Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Walter Norris was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on December 27, 1931 and first studied piano at home with his mother. Lessons with John Summers, a local church organist followed. During his junior high and high school years his first professional performances were with the Howard Williams Band in and around Little Rock.

After graduating from high school, Norris went on to briefly play with Mose Allison, then did a two-year tour in the US Air Force. After the military he played with Jimmy Ford in Houston, Texas, then moved to Los Angeles, California and became an integral part of the West Coast Jazz scene. He was enlisted to play on Jack Sheldon’s first album as well as on the 1958 Ornette Coleman’s first album, Something Else! The Music of Ornette Coleman on the Contemporary Records label.

1960 saw Walter relocating to New York City and forming a trio with guitarist Billy Bean and bassist Hal Gaylor. The group made one album before he took a job at the New York City Playboy Club in 1963 and in time became the club’s Director of Entertainment, remaining there until 1970. After Playboy, for the next four years he became a freelance performer and taught in the New York area.

In 1974, he replaced Roland Hanna in the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Band and after a tour of Scandinavia, he remained in Europe to record a duo album with double bassist George Mraz, titled Drifting.

Returning to the states, he joined the Charles Mingus Quintet in 1976, however, he left the band after an unintentional calling him Charlie instead of Charles with Mingus narrowly escaped confrontation in the dressing room prior to a performance, Norris quit the band. He accepted a job in Berlin, Germany, as pianist with the Sender Freies Berlin-Orchestra, insisting it was his fear of Mingus that was the primary reason for the move to Europe.

Signing a five-album contract with Concord Records in 1990, Walter released three significant albums, Sunburst with saxophonist Joe Henderson, Hues of Blues with George Mraz, and the solo piano album Live at Maybeck Recital Hall. In 1998, he self-financed the album From Another Star, recorded in New York with bassist Mike Richmond, pressing 1,000 copies. He also recorded with Ronnie Bedford, Aladár Pege, Larry Grenadier, Mike Heyman, Larance Marable, Leszek Możdżer.

His autobiography, In Search of Musical Perfection and a method book Essentials for Pianist Improvisers were released in 2005. In July 2006, Norris recorded at his Berlin home with bassist Putter Smith and in 2010 he had a documentary film produced titled Walter Norris, a documentary. Pianist and composer Walter Norris passed away on October 29, 2011 at his home in Berlin, Germany.

Take A Dose On The Road

More Posts: piano