Walter White
Trumpeter-Bandleader-Composer-Arranger-Educator-Producer
Walter White has emerged with a personal voice on both trumpet and flugelhorn. his playing is darkly incantatory, furiously intense, risk-laden, harmonically astute, rhythmically free, with roiling passion tempering a sharp intellect. His bands play solid originals and his own exciting arrangements from both the standard jazz and classical literature.
Walter serves as leader of the Walter White Jazz Quartet, the Walter White Big Band, and his 11-piece band, Walter White & Small Medium @ Large, who recently released the recording, Breaking Good, which received substantial national radio play and reached into the top 20 on the Jazz Week charts. His newest jazz quartet recording, Walter White Quartet, Most Triumphant, was released in July 2014 on Summit Records and stayed on Jazz Week's top-50 charts for over ten weeks.
Walter White grew up in a musical family near Detroit, MI, which inspired him to begin his musical career. Walter’s expressive trumpet playing led him to collaborate with many of the top names in music including: Bob James, Maynard Ferguson, Dave Holland, the Mingus Big Band, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, and Arturo Sandoval.
Walter's playing has enhanced the sound tracks of records, movies, and television, including network sitcoms, TAXI and The Cosby Show. As a recording studio owner, Walter produces music for records, television, and film. In 1994, Walter produced the Walter White Long-tone Accompaniment, a play-along CD for music practice, now in its third printing.
Walter White is a Yamaha Artist & Clinician and is active as an educator, teaching privately and holding master classes and clinics across the country and abroad.
Walter White will perform with the famed Chicago Jazz Orchestra on May 30, 2015 in a concert tribute to the music of Maynard Ferguson from the 1960's era.
Walter's newest CD, Most Triumphant, was released in July 2014 on Summit Records. It has been getting substantial natioanl airplay, reaching #41 in it's 3rd week on the JazzWeek Jazz charts and has garnered great responses from the media.
Most Triumphant; Walter White, trumpet and flugelhorn.
Now here’s a guy who has been part of the New York scene for the better part of two decades. His tone is true and gimmick free. His choice of tunes reflects attention and devotion to jazz history. And his original compositions will keep you listening. So, with all this going for him, why have I never before encountered Walter White? His playing mates include Gary Schunk, piano, Miles Brown, bass, and Sean Dobbins, drums. The quartet takes on five White originals, all worth hearing; I was particularly engaged with the high-wire opener, “Spring Ahead”; the somewhat Tom McIntosh-like sense of pride and a certain nobility on the title tune; and the serene, theme-like quality of “Ballade No. 1.” Five additional selections come from other sources, and two of those are from the standards book. “Indiana” is updated a bit with a contemporary rhythmic setting, and “Bye Bye Blackbird” is done à la Miles Davis, as White plugs in the mute. “Joy” is one of those regal melodies you’ll recognize from the original Chuck Mangione version. And “The Beehive,” written by pianist Harold Mabern, is one of those hard bop delights with lots of movement and some tricky changes. And perhaps to show just how wide his musical horizon extends, White and his colleagues close the session with a beautiful Chopin prelude. The entire album is very straight ahead and uplifting, with no cheap tricks or foolish detours. Pardon the dreadful poetry, but I had to do it: White takes flight and it’s all right!
Summit Records; 2014; appx. 55 min.
Detroit Jazz Festival Music: Walter White's 'Most Triumphant'
Labor Day weekend is not generally considered an optimum time to release a new record, but for Detroit jazz musicians; there is no better time to showcase your new music than at The Detroit Jazz Festival which starts this Friday, August 29th. Trumpeter Walter White has taken advantage of this auspicious time to release and celebrate his latest offering Most Triumphant on Summit Records. His CD release concert will be Sunday, August 31st at 2PM on the Waterfront Stage.
Walter White is held in highest regard worldwide for his early work with Bob James, Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, The White-Margitza Quintet and The Mingus Big Band. After making significant musical marks in New York City and Miami, Walter White returned to his home state of Michigan where he remains incredibly musically active. He performs in shows at The Fisher Theater, leads international clinics and master classes, teaches at Oakland University and now records for Summit Records.
Link to WEMU for the full hour-long interview with Linda Yohn!
Walter White and his quartet appeared live on the Fox2 Detroit morning show to promote the Detroit Jazz Festival and his new CD, Most Triumphant.
WDET's Alex Trajano speaks with jazz trumpeter Walter White. They discuss his Detroit blue collar background, stiff drinks and of course, music.
(link to WDET page and interview)
"I think it really comes from inside your head, if you can imagine it you can make it happen," White says of his creative process. As far as his distinct style, White tells Alex that he could pick up any instrument and it would still "sound like me."
As a young musician, White looked up to Louis Armstrong and Freddie Hubbard. In fact it was Hubbard's song, "First Light" that inspired White to create a lush and melodic sound of his own. "The tone of the trumpet was incredible," he says of Hubbard's "First Light."
When White is working with young musicians now, he says he tells them to "imagine the sound, and allow it to happen."
(link to WDET page and interview)
"Walter White is most triumphant with his Summit debut, an impressive start!"
Tulsa University, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Grand Rapids Symphony Pops
DeVos Hall, Grand Rapids
DeVos Hall, Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Symphony Pops
DeVos Hall, Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Symphony Pops
Performance of Walter White's five-movement composition for big band, "The Gussman Suite" with the TU big band directed by Vernon Howard.
Pittsburgh, PA with special MF alumni guest artisits Walter White, Reggie Watkins, Patrick Hession, Jeff Lashway, and more.
Tribute to Maynard Ferguson and Charles Mingus featuring trumpeter Walter White and bassist, Rodney Whitaker.
Pippin
Pippin
Pippin