Walter Blanding

ABOUT

For the past three decades as a music educator, performing artist, and composer, Walter has been bringing joy through music to people across the globe, from New York to China and everywhere in between. His career includes performances and recordings with some of the great artists of our times: Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Count Basie Orchestra, Cab Calloway, Branford Marsalis, Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Roy Hargrove, Tony Bennet, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Paris Radio Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and many others.

His latest album, Fantasy in Blue, launched with this statement:

“The music on this album is designed to bring us closer to understanding the beauty of our differences and the things we all have in common. We discover the profound depth and importance of cultural awareness and well-being.”

Walter was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in New York City. His artistry began to impress critics and listeners alike in 1991 with his debut on Tough Young Tenors, acclaimed as one of the year’s best jazz albums. Since then, his musical and spiritual presence on this earth has continued to evolve. In 1999, a feature article in Newsweek International described Walter as the “Jazz Ambassador to Israel.” Walter lived in Israel for four years and made a significant impact on the music scene, touring the country with his ensemble and with invited artists from the United States. His presence and influence in the country have inspired the making of the film “Caravan 841,” in which he was a featured actor. Walter also taught music in several Israeli schools and even opened his private school in Tel Aviv. With his dedication to enriching lives by using the arts as a means of cultural exchange, Walter served as the Jazz Ambassador in Shanghai, China, for Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai from 2018 to 2020.