Walter Beasley

Walter Beasley
Background information
Birth name Walter Beasley
Born May 24, 1961 (1961-05-24) (age 50)
Origin El Centro, California, United States
Genres Smooth Jazz
Occupations Musician
Instruments Saxophone
Labels Shanachie Records
Warner Bros. Records
Mercury Records
Headsup/Affable Records
Website official site

Walter Beasley is an American saxophonist, a professor of music at the Berklee College of Music, and founder of Affable Publishing and Affable Records.

Contents

Biography

Beasley grew up in El Centro, California.[1] By the age of 13 he was singing in Spanish in a band called Los Elegantes, and he played in various bands and performed at clubs throughout middle and high school.[2]

Beasley graduated from Berklee in 1984,[3] and a year later took a short-term teaching position at the same school, which became a permanent career.[1] He is now professor at the school.[4]

In 1987, he released his first, self-titled, album,[3] and since 1998 has been one of the top ten best-selling African American saxophonists in the world.[4] Having grown up as a fan of R&B and funk and trained in classical and jazz saxophone,[5] his own style falls between contemporary R&B and contemporary jazz,[6] a blend which has been called "smooth jazz".[3]

He is not only an alto and soprano saxophonist and a singer,[7] but also a composer and producer.[5] He is the founder and CEO of Affable Publishing, and the owner of Affable Records.[3]

Discography

Album Year Label
Walter Beasley 1987[3] Polydor
Just Kickin' It 1989 Mercury
Intimacy 1992 Mercury
Private Time 1995[5] Mercury
Walter Beasley Live and More 1996 Affable Records
Tonight We Love 1997 Shanachie
For Your Pleasure 1998 Shanachie
Won't You Let Me Love You 2000 Shanachie
Rendezvous 2002 Shanachie
Go With The Flow 2003 N-Coded Music
For Her 2005[2] Heads Up
Ready for Love 2007[3] Heads Up
Sax Meditations 2008 Affable Records
Free Your Mind 2009[8] Heads Up

|- | "Backatcha" | 2010 |

DVDs

Educational

Live

Awards and accolades

References

  1. ^ a b Beasley, Walter (2007-12-20). "Walter Beasley's Official Site: Professional Profile". http://www.walterbeasley.com/index.php?page=bio. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  2. ^ a b Lebovitz, Susan Chaityn (2006-01-22). "Beasley on the sax". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/01/22/a_long_bumpy_road_for_a_high_school_dropout/. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cox, Kevin (2007-03-15). "Boston-based saxophonist helps keep jazz alive". The Boston-Bay State Banner 42 (31). http://www2.baystatebanner.com/issues/2007/03/15/arts/arts03150741.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  4. ^ a b "Faculty Biography: Walter Beasley". Berklee. http://www.berklee.edu/faculty/detail/walter-beasley. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  5. ^ a b c Rowland, Hobart; Bob Burtman (1996-05-23). "Saxy Stuff". Houston Press. http://www.houstonpress.com/1996-05-23/music/saxy-stuff/. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  6. ^ Buckley, Michael (2009-02-05). "Music Box: Big Head Todd brings heartfelt rock to D.C.". HometownAnnapolis.com. http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2009/02_05-01/ENT. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  7. ^ Lowenthal, Kevin (2005-08-12). "Onstage, his smoothness turns funky and soulful". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2005/08/12/onstage_his_smoothness_turns_funky_and_soulful/. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  8. ^ Joyce, Mike (2009-02-06). "WALTER BEASLEY "Free Your Mind" Heads Up". The Washington Post: pp. WE07. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020500944.html. Retrieved 2009-02-23. 
  9. ^ http://walterbeasley.com/index.php?page=bio&display=40
  10. ^ http://walterbeasley.com/index.php?page=bio&display=39

External links