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NEW RECORDINGS

New Walt Wagner Trio EP, ‘TRAJECTORY’ — a cutting-edge version of the classic piano/bass/drums trio. Four Walt Wagner originals and a hypnotic cover of a DJ Shadow tune. Pianist Walt Wagner, electric bassist Dan Dean and drummer Ben Smith.

Just arrived: ‘THE COMFORTER’ (CD, solo piano) — an album of sacred music. Beloved spirituals, hymns, and three Walt originals, contemplative and improvisational. A moment of peace during a crazy, unpeaceful time.

To the Music

Walt Wagner

Variety (Harrah’s Reno, with Sammy Davis Jr.):

“An outstanding talent, Wagner earned enthusiastic encores with brilliant improvising.”

Portland Oregonian:

“There are not many pianists with whom he can be compared. There are touches of wizardry that remind of jazz and rock, yet he has the technical fluidity of a classical craftsman. There is a charisma about him that generated a standing ovation with the audience yelling for more.”

Spokane Spokesman-Review:

“Not only is Wagner an extraordinary player, but the easygoing wit and confident delivery of his spoken introductions make him the antithesis of the rotten-brat style of many performers. It’s a pleasure to hear him play and watch him work.”

Bellevue Daily Journal-American (with Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra):

“Wagner was back by popular demand and drew a sellout crowd.”

Music

Tag Trajectory—The Walt Wagner Trio, with Dan Dean and Ben Smith 1:51
Facade Trajectory—The Walt Wagner Trio, with Dan Dean and Ben Smith 1:50
Deep River The Comforter—Walt Wagner, solo piano 2:34
Low Fat Trajectory—The Walt Wagner Trio, with Dan Dean and Ben Smith 1:50
Blessed Assurance The Comforter—Walt Wagner, solo piano 6:35
The Funeral Reworks—Walt Wagner, solo piano 1:30
Building Steam With a Grain of Salt Trajectory—The Walt Wagner Trio, with Dan Dean and Ben Smith 1:50
Spiral Trajectory—The Walt Wagner Trio, with Dan Dean and Ben Smith 1:50
Brain Damage In The Pink—Walt Wagner, solo piano 1:04
My Foolish Heart Pearls—Walt Wagner, solo piano 0:30
Comfortably Numb In The Pink—Walt Wagner, solo piano 1:04
Desiree Reworks—Walt Wagner, solo piano 1:30
St. Thomas Pearls—Walt Wagner, solo piano 0:30

STORE—ALL WALT'S MUSIC

Video

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Career

PERFORMANCE

Walt Wagner has performed with Jay Leno, Bob Hope, George Burns, Lily Tomlin, Roberta Flack, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bob Newhart, and as pianist- conductor with Peggy Lee. He toured internationally with Peggy Fleming in “A Concert On Ice”, and has performed extensively at Sun Valley, Idaho. He was featured for two years at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at University of Idaho. Concluding a 20-year engagement at Seattle’s famed Canlis, Walt played a concert finale which was live-streamed internationally. Recently, The Walt Wagner Trio performed to packed houses at renowned Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley.

TELEVISION

Wagner’s guest appearances include The Tonight Show, Merv Griffin, and an Andy Williams & Peggy Fleming special at Madison Square Garden.

COMPOSING

Commissions include: Fanfare, for Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra (conductor, Adam Stern); Rhythms – for Piano, Winds & Percussion, for Washington Wind Symphony (pianist, Walt Wagner; conductor, Gene Aitken) and a recording with Seattle Symphony Orchestra (see Recordings, below); The Miracle – Concerto for Piano & Orchestra, for a recording with Seattle Symphony Orchestra (pianist, Walt Wagner; conductor, Gerard Schwarz).

RECORDINGS

•THE COMFORTER (Semaphone 79318): Solo piano. An album of sacred music. Beloved spirituals, hymns, and three Walt originals, contemplative and improvisational. A moment of peace during a crazy, unpeaceful time.

•TRAJECTORY (Semaphone 79317; EP): The Walt Wagner Trio with Walt Wagner, piano; Dan Dean, electric bass; Ben Smith, drums. Total energy — a cutting-edge version of the classic piano/bass/drums trio, with four Walt Wagner jazz originals and a hypnotic cover of a DJ Shadow tune.

•REWORKS – LIVE AT CANLIS (Sub Pop SP1193): Solo piano. The finale concert after 20 years; piano distillations of the music of Band Of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Buzzcocks, Phoenix, Prince, My Bloody Valentine, DJ Shadow, The Left Banke and Goat.

• IN THE PINK — Music of Pink Floyd (Semaphone 79316): Solo piano. Interpretations of the lyrical, bluesy, mysterious music of DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, THE WALL, and THE DIVISION BELL.

•CHARIOTS OF FIRE (Semaphone 79315; CD single): Solo piano. A powerful interpretation of Vangelis’ beloved theme.

• SPIRIT (Semaphone 79314): Solo piano. A Christmas collection of European and American traditional carols.

• PEARLS, VOLUME 1 (Semaphone 79313): A solo piano collection of well-loved jazz tunes, displaying Walt’s expansive blend of improvisation and lyrical flow.

•THE MIRACLE – FOR PIANO & ORCHESTRA/ RHYTHMS – FOR PIANO, WINDS & PERCUSSION (Semaphone 79312), with Wagner as composer/soloist and Gerard Schwarz conducting The Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

• EVEN THERE (Semaphone 70022): An unusual collection of hymns, featuring the warmth and soulfulness of vocalist Sue Nixon; produced and arranged by Wagner for piano, string quartet, African drums and guitar,.

Latest News

About a year ago, the opportunity came up to play at world-renowned Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle. With bassist Dan Dean and drummer Ben Smith, we became The Walt Wagner Trio, and after playing to packed, fired up audiences at that first gig, we decided we’d like to make a go of it.

Each of us feels that playing together in this group has been a high point in our long careers, and it’s motivating us to invest lots of rehearsal time. Further encouraging us, we wound up playing a total of five shows at Jazz Alley so far!

As we continue to rehearse and develop our music, we‘re hunting for the right booking agency–with the hope that we might find ourselves playing for you in your area! So…stay tuned!

Here’s us, earnestly rehearsing in Ben’s amazing garage studio…in Seattle, the founding capital of garage bands…