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Walt Weiskopf
Walt Weiskopf performing on stageWalt Weiskopf performing on stage
Background information
Birth nameWalter Weiskopf
Born(1959-07-30)July 30, 1959
Augusta, Georgia, USA
GenresAvant-garde jazz, hard bop, post-bop, modal jazz, free jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, author
Instrument(s)Tenor, soprano, and alto saxophone, clarinet
Years active1981-present
WebsiteWaltWeiskopf.com
Musical artist

Walt Weiskopf (born July 30, 1959 in Augusta, Georgia) is an American jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, author, and educator. He has released 16 CDs as a leader and performed on countless other albums as a sideman, having worked with artists such as Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, and Steely Dan.

Early Life

Weiskopf was born in Augusta, Georgia and grew up outside of Syracuse, New York. He took up his first instrument, the clarinet, at age 10 and began his saxophone studies four years later. He studied at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester from 1977-80. After earning his B.A. in Music Performance he moved to New York City in September, 1980.

Professional Career

Weiskopf began his New York career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981 at the age of 21. He began a 14-year stint with the Toshiko Akiyoshi – Lew Tabackin Big Band in 1983. His has written eight books on various topics in jazz improvisation. As of late 2013 he has sixteen recordings as a leader and numerous sideman credits.

It was 1988 when Weiskopf decided to attend Queens College of the City of New York, where he spent 2 years studying with clarinetist Leon Russianoff, later earning a Master of Arts degree in clarinet performance. Over the next two decades he performed with a number of orchestras including the [American Ballet Theatre Orchestra, the American Composers Orchestra, and the Gotham Chamber Orchestra.

Weiskopf joined the popular music group Steely Dan in 2002 and is featured on the title song of their 2003 album Everything Must Go.

He has toured also with the Donald Fagen Band in 2006 as well as the Dukes of September Rhythm Revue in 2010 and 2012.

Weiskopf was a visiting associate professor at the Eastman School of Music from 2002 to 2008. He taught part-time at Temple University in Philadelphia from 2010-2012. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Saxophone at Kean University in Union, New Jersey.

Weiskopf co-authored Coltrane: A Player's Guide To His Harmony and The Augmented Scale in Jazz (pub. J. Aebersold) with Ramon Ricker.

In 1994 Walt completed Intervalic Improvisation (pub. Aebersold). Walt's fourth book, Around The Horn, was released in 2001 and Beyond The Horn, a sequel, co-authored with his former student Ed RosenBerg, was released in 2006. His most recent book, Understanding the Diminished Scale, was released in 2013.

Recognition

Weiskopf has received three performance grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He also was awarded funding for the creation and recording of his 2004 sextet recording Sight to Sound (Criss Cross Jazz) from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Chamber Music America. This suite of ten movements was inspired by the work of visual artists Dalí, Picasso, Van Gogh, Miró, and others.

Discography

As leader
As Sideman

Publications

  • 1991 Coltrane: A Player’s Guide (Pub. J. Aebersold – co-authored by Ramon Ricker) ASIN B000PIFI54
  • 1993 The Augmented Scale in Jazz (Pub. J. Aebersold) – Co-authored by Ramon Ricker) ISBN 978-1562240318
  • 1995 Intervalic Improvisation (Pub. J. Aebersold))
  • 2000 Around The Horn: 21 Modal Scales and Arpeggios Every Jazz Musician Needs To Know (Pub. J. Aebersold)) ISBN 978-1562240301
  • 2006 Beyond The Horn: Challenging Exercises & Etudes for Modern Improvisation (Pub. J. Aebersold) – Co-authored by Ed RosenBerg) ISBN 978-1562240493
  • 2010 Intervallic Improvisation - The Modern Sound: A Step Beyond Linear Improvisation (Pub. J. Aebersold)) ISBN 978-1562242596
  • 2010 Giant Steps: A Player's Guide To Coltrane's Harmony for ALL Instrumentalists (Pub. J. Aebersold) – co-authored by Ramon Ricker) ISBN 978-1562240530
  • 2013 Understanding the Diminished Scale: A Guide for the Modern Player (Pub. J. Aebersold)) ASIN 1562242881

References

  1. "Walt Weiskopf: Overdrive". PopMatters.com. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  2. Akeny, Jason. "Walt Weiskopf Biography". AllMusic.
  3. "Walt Weiskopf". AllAboutJazz.com. All About Jazz. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  4. "Walt Weiskopf – Overdrive". SomethingElseReviews.com. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  5. "Walt Weiskopf Nonet Siren". JazzTimes. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  6. "Walt Weiskopf". Last.fm. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  7. "Saxophonist Walt Weiskopf talks Steely Dan tour, new album". axs.com. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  8. "Walt Weiskopf". www.Amazon.com. Amazon. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  9. "The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra keeps an essential American sound alive". Isthmus. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  10. "Walt Weiskopf Discography". AllMusic.

External links

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Category:American jazz composers Category:American jazz musicians Category:1959 births Category:Living people