From an early age, Walter began taking music very seriously. “My first gig was playing at a McDonald's in Houston with another saxophone player. I took a solo on “Blue Bossa.” It was terrible. People clapped, and I figured if I could get away with that and get applause, how could I fail?”
Although it may appear Smith is a new voice on the scene, he is widely recognized as an adept performer, accomplished composer, and inspired educator. Smith’s recent release, return to casual, garnered critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike. “return to casual [is] Smith’s deeply poised first album as a leader for Blue Note... The whole enterprise rings of cool sophistication in a small-group style that Smith and his contemporaries helped define... In that sense, return to casual is not just a homecoming of sorts, but also an emphatic confirmation.” In September of 2024, Smith released his sophomore album for Blue Note Records, “three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not”, featuring a new offering of original music.
Smith has developed under the wings of many of the music’s greats. Walter is/has been a member of several influential groups (recording and/or touring), including the Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band, Terence Blanchard Quintet, Eric Harland's “Voyager”, Bill Stewart Trio, Jason Moran’s In My Mind: Monk at Town Hall, Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, the Christian McBride “Situation”, Marquis Hill “New Gospel Revisited”, Gerald Clayton Quintet, Christian Scott group, and the Sean Jones Quintet to name a few.
Smith has performed worldwide, participating in virtually every international festival and famed venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, and the Kennedy Center. In addition, he has shared the stage and/or appeared on recordings with many important artists including Mulgrew Miller, Billy Childs, Terri Lyne Carrington, Joe Lovano, Herbie Hancock, Maria Schneider, Ron Carter, Ralph Peterson, and a host of others. To date, Walter has appeared on over 100 recordings that have been released worldwide.
Originally from Houston, TX, Smith now resides in Boston, MA, and is Chair of Woodwinds at Berklee College of Music, helping to prepare the next generation of young artists.