Wagner, Walt - Reworks (Vinyl)

Walt Wagner - Reworks (Vinyl)

When veteran pianist Wagner first landed at Canlis in 1996, the Emerald City's premiere destination for fine dining was in the midst of significant changes: a new chef, new uniforms, modifications to its iconic building overlooking Lake Union. That required a fresh approach to dinner music, too. "I knew what the status quo was, but the owners wanted new energy," recalls Wagner.

One fateful night a couple years ago, Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper and co-president Tony Kiewel were dining at the award-winning restaurant when they recognized melodies by Adele and Daft Punk wafting through the restaurant and decided to investigate. 

Sub Pop alumni Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses were already staples of Wagner's sets, but what magic could he work with DJ Shadow, Phoenix, or My Bloody Valentine? He had three months to find out. 

Recorded before a packed house on October 9, 2016, Reworks is more than just a souvenir of a very special evening; it captures decades of musicianship that forged Wagner's distinctive style.

"This record is totally out of the box for me," he concludes. "It's a totally new adventure, and I don't know what kind of life it's going to have. If it catches on, I could see myself making a lot more music in this style."

Tracklisting:

1. Building Steam with a Grain of Salt
2. I Only Said
3. Desiree
4. Mykonos
5. 1901
6. Bondye
7. No One's Gonna Love You
8. Purple Rain
9. The Funeral
10. Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)