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Robert Walter
Spirit Of ‘70
At the time of its recording, Robert Walter’s long out-of-print 1996 debut album ‘Spirit of ’70’ was the second edition in a planned series of solo albums by individual members of The Greyboy Allstars—the band Walter co-founded, and 27 years later continues to play keys with, alongside saxophonist Karl Denson, guitarist Elgin Park, bassist Chris Stillwell and drummer Zak Najor. The concept for the solo recordings was to emulate the rotating personnel of the Blue Note and Prestige labels where a core cast of musicians would take turns as a leader, while drawing on the others as sidemen. The idea was further expanded upon by inviting a guest from the previous generation that had been influential to The Greyboy Allstars’ sound to record with them. For ‘Spirit Of ’70,’ legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz joined the line-up.
“We loved the ‘Harlem Bush Music’ albums by Gary Bartz,” says Walter. “Somehow the idea became to have Gary on the next record, which would be mine to lead. He was a hero for us because of his lucid improvisations, deep connection to blues and heavy spiritual vibe. My contributions to The Greyboy Allstars at the time had been tending more strange and meditative, so it seemed like a great fit.”
The sessions took place over a few days in producer DJ Greyboy’s living room turned studio. Recording in a non-traditional space helped to create a relaxed atmosphere and forced Walter and company to play closely together without much isolation. You can hear the front door open at the beginning of “Impervious” by someone unaware that a take had begun. Elgin Park’s guitar on the album was recorded through a Caliphone portable record player instead of an amplifier. Aside from instruments and recording gear, the house was filled with mid-century furniture and thousands of records. The cover photos were taken in the same space as the recordings.
“We had been touring heavily at the time so the band had an easy chemistry, but this was my first album as a leader, so I was both nervous and star struck by the presence of Gary Bartz,” remembers Walter. “Before long the tension eased and the recording was fun and loose. I remember Gary playing one great solo after another while we just tried to get a mistake free take behind him. I learned from the sustained flow of invention in Gary’s playing. It made me want to become a better and more true improvisor. He helped to elevate the music beyond just a throwback funk tribute. This was art being created in real time and in the present. That early inspiring experience did a lot for my confidence as a composer and arranger.”
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