Richard Walton Group Biography
The Richard Walton Group is an accomplished, award winning, instrumental contemporary jazz group. They are one of the first original jazz group’s to emerge from the Mid-Atlantic area into the national smooth jazz radio market in the mid 1990’s. The group’s latest HDCD, “Junction”, is a critically acclaimed studio release that has blessed the group reaching new audiences, supplemented with an array of high profile performances. Their live ‘enhanced’ CD EP, “Live At Blues Alley”, was recorded at a nearly sold-out performance at the world famous jazz club.
Formed in 1991, after being chosen as a semi-finalist in a Mid-Atlantic sponsorship, Richard and his group have gained regional and national recognition through airplay, songwriting contests and performances. In 2006, The Richard Walton Group placed 3rd in the Music Monthly “Mid-Atlantic Reader’s Polls” for Best Mid-Atlantic Instrumental Group. The group also received honorable mention in Music Monthly readers’ polls as Best Mid-Atlantic Group (instrumental & jazz) during the late 1990’s & 2004. Following the releases of their other critically acclaimed compact discs “Hear & Now”, Where Time Stood Still” & “Savannah Blue, Richard and the group have a proven reputation as versatile composers, producers & performers. They have collectively received 36 songwriting awards from numerous songwriting contests and continue to perform throughout the Mid-Atlantic area.
Selected corporate and/or concert performances include: CBS TV 60 Minutes II, 13th Floor Belvedere, Baltimore Book Festival, Baltimore Waterfront Festival (w/ David Bach Consort), Ben Brenman Park, Blues Alley Jazz & Supper Club, Catonsville Arts & Crafts Festival, Centennial Lakefront Ampitheatre, Chaelgate Presbyterian Church (w/ Carl Filipiak Group), Columbia Lakefront Concert Series, Columbia Village Centers (various), Crosstown Jam (w/ Groovelilly & Peter Fraise Quartet), Eden Cafe, Eight By Ten Club (w/ Connemara) , The Ellicott Theatre, Emmanuel Church (w/ Bill Dickson & MTT) , Grace Fellowship Church, Grand Mason Lodge, Hyperlight Artist Center, Jammin Java’s (w/ Reality Jones & Shadowlands), Lexington Market, Lurman Woodland Theatre (w/ Straight On Red), Marriott Inner Harbor Hotel, Maryland Public Television, Mason District Park, Max’s On Broadway (with Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett), Mill Towne Tavern, Mount Washington Jazz & Wine Festival (w/David Bach Consort), National Aquarium, Nottingham’s (CD release party), Planet Music (CD release party), Read Street Festival (w/ Love Riot), Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, The Senator Theatre, Shark’s Cove Restaurant, Spike & Charlies (w/ Soft Machine’s Kevin Ayers) State Of The Union, Stephen’s Hall Theatre (w/ Karen Goldberg Trio), Tibre River Tavern, Towson State University, Towsontowne Festival, U.M.B.C, Vienna Presbyterian Church (w/ Work In Progress), Vienna Towne Green Concert Series, Viva Vienna Festival (w/ Mary Ann Redmond), Walters Art Museum, Waterfront Park, WRNR-FM Damian’s Diner, WSMJ-FM Smooth Jazz Brunch (w/ Randy Dennis), WTMD-FM Concert Of The Heart (w/ Karen Goldberg Trio), WTMD-FM Homecoming.
Richard would like to sincerely thank the following musicians and artists for their talents, support & contribution to the longevity of the Richard Walton Group: Tom Alonso (keyboards & engineer), Mallory Anthony (vocals), Bobby B (guitars & composition), David Bach (keyboards), Michael Bronson (guitars & composition), Jimmy Charlsen (bass), Drew Davidsen (guitars & composition), John Dayton (production, keyboards & composition), Bill Dickson (engineer & bass), Kevin Doxzen (design & photographs), Joe Doyle (saxopones, flute, slide guitar & keyboards), Bill Dumas (guitars, keyboards & composition), Dave Fairall (saxophones), Carl Filipiak (guitars), Deena Gift (keyboards & composition), Michael Gottleib (keyboards & composition), John Grant (guitars, production, engineer & percussion) Kevin Hughes (saxophone), Brian Jarboe (guitars & composition), Eugene Jubilee (founding member, keyboards, vocals & composition), Mike Kanter (drums), Dave Krug (saxophones), Al Maniscalco (saxophones), Dan Marcellus (drums), Ben Marcin (CD cover photography), Bob Margolis (guitars), David Meer (founding member, guitars, bass, vocals & composition), Gabrielle Murphy (saxophones), Rob Reid (drums), Eric Robertson (drums & composition), Bill Rubie (photographs), Mitchell Shaivitz (engineering, production, percussion & drums), Randy Smith (founding member & drums), Steve Swan (saxophones), Tim Tamassia (keyboards), Tracie Tiernan (vocals), Kathie Walton (CD graphic design & photographs), Tecla Walton (violin), Rick Witkowski (guitars & engineering), and Jacob Yoffee (saxophones & composition).
CURRENT MEMBERS
Michael Bronson (composer, lead guitar)
Michael Gottleib (composer, keyboards)
David Meer (composer, electric, acoustic & bass guitars, vocals)
Eric Robertson (composer, drums)
Mitchell Shaivitz (percussion)
Richard Walton (composer, bass & acoustic guitars, vocals)