Willie Waldman Project

The Willie Waldman Project is the ever-changing jazz-fusion ensemble led by trumpeter Willie Waldman, whose career spans sessions with Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Perry Farrell, and members of the Grateful Dead. Rooted in La Porte, Indiana and seasoned on Memphis' Beale Street and in Los Angeles, Waldman pulls noted musicians from across genres and geographies to create free-form music improvised on the spot. The group documents that approach on its album Total Improv, captured during spontaneous sessions at Burbank's Hollywood Way Studios. Every gig is treated like a band debut, with a revolving cast delivering high-level funk, jazz, and rock improvisation.