Trumpeter, Composer, Arranger, Bandleader, Educator.
Portland (OR) based.
Eugene, OR. 2021.
Quinn Walker is a Seattle-born, Portland-based trumpet player, composer, arranger and jazz educator. Building on the legacy of jazz composer legends and personal inspirations such as Kenny Wheeler, Bob Brookmeyer and Maria Schneider, Quinn strives to bring to life exciting music that can simultaneously exist within and outside the bounds of the jazz idiom.
A bandleader, collaborator with many groups, composer, and educator, Quinn has become an integral part of the jazz scenes in Portland while receiving his bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Portland State University in 2019, and in Eugene while receiving his master’s degree in jazz studies from the University of Oregon in 2022.
Quinn has shared the stage with the Ezra Weiss Sextet, Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, the Chuck Israels Jazz Orchestra, Randy Porter, Charlie Doggett, Joe Manis, George Colligan, Dan Gaynor, Steve Owen and Dave Captein; he consistently plays as the trumpeter in local Portland bands, including Conjunto Alegre, Barrio Metsistzo, Pura Vida and The Krebsic Orkestar.
Quinn has been a featured composer-arranger for several projects with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, and consistently writes for his own groups. While studying at University of Oregon, Quinn was hired to be an arranger for award-winning drummer and big band leader Ulysses Owens Jr. In December 2022, Owens played arrangements by Quinn at his week-long residency at Dizzy's Jazz Club in New York City. Owens will be recording and releasing multiple arrangements of Quinn’s for his upcoming album with the Ulysses Owens Big Band. Quinn also works as an arranger in the Portland area, specializing in jazz, pop, and latin styles.
In addition to playing, arranging, and composing, Quinn currently works as a jazz educator in the greater Portland area. He teaches the second jazz band at Prairie High School, is the artist-in-residence running the jazz program at Mount Tabor Middle School, assists with the jazz program at Grant High School, and runs a private trumpet lesson studio.
With his presence in these jazz communities, Quinn hopes to create music that at once respects tradition and pushes into current styles. Additionally, he strives to share the self discovery, creativity and excitement that jazz can bring with younger generations of musicians.
He is currently working on his first EP, and hopes for a release date in 2022-2023.
“National Broadcast Incident Report” from Quinn’s Jazz Nonet : The Monster Band. recorded in 2021
Check out the “music” tab to hear more of Quinn’s music!
Check out the “Upcoming Shows” tab for more info on Quinns upcoming events as a bandleader and sideman.
