First Fridays at the Schomburg

Rakiem WalkerThe “Rakiem Walker Project” (RWP) is a seven-piece band, which consists of horns, drums, vocals, guitar, and keyboards, etc. The band plays different genres and musical feels such as: Jazz, R & B, Neo Soul, Live Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Blues, and Latin. The band is led by saxophonist and native New Yorker Rakiem Walker. Rakiem Walker has been mentored and has worked with a wide array of musical icons such as: Donald Byrd, Milt Hinton, Max Roach, Frank Foster, and the RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. The band is led by the unmatched vocal style of singer and song writer “Kennedy” (from Harlem, NY via Michigan). The plush chord structures and supreme left hand bass skills are executed by Hip Hop/Neo Soul/R & B producer Entrfied McCloud (Bklyn, NY).  Guitar rhythms and colors are provided by Julian Litwack (Bklyn, NY). The bottom back beat is provided by Thomas “Poet” Johnson (drummer Nwk, NJ). Ben “Bari” Barson is wailing on baritone sax (Harlem, NY). Trumpeter extraordinaire A. Lee Russell gives you brass at its finest level of funkiness (Harlem, NY). The band has played together now for a year and a half. Presently, the “Rakiem Walker Project” (RWP) is working on their first studio produced album. Their live performances are always professionally recorded and sold to the public. The band enjoys providing an enriched musical experience for their listeners.