"Walter Norris is the Art Tatum of the 90’s."
Zan Stewart jul `93 Los Angeles Times
"Without any doubt, Walter Norris is one of the most important solo pianists in the second half of the twentieth century. His inexhaustible wealth of ideas and outstanding pianistic mastery is not to be found in the world of jazz. His compositions and improvisations unify the contrapuntal sharpness of Bach with the romantic finesse of Chopin; the intellectual harmonic edge of Serge Prokofiev with the virtuosity of Art Tatum."
Jorg Engels jun '96 Jazz Podium
"His touch is even and light. He uses his considerable technique beautifully; his arpeggios, which whip and coil, have logic and continuity; his double-time dashes are parenthetical and light up what they interrupt; his long single note passages continually pause and breath; no tempo rattles the clarity of his articulation, which has a private, singing quality."
Whitney Balliett may `75 The New Yorker
"If classical keyboardists were still expected to improvise as in previous centuries, there might be more pianists like Walter Norris."
Jon Pareles jun `92 New York Times
"Possessed of a demonic technique and a rare harmonic imagination, he divides his time between the original works, mocked by the ever-shifting iridescence of his chordal concepts, and versions of standard tunes that he elevates to new levels of sophistication."
Leonard Feather jul `92 Los Angeles Times
"Walter Norris, is a consummate pianist and deep rhapsodist whom the Japanese, in their reverence for artisty, would call a living national treasure."
Fred Bouchard mar `91 Downbeat
"Walter Norris makes music with a staggering facility in an immaculate portato. This is without any strained attempt of revival; great and vivacious piano playing, somewhere between Mozart and Bartok."
Baldur Bockhoff sep `81 Suddeutsche Zeitung
"Walter Norris has the knack for making the most overplayed standards sound fresh. By reharmonising chord structures and altering melodies a bit, he was able to reinvent most of the repertoire on Lush Life, including a notable "new" version of the title cut."
Scott Yanow jan `92 Cadence
"When talking about Walter Norris it is no exaggeration to call him one of a kind. Many pianists have distinctive styles and sound, Norris, however goes beyond any classification either as a pianist-composer or visionary."
Francesca Nemko nov `94 Jazz Now
