He’s been in the game for nearly two decades soothing fans with a unique blend of smooth vocals over saxophone-laced tracks. Grounded by old school musical influences Grover Washington, Jr., George Duke, Ronnie Laws and Donny Hathaway, mixed with the love of new school flavors like Kem, Jill Scott, Common and Mike Phillips; double-threat Walter Beasley is sure to free the minds of jazz heads and jazz newbie’s alike.
After dealing with the unfortunate loss of his Aunt Minnie, who was like a second mother to him, Beasley went through a period where he felt like he wasn’t able to lose himself in his music as he once was able to do. It wasn’t until Pieces of a Dream keyboardist James Lloyd sent him a song with an alluring hook that made Beasley feel free.
“The hook just freed up my mind,” he remembers.
This song would be the start of his journey to create his third release on Heads Up International, Free Your Mind.
“I’ve had great influences one of them being Ronnie Laws,” shares Beasley. “In the 70s he sang these beautiful songs and played saxophone so amazingly well and I aspired to be that.”
Beasley attended Berklee College of Music where he honed his saxophone skills but soon realized that he wasn’t the only one who adored the instrument.
“I noticed that everybody and their brother, sister and grandmother was playing the sax,” he says. “I figured that I was going to have to develop something else if I was going to be in this game and make a mark for myself, so I developed my voice.”
On Free Your Mind, Beasley sings his version of Kem’s “Love Calls,” essentially slowing down the vocals and putting a quiet storm touch on the song for a different vibe.
“I’m so moved by people like him because he gets it,” Beasley says of the talented singer.
Beasley’s current release also features the effortless mid-tempo piece, “Steady as She Goes,” and the Latin-flavored, “DukeZillia,” which is a nod to jazz and R&B keyboardist George Duke.
“I wanted to show a lot of maturity and create a project that would allow people to be stimulated and refreshed so that they can deal with the challenges of the day and night,” he says, adding that he considers this album to be his best yet.
He even has a song on the album dedicated to our first African-American president, Barack Obama.
“One day I was watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and I saw [Barack Obama] dancing on TV and he was so lighthearted,” he says. “He moved side to side but never too forward or backward. That’s why I named the song “Barack’s Groove.” I’m proud to have dedicated a record to him and I look forward to change. Change is constant and one thing that I’ve decided not to be afraid of.” ~sheena neal
