Walker was influenced by his father's piano playing, his mother's singing, and his brother's guitar playing. He went on to discover a passion for jazz guitarists
Wes Montgomery,
Joe Pass,
Pat Metheny,
John Scofield,
Larry Coryell, and
Tal Farlow. He joined the jazz fusion band River People with Paul Allen, Tim Franks, and Paul Kilvington in Manchester. In the 1980s, he became a member of a quartet led by vibraphonist Alan Butler and worked with
Michael Gibbs and
Kenny Wheeler. He worked with
Nikki and
Richard Iles, then the
Sylvan Richardson band, where he met saxophonist Iain Dixon. While in Zurich with the Kenny Wheeler big band, he met
Julian Arguelles and joined his quartet. In the 1990s he toured in bands led by saxophonist
Tommy Smith. He has worked as
George Russell's guitarist, recording with him on several occasions, and with the Creative Jazz Orchestra,
Arild Andersen,
Tim Berne,
Anthony Braxton,
Jacqui Dankworth,
Tal Farlow, Bill Frisell,
Dave Holland,
Vince Mendoza,
Bob Moses,
Palle Mikkelborg,
Mica Paris,
John Taylor,
Mark-Anthony Turnage, and
Norma Winstone. In May 2008, Walker released his debut album
Madhouse and the Whole Thing There. It features the members of Brazil Nuts, plus strings and brass sections, piano, vocals, and French horn. Walker was commissioned to write some music for the
Manchester Jazz Festival. He wrote a suite called
Ropes that was performed by a 22-piece orchestra, a jazz quintet, and
Adam Nussbaum on drums at the
Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Walker's sextet includes Les Chisnall, Iain Dixon,
Malcolm Edmonstone, Pat Illingworth, and Steve Watts. He is a member of The Printmakers, a band organized by Nikki Iles and Norma Winstone with Mark Lockheart, Steve Watts, and James Maddren; and The Impossible Gentleman with
Steve Swallow, Adam Nussbaum, and
Gwilym Simcock. He has taught a music summer school in
Altrincham with Iain Dixon, and has been a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective, in addition to teaching guitar online. == Discography==