better off." Since I had children and a wife I
could not do that. I was not free. He helped the band all he could with the administration and development of the ensemble. "Thank
You Paul for your effort. I hope these tunes I composed for you will be a
real tribute to your life and other musicians will perform them in your name." Please send me a request for the tunes or midi files or Band in
a Box files.
"Only in Music and other art forms can we really express our true feelings
and bring us closes to the divine."
Suite for Paul Part I Tenor Sax Medium Slow mp3 Rest in Peace Paul Smooth
Suite for Paul Part II Alto Sax Ballad mp3 The Wondering of Life Slow with large intervals
Suite for Paul Part III Tenor Sax Cha Cha mp3 Those Notes Pass Us By A Dance Beat
Suite for Paul Part IV Alto Sax Salsa Samba mp3 Cross Culture Experiences Salsa
Suite for Paul Part V Tenor Sax Bossa Swing mp3 In The Mix Latin and Swing
Paul always said Latin Musicians have trouble swinging the beat. A tribute to the mixing of cultures which Paul was so aware of. Paul was at the beginning of the Salsa Movement with both Latin Music with Tito and Fusion Music with the Blood Sweat and Tears Group. This is what makes Salsa but now the bands are more commercial they do not get it. History always repeats itself I guess. Except maybe for Bach, where is he today? Certainly he is not in our society we have the David Lettermen Band and other Bands of this nature. The business policies for me make that band really suck. Such is the music business in New York City. Not Good, you know what I mean. Paul cared about real music is my point.
Greg Henry Waters Newsletter Comments April
2004 letter: Creative Music Productions Inc. (since
1977 in New York City) lost one of its founders on March 11, 2004. (62)
Paul Litrenta, trumpet performer and arranger for top bands and show acts.
Paul was Vice President of CMP and a good friend and supporter of culture.
His parents were from Italy, but Paul came to be a complete American. He
only liked people for what they were not for who their friends were or what
cultural background they came from. He disliked the Italian American
mentality that was so prevalent in New York City that could not integrate
into main stream society. He had Italian friends, Jewish friends, Latin
friends, African American friends and friends like me from the mid-west, White
Americans (I am 3/4 German). He was a person of character and culture.
It is too bad that we have so few people with this level of character in our
world. He did not drink or smoke. He always wanted to 
and
be the
Paul in French about 2002 
I composed a Suite of Songs for Paul and recorded them in my apartment here in Shenzhen, China today. March 22, 2004 I am helping create musical culture in this new 'western' country, China. With CMP, Paul was a member of the Latin Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, and Quintet. He worked very hard also in contracting musicians and getting rehearsals together.
