Walt Weiskopf


Walt Weiskopf is an American jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, author and educator. He has released sixteen albums as a leader, and performed on countless other albums as a sideman. He has collaborated with artists such as Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra and Steely Dan.
Author and journalist Cicily Janus regards Weiskopf as "one of the best unknown musicians in the modern scene", and JazzTimes Magazine considers him to be underrated and "a highly potent tenor saxophonist who demonstrates a strong Trane-Rollins influence".

Early life

Weiskopf was born in Augusta, Georgia. He grew up outside of Syracuse, New York. He took up his first instrument, the clarinet, at age 10. He began his saxophone studies four years later. He studied at the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester from 1977 to 1980. After earning his BA in Music Performance, he moved to New York City in September 1980.

Professional career

Weiskopf began his New York career performing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981 at the age of 21, and began a 14-year stint with the Toshiko Akiyoshi – [Lew Tabackin Big Band|Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra] two years later. Since then he has released 16 recordings as a leader, and holds numerous credits as a sideman.
In 1988, Weiskopf decided to attend Queens College of the City of New York, where he spent 2 years studying with clarinetist Leon Russianoff. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in clarinet performance. Over the next two decades he went on to perform with a number of notable orchestras, including the American Ballet Theatre, the American Composers Orchestra and the Gotham Chamber Orchestra.
In 2002, Weiskopf became a part of the popular music group Steely Dan, and was featured on the title track of their 2003 album Everything Must Go. In 2006, he began to tour and perform with the Donald Fagen Band, as well as with the Dukes of September in 2010.
In addition to performing, Weiskopf has taught at a number of different universities, and authored several books on jazz improvisation. Between 1996 and 2000, he was an adjunct professor at New [Jersey City University] in Jersey City, New Jersey. From 2001 to 2009, Weiskopf was a visiting associate professor at the Eastman School of Music, and taught part-time at Temple University in Philadelphia from 2010 to 2012. He was most recently a Coordinator of Jazz Studies at New Jersey City University in Jersey City, New Jersey.
In 1991 and 1993 respectively, Weiskopf co-authored Coltrane: A Player's Guide To His Harmony and The Augmented Scale in Jazz with Ramon Ricker. He completed Intervalic Improvisation in 1994. His fourth book, Around The Horn, was released in 2001. The sequel Beyond The Horn, co-authored with his former student Ed RosenBerg, was released in 2006. His most recent book, Understanding the Diminished Scale, was released in 2013.

Recognition

Weiskopf has received three performance grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. He also was awarded funding for the creation and recording of his 2004 sextet recording, Sight to Sound, from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Chamber Music America. This suite of ten movements was inspired by the work of visual artists Dalí, Picasso, Van Gogh, Miró, and others.

Discography

;As leader
;As Sideman

Publications

  • 1991: Coltrane: A Player's Guide ASIN B000PIFI54
  • 1993: The Augmented Scale in Jazz
  • 1995: Intervalic Improvisation
  • 2000: Around The Horn: 21 Modal Scales and Arpeggios Every Jazz Musician Needs To Know
  • 2006: Beyond The Horn: Challenging Exercises & Etudes for Modern Improvisation
  • 2010: Intervallic Improvisation – The Modern Sound: A Step Beyond Linear Improvisation
  • 2010: Giant Steps: A Player's Guide To Coltrane's Harmony for ALL Instrumentalists
  • 2013: Understanding the Diminished Scale: A Guide for the Modern Player ) ASIN 1562242881
  • 2016: 16 Moderately Challenging Jazz Solos )