BIOGRAPHY

Originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil, Walter Rodrigues Jr. was born into a family of musicians. His mother was a classical pianist, and his father a multi-talented minister. Growing up in his father's church, Walter was constantly exposed to music and started playing the guitar at a very young age. Fascinated by the sounds of Jazz guitarist Joe Pass, Walter soon started to work on his own Jazz fingerstyle arrangements. In 1989 he moved to Hollywood, California, to attend the Musicians Institute (GIT). Upon graduation, Walter relocated to Miami, FL, where he was a recipient of a full scholarship to attend the Jazz Performance program at the Florida International University, receiving his Bachelor of Music in 1996. While in Miami, Walter performed with many notable musicians, including world renowned trumpeter Arturo Sandoval among others. He has also participated in Jazz festivals both in the United States and abroad. With his ability to reinterpret familiar songs, Walter has captivated a new audience and garnered world-wide appreciation for his creative approach. He has been featured in various jazz publications such as Fingerstyle360, JazzReview.com, Just Jazz Guitar, FingerstyleGuitarists.com and is also a signature artist for Musicnotes.com, the world leader in digital sheet music. With over 32million views and 200K subscribers, Walter’s YouTube channel has become a worldwide reference for Jazz fingerstyle arrangements. Besides composing, arranging, and performing, Walter has worked as a music educator for the past 23 years and maintains an active teaching schedule. Walter’s greatest joy and honor is to praise God with his music.