#ArtistAtHome is a series of portraits and profiles of local artists by Christopher Edmonstone. Read all about it and see the archive HERE.
Today's #artistathome is guitarist Noah Walker, and this photo is definitely one my favourites of the series.
I first met Noah Walker when he was playing guitar with East Vancouver legend C.R. Avery. He can shred like nobody's business, and has played with some great bands crossing many genres of music: blues, jazz, rockabilly, old school country, old time rock n' roll, folk, punk, hip hop, soul, gospel, latin, western swing, gypsy jazz, Atkins/Travis picking, indie rock, etc etc, which is why he is such an in-demand, go-to player.
In 2014, he played with a staggering 25 bands. While most musicians state they started playing at an early age, Noah can lay claim to the fact that he was actually on stage the night before he was born, as his mother and father (who are also musicians) were performing at Queen Charlotte Hall on Haida Gwaii.
Noah Walker at home
Noah didn't always know that he was destined to become a professional guitar player; in fact, after high school he tried to become a baker, but discovered that he was allergic to flour and despised getting up early. Obviously, it wasn't a good combination and he felt it was becoming clear he was about to get fired from his chosen profession. In a moment of desperation, he enrolled in music school, and subsequently excelled in classes at both Vancouver Community College and Capilano College, winning several awards and a scholarship.
Since then, Noah has played music all over the world - from Turkey to Tokyo and Dawson City to New York City, from rock festivals with 20,000 people to cafes where the only people in attendance were his parents. I always enjoy seeing him play and one of my fondest memories of his performance was from a show that he also produced in 2013 called Beckstravaganza. Noah gathered together 47 of his favourite Vancouver musicians to play one song each from Beck's sheet music only album Song Reader. It was an epic night at the RIO Theatre. While he spends the majority of his time as a sideman / secret weapon with other bands, he also has a few of his own projects including The Broken Mirrors, PINEAPPLE and his latest endeavor Kitty and the Rooster with his girlfriend Jodie Ponto. Their debut show is April 1st at Skinny Fat Jacks on Main Street.
Throughout it all, Noah still makes time to teach guitar, so if you are looking to learn from one of Vancouver's finest look him up at his website.
