Herman Walder

A well-regarded saxophonist through the 1930s heyday of Kansas Town jazz, Walder was a modern and peer of such better-known K.C. music artists as Lester Youthful, Herschel Evans, and Mary Lou Williams. He also worked well for many from the city’s most prominent bandleaders, including Benny Moten. Relating to historian John Chilton, Walder was originally a trumpeter, using a music group led by Jerry Westbrook, but a major accident compelled him to change to saxophone. He continued to utilize pianist/vocalist Laura Rucker, after that with Terrence Holder, George E. Lee, while others, including Harlan Leonard’s Kansas Town Rockets. Following the last mentioned band split up, Walder produced the Rockette Golf swing Unit along with his sibling, saxophonist Woodie Walder; various other bandmembers included renowned boogie-woogie pianist Pete Johnson (a schoolboy friend of Walder), trumpeter Booker Washington, bassist Jack port Johnson, and drummer Baby Lovett. The group is at residence on the well-known K.C. membership The Spinning Steering wheel from the past due ’30s. Walder was energetic on the Kansas Town picture for another 30-plus years, where period he led a music group at Mr. A’s Club for a long period. Through the ’70s Walder proved helpful in Artwork Smith’s Kansas Town Jazz Music group. Walder also co-wrote (with Mary Lou Williams) the melody “A Mellow Little bit of Tempo,” that was documented by such rings as the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Andy Kirk’s 12 Clouds of Pleasure.