American born pianist, singer, arranger and professional performer since 1980. Currently based in Japan since the 1990s and performing at such upscale venues as the Ritz Carlton in Osaka since its 1997 first opening day, as well as hotels and dining establishments in Kobe, Japan. Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. I’m designing this page to provide accurate information and an independent portal to my music.
BIO
Born in Brooklyn, New York,
Although recordings of his unique voice and arrangement style have just begun to surface with the 2002 release of his first album, “Perfect Love,” Walter Clark has been on the music scene, performing for audiences around the world for over 30 years. He has become a fixture at such upscale hotels as The Ritz Carlton in Osaka Japan. With a repertoire of over 500 songs spanning multiple genres and decades he has been able to excite and satisfy listeners of varied backgrounds and maintain a career exclusively as a full-time performing artist since 1980.
Unique and non-traditional in his approach to harmony and arrangement Clark's music has also been described as healing and soothing.
Sometimes called “the singer with the bedroom voice,” he covers music that has a positive message timelessness and staying power.
Through a wide variety of musical genres and original arrangements Walter imbues every performance with a jazz ambiance delivering relaxing renditions of ballads and love songs.
"My latest CD Night And Day, has an emphasis on love songs. Its a collection of recordings made from 2001-2020, some from old CDs and vintage live recordings, others are more recent, since my rebuilding and relocation of the studio. Although my preference is to make the emotional quality of music more important than technical aspects, I do my best to faithfully serve the original writers of the songs."
“Whatever the genre, my goal is to present music which is relaxing and uplifting.”
Grandfather- John McCoy
Its in my genes
I came from a musical family. My grandmother graduated from Spellman College and was a pianist and a music teacher. She also worked in the church. My grandfather, who sired McCoy Tyner, was also musically gifted and could play all of the reed instruments. Most of my aunts and uncles could play some sort of musical instrument. There was always music in the home as I grew up. My mother loved classical music and opera. Dad loved his jazz. Grandmother loved her church hymns. Both parents enjoyed popular music, broadway musicals and concerts. We used to go to Robin Hood Dell in Fairmount Park for the outdoor "young people's concerts." Andre Watts, the famous Philadelphia classical music who entered the music scene in 1963, at the age of 16, when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic, lived right around the corner from me and was a source of inspiration.
Music has always been an important part of my life. My earliest memory of the effect of music was sometime after my first year of age. It was a sunny afternoon in our apartment in Brooklyn, New York and Nat King Cole came on the radio. I don't remember the exact song. All I remember was the dreamy look in my mother's eyes as the music washed through the room. The sun seemed to be brighter and the room seemed somehow warmer. It was truly a magical moment that gave me a sense of wonder and awe.
I'll never forget the sound of his music, and the warm and special experience of watching”The Nat King Cole Show” on T.V.”
Walter Clark first began his musical study in Philadelphia at the age of 5.
One day my family went into a piano store. I couldn't have been more than five years old. I remember the rows and rows of pianos of all shapes and sizes. Usually my parents were very strict with me when it came to my behavior inside stores but for some reason let me roam freely around the store. I decided to try my hand at playing one particular piano that had a chart, a color chart with corresponding notes for each color. What a pleasant surprise it was to find out that by playing in a certain sequence a song could come out. Later that evening they asked me if I would like to have a piano in the house. I was surprised and pleased at the prospect.
"Do you think you would like to play piano?"
"Yes, I would, I really would."
"You would have to take lessons and not give up."
I couldn't believe that they were giving me this chance and promised not to give up and to learn to play. The idea of practicing sounded like nothing but fun to me. I had no idea how much time and effort would be involved but I was encouraged by my first music teacher, an Italian named Mr. Spina who had a music store on Market street. After my first visit to him for his evaluation he sent a note back to my mother saying that I was talented and he would agree to teach me. I had no idea what the word, 'talent,' meant, only noting the pleased look in my mother's eyes when she read the note and feeling hopeful that we would be keeping the piano."
beginning music study
Clark studied classical music for 10 years in Philadelphia, under various neighborhood teachers as well as a brief stint at Settlement Music School in South Philadelphia.
Classical music influence
"Classical music was interesting, beautiful and challenging but music theory was stressed at Settlement. Theory bored me to tears and also revealed the fact that I had been learning mostly by ear. Instead of paying attention to the notes I would always listen to my teacher's preliminary demonstration of a new song and let that be my guide. I could read notes but I wasn't really deep into the process."
" I started losing interest while I was a Settlement. I was struggling at Central High, a complete departure from the colored schools in the neighborhood. High school was very demanding, and then taking the subway down to south Philly for music school as well as having tutors just to get me up to speed at Central started taking its toll."
Andre Watts-childhood inspiration
Clark took a U turn in his studies in the late-sixties and decided to pursue more popular music, learning by ear tunes of some of his favorites popular artists from Motown as well as Ramsey Lewis and The Beatles.
" In high school I got a taste of being in a group, a four piece band. We called ourselves The Starlights and we did a bar mitzvah or two. It really felt good, playing with others. Later on in college my interest in jazz greats like McCoy Tyner, Miles Davis and Quincy Jones. I dabbled in various R&B groups in Philadelphia but had all but given up on a musical career until a fateful meeting with John Lennon in the early 70's."
He attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where he formed The Last Musicians, an avante-garde group of poets, actors, and musicians who produced films, soundtracks, concerts, and appeared in radio programs for the university for two years. Walter found Philadelphia a difficult place to find steady work, especially since most of the music which he was writing at the time was what would probably be categorized today as “New Age Music.”