WALTER NORRIS / PUTTER SMITH

elements in motion

The question that always returns: What would it have been if?

Walter Norris, it seems, never asked this to himself. Otherwise, the brilliant pianist from Little Rock (the small town where Bill Clinton is also coming from) would have probably been cleverly exploited throughout
his lifetime. Blessed with enormous technical possibilities and an unusual differentiated touch, Norris acquired in his early years the respect of Bill Evans and Count Basie. A world career on the same
eye-level with his famous collogues seems to have been programmed; Zoot Sims, Pepper Adams, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker, Charles Mingus and Johnny Griffin all sought after him. That this modest gentleman, who created with the `Drifting´ CD one of the most beautiful duo recordings of all time, has made it `only´ to the status of a secret tip; a result of his own personal life planning. Sometime in the previous years, it pulled him to Germany where he accepted a steady job with the S.F.B. Radio
Orchestra in Berlin and later a professorship at Hochschule der Kunste. Today, at age seventy-seven, the pianist knows this was no mistake, because he proved by following his true destiny that great music can also
be developed well aside of bright spotlights; `elements in motion´ is precisely that manifestation.

Manfred Rehm march 2009 Birdland Jazz Club, Neuburg . Germany

WALTER NORRIS / MIKE RICHMOND

from another star

"Norris has long ago evolved into his own distinctive style, using advanced harmonies and his own musical logic to create very original solos."
Scott Yanov    dec 1999      L.A. Jazz Scene

"Now in his late sixties, Walter Norris is one of the elder statemen of the jazz piano.  It has been said that these don't grow older, they just become better, which is certainly true in Norris' case.  From Another Star is Norris' ninth CD as a leader.  Here he teams up with bassist Mike Richmond to present his best recording to date.  On this CD Norris gives a broad overview of his mastery as a composer, arranger and performer and his command of music: rhythm, harmony and melody.  The recording quality matches this fine achievement.            
Jorg Knobloch     jan 2001    All About Jazz

"Without doubt, Walter Norris is one of the most sensitive, intelligent, compositional thinking and spontaneous sculpturing masters of his field."
Dr. Bert Noglik apr 1999 Artistic Director Jazzfest Leipzig   M.D.R.  Radio