Walter Beasley

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Walter Beasley
WalterBeasley.jpg
Background information
Birth nameWalter Beasley
Born (1961-05-24) May 24, 1961 (age 63)
Origin El Centro, California, United States
Genres Smooth Jazz, R&B
Occupation(s)Musician, professor, recording artist, performer, composer
Instrument(s) Soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, voice
Labels Shanachie Records
Warner Bros. Records
Mercury Records
Headsup/Affable Records
Website walterbeasley.com

Walter Beasley (born May 24, 1961) 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 a 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

AlbumYearLabel
Walter Beasley1987 [3] Polydor/Polygram
Just Kickin' It1989Mercury/Polydor
Intimacy1992Polygram
Private Time1995 [5] Mercury/Polydor
Walter Beasley Live and More1996Affable Records
Tonight We Love1997Shanachie
For Your Pleasure1998Shanachie
Won't You Let Me Love You2000Shanachie
Rendezvous2002Shanachie
Go with the Flow2003Affable Records
Midnight Love2003Shanachie
The Classic R&B Collection2004Shanachie
For Her2005 [2] Heads Up
Greatest Hits!2005Shanachie
Live2006Shanachie
Ready for Love2007 [3] Affable Records
Sax Meditations2008Affable Records
Free Your Mind2009 [8] Heads Up
Backatcha2010Shanachie [9]
Walter Beasley Live – In the Groove2010Affable Records
Live in the Club2013Walter Beasley
Sax Meditations II2014Affable Records
I'm Back2015Affable Records
Blackstreams2017Walter Beasley
Going Home2019Affable Records
Meet Me At My Place2022Affable Records
Lil' Darlin' (single)2023Affable Records
Déjà Vu (single)2023Affable Records
Do You Wanna Dance (Walter's version) ft. Rebecca Jade (single)2023Affable Records
Nice and Easy (Walter's version) ft Najee (single)2023Affable Records
Lovely Day (Live at the Birchmere) ft. Chad Selph (single)2024Affable Records
Silver Lining (Live at the Birchmere) ft. Chad Selph (single)2024Affable Records
Aqui (Live) ft. Kevin Prince (single)2024Affable Records
Nice & Easy (live) ft. Robert Johnson (single)2024Affable Records
Live and Blessed2024Affable Records
Funk Foot (Smooth Jazz Radio Edit) (single)2024Affable Records
Baby That's Backatcha (Re-release)2024Affable Records

DVDs

Educational

Live

Books

APPs

Awards and accolades

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References

  1. 1 2 Beasley, Walter (December 20, 2007). "Walter Beasley's Official Site: Professional Profile" . Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Lebovitz, Susan Chaityn (January 22, 2006). "Beasley on the sax". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cox, Kevin (March 15, 2007). "Boston-based saxophonist helps keep jazz alive". The Boston-Bay State Banner. Vol. 42, no. 31. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Faculty Biography: Walter Beasley". Berklee. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 Rowland, Hobart; Bob Burtman (May 23, 1996). "Saxy Stuff". Houston Press. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  6. Buckley, Michael (February 5, 2009). "Music Box: Big Head Todd brings heartfelt rock to D.C." HometownAnnapolis.com. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  7. Lowenthal, Kevin (August 12, 2005). "Onstage, his smoothness turns funky and soulful". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  8. Joyce, Mike (February 6, 2009). "WALTER BEASLEY "Free Your Mind" Heads Up". The Washington Post. pp. WE07. Retrieved February 23, 2009.
  9. Backatcha! – Walter Beasley | AllMusic
  10. "Walter Beasley's Official Site | Selected Discography and Equipment". Walterbeasley.com. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
  11. "Walter Beasley's Official Site | Fact Sheet". Walterbeasley.com. Retrieved May 2, 2012.