ifunk volume 1 | Page 5

succeed. Walter has since taken classes involving sound design, movie soundtracks, camera operator.

"I dont give up man" walter says as he hold his hands in a prayer and looks up to the sky.

thank you youtube for the videos...

Earl began his career in Dallas, Texas, where he studied with some of the best jazz musicians around such as Claude Johnson, Ken Boome, Kenny Kirkland, Roger Boyke, Joe Sample, Michelle Le Fevre, Robert Lee in San Francisco, Si Perkoff and Mark Little.

Earl played with the legendary Herbie Lewis. Lewis, who often featured the Walter Earl Quintet, had also played with renowned musicians like McCoy Tyner, Lee Morgan and Joe Chambers.

Producing his debut album “Fly” in it quickly became clear Walter was not just another studio musician. His sound was a welcome addition to a new genre of music, “Bay Area Cool,” a seamless blend of jazz, hip hop and retro soul

A year later, Earl produced his second album, “In the Middle of the Crowd,” demonstrating even greater musical maturity. With this album Earl maintained the motion and unique spirit of “Fly,” while drawing from classic jazz elements, hip hop and R&B. The result was refreshing and sophisticated

Earl’s sound attracted the notice of Grammy Award-winning producer Narada Michael Walden, Felton Pilat of ConFunkShun, Ritchie Havens, DJ Rasoul and DJ Henry, all of whom invited him to work with them. Over the years, he has also collaborated with Ron K, Bernard Wright, Victor Blackman, DJ Scott Hardkiss and Kenneth “K-Phlx” Manning and Erykah Badu as well as numerous big names in San Francisco such as Goapele, Zion I, Blackalicious, JT tha Bigga Figga, Latryx, Crown City Rockers and TC and the Enhancer Earl performed with David Boyce, Kevin Carnes, Juan Escovedo of the Escovedo Family, Ricardo Scales,James Levi of the Headhunters, Dorothy Morrision of Oh Happy Day, Rock Box Drummer and music Director for the Weathergirl. Earl moved to San Francisco ready to take the city by storm. Demand for him grew quickly as a studio maven, and he shared his talents with producers at Radical House, Bayview Productions, Frisco Studios, The Funkanauts, The Walker Brothers,The Top Four Flights and Tarpan Studios