Walt Wagner – Jazz Piano

”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.”

St. Louis Globe-Democrat (with Bill Cosby): “One fine performer who knows his keyboard and displays a formidable technique.”

Walt’s Career Includes:

PERFORMANCE Walt Wagner has been featured for two years at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at University of Idaho, and performed the opening pair of concerts in a new U of I series, “Four Seasons of Jazz”. He has performed with Jay Leno, Bill Cosby, 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.

TELEVISION Wagner’s guest appearances include The Tonight Show, Merv Griffin, and an Andy Williams & Peggy Fleming special from Madison Square Garden. Wagner’s own TV special, “The Walt Wagner Show”, aired worldwide.

COMPOSING A prolific composer, Walt writes much of the music for his concert and club appearances, and increasingly is writing works in the classical category. He premiered “Rhythms – for Piano, Winds & Percussion”, performing as soloist with the Washington Wind Symphony, conducted by Gene Aitken. Another commission was a piano concerto, “The Miracle – for Piano & Orchestra”, which was recorded with Gerard Schwarz conducting The Seattle Symphony Orchestra, again with Wagner as soloist (see below). He also writes all his own big-band arrangements for jazz performances as well as orchestrations for “pops”-style concerts with symphony orchestras.