Organ master Robert Walter has had a busy year in 2018. In addition to his work with The Greyboy Allstars and tour dates with Phish bassist Mike Gordon‘s solo outfit, Robert Walter’s 20th Congress is preparing to release their new studio album, Spacesuit, on Friday, September 21st via Royal Potato Family.
For this new album, Walter has assembled a new crew of brilliant improvisers and genre-bending virtuosos under the 20th Congress mantle. Drummer Simon Lott (Kool Keith, Charlie Hunter) is a longtime collaborator who brings a refreshing unpredictability anchored in deep-rooted New Orleans rhythms. Bassist Victor Little (Billy Preston, Charlie Musselwhite) started sitting in with the band on a series of West Coast gigs and gradually became essential to the evolving sound. Guitarist Chris Alford (Cassandra Wilson, Mike Dillon) has worked extensively with Lott in New Orleans, bringing a baked-in chemistry that has mutated into the infectious sound of this incarnation of the 20th Congress.
Today, Walter has premiered the latest single from Spacesuit as part of a new episode of music industry podcast Inside Out w/ Turner and Seth. As the episode description notes,
Walter offers insight on the unique nature of his forthcoming new release Spacesuit. Like his others, this release features Robert’s classic and oft-times jazz-flavored organ work. However, this one also features elements of sci-fi, Dub Reggae, 70s fusion and even Krautrock. We learn here how Robert’s fascination with science fiction and with comic books inspired this release. Robert details the inspiration behind and the execution of some of the tracks on this excellent release. We also hear about his fellow musicians – Simon Lott on drums, Victor Little on bass and Chris Alford on guitar. He also offers a little window into his musical relationships with Mike Gordon and Karl Denson.
You can listen to Inside Out w/ Turner and Seth‘s new segment with Robert Walter featuring the debut of “Most Of All Of Us” below:
Fans of Robert Walter can catch the keyboard/organ master at the upcoming Brooklyn Comes Alive, set to take place at three beloved venues in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday, September 29th. The one-of-a-kind, one-day event puts a focus on the artists, presenting unique collaborations, tributes, passion projects, and more featuring members of your favorite bands. This year, Walter will take part in two exciting sets at Brooklyn Comes Alive, including a trio performance with legendary New Orleans percussionist Johnny Vidacovich and Lettuce trumpeter Eric “Benny” Bloom, and a special guest appearance with the Karina Rykman Experiment.
For more information, or to grab your tickets to Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018 today, head to the event website.
