- David T. Walker
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David T. Walker is an American guitarist born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to numerous session musician duties since the early 1970s, Walker has issued over twelve albums in his own name.[1]
Contents
Career
David Tyrone Walker[2] was born to a Native American mother and African American father. He attended David Starr Jordan High School in the Watts area of Los Angeles. He has recorded a dozen solo albums since his debut release, The Sidewalk, in 1967. He has also been a session rhythm and lead guitarist, appearing on numerous soul, funk, and jazz releases. His backup work was featured on several notable albums of the early 1970s, including Stevie Wonder's Innervisions; Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On[3] and I Want You; Carole King's Fantasy; The Jackson 5's Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, ABC, and Maybe Tomorrow; Michael Jackson's Ben; and Quincy Jones's Body Heat. He also played with the combo Afrique on its 1973 Afro funk release Soul Makossa.
Other musicians Walker has worked with over the years include James Brown, Ray Charles,[4] Etta James, Aretha Franklin,[1] Smokey Robinson, Martha & the Vandellas,[4] Four Tops, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Billy Preston, Bobby Womack, Barry White,[1] Herbie Hancock, Lou Rawls, Willie Hutch, Jeffrey Osborne, Johnny Bristol, Solomon Burke, Cannonball Adderley,[5] B.B. King, Pharoah Sanders, Donald Byrd, The Crusaders,[6] Joe Sample, Sarah Vaughn, Sérgio Mendes, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine,[7] Gerald Levert, and Boz Scaggs.[1] His song "On Love" was sampled on the breakbeat compilation album Tribe Vibes Vol. 2 by the group A Tribe Called Quest.
Walker played in Bill Cosby's all-star band at the 2008 Playboy Jazz Festival.[8]
Recently he has gained popularity in Japan for playing guitar for the pop music group Dreams Come True, and on band member Miwa Yoshida's solo albums, and has also performed live with them. He also leads his group on tours of Japan each year. He recently toured Japan with Marlena Shaw. His earlier albums have found new life by being reissued in Japanese editions, along with "best of" collections. An album titled Thoughts was released in Japan in 2008. A holiday album titled Wear My Love was released in Japan in 2009.
Discography
As Leader
- The Sidewalk (1967) Revue RS7207
- Going Up! (1969) Revue RS7211
- Plum Happy (1970) ZEA ZLP1000
- David T. Walker (1971) Ode SP-77011
- Press On (1973) Ode SP-77020
- On Love (1976) Ode SP-77035
- Swing Street Cafe (with Joe Sample, 1978) Crusaders
- Y-Ence (1987) Alfa Moon 32XM-35
- With a Smile (1988) Alfa Moon 32XM-69
- Ahimsa (1989) Half Moon 28XE-2
- Soul Food Cafe (with Soul Food Cafe, 1989) Invitation VDR-1636
- ... From My Heart (1993) Edoya EDCP-602
- Dream Catcher (1994) Edoya EDCP-701
- Beloved (1995) Edoya EDCP-25005
- Thoughts (2008) DCT UPCH-20113 (Japan)
- 1971-1976 Best of Best (2008) Video Arts VACZ-1365 (Japan)
- Wear My Love (2009) DCT UPCH-20113 (Japan)[9]
As Sideman
With Cannonball Adderley
- The Happy People (Capitol, 1970)
With Donald Byrd
- Ethiopian Knights (Blue Note, 1971)
- Black Byrd (Blue Note, 1972)
- Street Lady (Blue Note, 1973)
- Stepping into Tomorrow (Blue Note, 1974)
- Caricatures (Blue Note, 1976)
With Herbie Hancock
- Man-Child (Columbia, 1975)
With Freddie Hubbard
- Bundle of Joy (Columbia, 1977)
- Splash (Fantasy, 1981)
With Bobbi Humphrey
- Blacks and Blues (Blue Note, 1973)
With Yosui Inoue
- Nishoku no Koma (Polydor, 1974)
With Quincey Jones
- Dollar$ (Reprise, 1971)
With Alphonse Mouzon
- The Man Incognito (Blue Note, 1975)
With Jeffrey Osborne
- Jeffrey Osborne (A & M, 1982)
With Marlena Shaw
- Who Is This Bitch, Anyway? (Blue Note, 1974)
With Stanley Turrentine
- Pieces of Dreams (Fantasy, 1974)
- In the Pocket (Fantasy, 1975)
- Have You Ever Seen the Rain (Fantasy, 1975)
References
- ^ a b c d Wynn, Ron. "David T. Walker". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p21304/biography. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
- ^ Discogs.com - accessed February 2010
- ^ "Top Album Picks: Let's Get It On" Billboard: 56. September 8, 1973 at Google Books. Accessed 22-02-10
- ^ a b The Afro American Feb 27 1971 at Google News. Accessed 22-02-10
- ^ Credits for The Happy people at The Cannonball Adderley Rendez-Vous Accessed 22-02-10
- ^ Clear, Rebecca D. DIANE Publishing, 1993. ISBN 0788114360, 9780788114366 Jazz on film and video in the Library of Congress at Google Books. Accessed 25-02-10
- ^ Ebony Mar 1976 Vol. 31, N.º 5 ISSN 0012-9011 - Johnson Publishing Company at Google books. Accessed 23-02-10
- ^ Jazz Times
- ^ "Allmusic ((( David T. Walker > Discography > Main Albums )))". http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p21304/discography.
External links
Categories:- American rhythm and blues guitarists
- American soul guitarists
- American jazz guitarists
- American session musicians
- 1941 births
- Living people
- People from Tulsa, Oklahoma
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