Robert Walter (musician)

Robert Walter
Robert Walter in New Orleans 2017
Background information
Birth name	Robert Shaun Walter
Origin	San Diego, US
Genres	Jazz, Funk, Soul Jazz
Instruments	Hammond B3 organ, piano, keyboards, sythesizers
Years active	1990s–present
Labels	Royal Potato Family, Fog City Records
Associated acts	Robert Walter's 20th Congress, The Greyboy Allstars, VW Duo, Creedle, Stanton Moore Trio, Mike Gordon
Website	robertwalter.com

Robert Walter (born May 3, 1970) is a keyboard player specializing in instrumental soul jazz on the Hammond B3 organ. He is best known as a founding (and current) member of The Greyboy Allstars, Creedle, (an American post-hardcore and alternative rock band from San Diego), and his own band, Robert Walter's 20th Congress.

Biography

A founding member of The Greyboy Allstars, ^[1] Walter, splits his time between 20th Congress, The Greyboy Allstars and a robust film soundtrack career.^[2]. He has performed and recorded with heavyweights like Fred Wesley, Gary Bartz, Skerik, Melvin Sparks, Andy Bey, Reuben Wilson, Harvey Mason, Red Holloway, Chuck Rainey, Phil Upchurch, Mike Clark, Johnny Vidacovich, Mike Gordon and Steve Kimock.

In 1999, six years into The Greyboy Allstars, Walter formed Robert Walter's 20th Congress^[3], which featured Robert on electric piano and Hammond B3 organ, Dap-Kings Cochemea Gastelum on alto sax, electric sax and flute, Chris Stillwell on bass and Stanton Moore on drums. 20th Congress released their debut full-length recording Money Shot on San Francisco's Fog City Records in 2000.^[4]

Walter moved from his native San Diego to New Orleans in 2003, and subsequently reunited with producer Dan Prothero to record Super Heavy Organ with local legends Johnny Vidacovich, James Singleton, Tim Green, and Stanton Moore.

In 2008, Walter recorded and released Cure All with James Singleton and Johnny Vidacovich. AllMusic calls it soul-jazz with "a healthy balance of intellect and funkiness".^[5]

In Spring of 2013, The Greyboy Allstars released Inland Emperor, their first album since 2007's What Happened to Television? A move from New Orleans to Los Angeles jump-started Robert Walter's 20th Congress once again. He released Get Thy Bearings, which pushed Walter's organ, piano, Rhodes and synthesizer to the front of a group rounded out by guitarist/bassist Elgin Park, drummer Aaron Redfield, sax players Karl Denson and Cochemea Gastelum, and percussionist Chuck Prada^[6]. Recorded in just a few takes at Elgonix Labs - the same studio where Walter has lent his skills to Get Thy Bearings producer Michael Andrews' film scores and productions. Since returning to LA, recording film scores has widened the conceptual palate of Walters' work.

"A lot of modern music is over-considered, but if you fix every little edge there's no mystery. We didn’t monkey around too much, just indulged in our musicalness." It's the same commitment that has made Walter such a live force. The current 20th Congress touring line-up include Simon Lott, Chris Alford, and Victor Little. In April 2015, it was announced that Robert would be joining Phish's Mike Gordon as his keyboard/organ player.^[7]

In September 2018, Walter released Spacesuit, a new studio album by 20th Congress.^[8]

Discography

References

External links

• Official Site
• Fog City Records presents: Robert Walter
• Allmusic biography
• Robert Walter's 20th Congress collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• Interview with Robert Walter on Aural States (Oct 2008)