Walter Beasley (born May 24, 1961) is an American saxophonist, a professor of music at the Berklee College of Music, and founder of Affable Publishing and Affable Records.
Biography Beasley grew up in El Centro, California. By the age of 13 he was singing in Spanish in a band called Los Elegantes, and he played in various bands and performed at clubs throughout middle and high school.
Beasley graduated from Berklee in 1984, and a year later took a short-term teaching position at the same school, which became a permanent career. He is now a professor at the school.
In 1987, he released his first, self-titled, album, and since 1998 has been one of the top ten best-selling African American saxophonists in the world. Having grown up as a fan of R&B and funk and trained in classical and jazz saxophone, his own style falls between contemporary R&B and contemporary jazz, a blend which has been called "smooth jazz".
He is not only an alto and soprano saxophonist and a singer, but also a composer and producer. He is the founder and CEO of Affable Publishing, and the owner of Affable Records.
Discography Albums Year Album Peak chart positions LabelUSJazzUSCon.JazzUSR&B/HHUSInd 1988 Walter Beasley — 25 72 — Mercury/Polydor/PolyGram/UMG 1989 Just Kickin' It — — — — 1993 Intimacy — — 56 — 1995 Private Time — — — — 1996 Live and More — — — — Affable 1997 Tonight We Love 13 10 — — Shanachie 1998 For Your Pleasure 6 6 — — 2000 Won't You Let Me Love You 4 3 — 34 2002 Rendezvous 6 3 — 19 2003 Midnight Love 8 4 — 38 Go with the Flow 7 4 — 23 Affable 2004 The Classics R & B Collection 14 10 — — Shanachie 2005 Greatest Hits! 34 23 — — For Her 10 5 88 — Heads Up 2006 Live — — — — Shanachie 2007 Ready for Love 5 2 — 34 Affable 2008 Sax Meditations — — — — 2009 Free Your Mind 15 5 — — Heads Up 2010 Backatcha! 13 9 — — Shanachie Live – In the Groove — — — — Affable 2013 Live in the Club — — — — 2014 Sax Meditations ll — — — — 2015 I'm Back — — — — 2017 Blackstreams (EP) 18 6 — — 2018 The Best of Walter Beasley — 11 — — 2019 Going Home 15 7 — — 2021 Meet Me at My Place — — — — 2023 Do You Want to Dance? — — — — 2024 Live and Blessed — — — — 2024 Tribute To Soul — — — — 2025 Sin Palabras — — — — 2026 65 Bounce — — — —"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.
Singles Year Title Peak chart positions Album Hot R&B/Hip-HopSongs Smooth JazzAirplay 1987 "I'm So Happy" 49 Walter Beasley 1988 "On the Edge" 79 1989 "Don't Say Goodbye" 95 Just Kickin' It 1990 "Just Kickin' It" 67 1993 "If You Ever Loved Someone and Lost" 63 Intimacy 2005 "Coolness" — 2 For Her 2007 "Ready for Love" — 1 Ready for Love "Why Not You" — 13 2009 "Steady as She Goes" — 1 Free Your Mind 2010 "Oh Yeah" — 3 2011 "Expressway" — 19 Backatcha! "The Call" — 20 2013 "Groove in You" (live) — 14 Live in the Club 2014 "Silver Lining" — 21 Sax Meditations ll 2015 "I'm Back" — 1 I'm Back 2016 "Hard Work" — 17 2017 "Don't Say a Word" — 8 Blackstreams "Now What" — 18 2018 "Come on Over" — 15 "Funky Boy" — 24 Byron Miller – Psychobass 2 – The Gift "Skip to My Lew" — 4 I'm Back 2019 "The B-Spot" — 2 Byron Miller – Psychobass 2 – The Gift "It's Alright" — 3 Going Home 2020 "Aqui" — 24 "Real Love" — 22 Byron Miller – Psychobass 3 – Real Love 2021 "The Beasley Strut" — 16 Meet Me at My Place 2023 "Nice and Easy" — 2 Do You Want to Dance? 2024 "Funk Foot" — 3 2025 "Lazy Afternoon (Kenny's Groove)" — 7 65 Bounce 2026 "65 Bounce" — 10"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.
DVDs
Educational Sound Production for the Saxophone (Affable Publishing, 2003) Hip-Hop Improvisation (Affable Publishing, 2003) Circular Breathing with Walter Beasley 14 Steps to Maximizing Your Performance (for Saxophonists) Walter Beasley's Performance Workshop Walter Beasley presents Vocal Performance Improv Using Pentatonics Performance Insight Playing Blues Resolution Warm-Up Using Vibrato Improvisations and Delivery Clinic
Live Walter Beasley Live at Scullers (Affable Records, 2003) Live in the Club (Walter Beasley, 2013)
Books Performance Insight for Musicians Nice and Easy Cookbook Performance Insight (for Musicians) Vol. II Quotes For Grown Folks
APPs Walter Beasley Smooth Jazz Alarm App Walter Beasley in Concert Transcriptions Music Lessons by Walter Beasley Hip hop Improvisation Walter Beasley Transcriptions Circular Breathing Sound Production for Saxophone Sax Meditations
Awards and accolades 2001 Boston Music Awards, Outstanding Jazz Artist 2001 Berklee College of Music Trustee Award for advancing the mission and values of the college 2001 South Middlesex Men's Club Leadership Award for community service and support of youth development in music. 2001 SESAC National Performing Activity Award for the song "Comin' at Cha" 2002 SESAC National Performing Activity Award for the song "Rendezvous" 2003 Boston Music Awards, Jazz Album of the Year (Go With the Flow) 2013 Forever Ink Achievement Award 2019 Boston Music Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist 2023 Soul Tracks Reader's Choice Award, Instrumentalist for the Year
References
External links Official site Faculty biography