Aaron Walker-Loud
Founder / Percussion
Aaron Walker-Loud is a producer, composer, musician, band director, educator and a proud alum of the CD Music Factory: Washington Middle School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Robert Knatt, and Garfield High School Jazz Ensemble / Drumline, under the direction of Mr. Clarence Acox.
Born and raised in the Central District, the historic Black mecca of Seattle, Aaron was blessed to study under these world-renowned educators (1991-1998). In elementary school Aaron actually thought he was going to be a deejay, seriously captivated by musical forces such as Run DMC, Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince, Ready Rock C, Public Enemy, The Bomb Squad, Native Tongues, Teddy Riley, Digital Underground, SWV, DJ Quik, En Vogue, The Jackson 5, Eric B. & Rakim, Ice Cube, NWA, D-Nice, Compton’s Most Wanted, Scarface and the Geto Boys. Walker-Loud’s beatboxing and school cafeteria table drumming lead him into a different direction all together once he became a percussion student of Mr. Knatt’s music dynasty at Washington Middle School in 1991. After graduating from Garfield High School, having toured the United States and Europe performing and winning competitions with his peers and mentors, Aaron continued receiving education and inspiration from educator and percussionist Mr. Brian Kirk at Seattle Central Community College.
Walker-Loud’s personal soundtrack from 1991, eventually inspiring the birth of Big World Breaks in 2004, was primarily made up of these artists: Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchel, RZA, Wu-Tang Clan, the JBs, Clyde Stubblefield, James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, George Clinton, Zapp and Roger, Ohio Players, Sly and the Family Stone, Carlton Barrett, Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Bob Marley and The Wailers, DJ Premier, Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace, Burning Spear, Primus, 2Pac, Miles Davis, Mahalia Jackson, Steel Pulse, John Coltrane, Israel “Cachao” López Valdés, Organized Noize, OutKast, Dungeon Family, B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, John Bonham, Aretha Franklin, Pharrell Williams, The Neptunes, Alice In Chains, Sound Garden, Lowell “Sly” Dunbar, Timbaland, Dr. Dre, Bootsy Collins, Harvey Mason, Herbie Hancock, ?uestlove, The Roots, Erykah Badu, Tony Allen, Fela Kuti, D’Angelo, Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson, Common, Gang Starr, Carlos Santana, “Master” Henry Gibson, Curtis Mayfield, Dead Prez, Erick Sermon, EPMD, Isaac Hayes, Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Marvin Gaye, Billy Cobham and his favorite drummer of all time Elvin Jones. Outside of his mentors, family and creative peers – these iconic innovators had the largest impact on Walker-Loud’s artistic evolution.
In parallel to this – Aaron was developing artistic relationships in the Northwest Hip-Hop and World Music scenes, especially ignited by mentorship from creative giants like world-champion breaking crew Massive Monkees and versatile percussionists: Ivan Galvez, Thione Diop, Absolom Shantz and Teo Shantz. This all pushed Aaron to evolve as an artist himself; in composing, improvising and performing. Being invited by incredible breaking crews Fraggle Rock, Massive Monkees, BYC and Circle of Fire / Soul Shifters to be a drummer and music director at jams and battles re-shaped Aaron’s entire relationship to creating live music.
There were also a hand full of open-minded deejays that directly supported and mentored Walker-Loud from the beginning of this major shift: DV One, Soul One, Blesone, Sean Cee and Fever One. These generous artists made sure Aaron stayed on the right path while becoming immersed in this innovative and internationally infamous community. In 2004, having been creatively pushed from all sides for several years on stages and collaborative studio projects with The Flood, One Family Inc., Iguales and Seattle’s Hip-Hop community, Aaron had finally been driven to establish his own production company: Big World Breaks.
The other half of Walker-Loud’s life that has complimented his musical path is as a teaching artist, educator and youth program designer / director. Since 1999 he has worked with several youth programs including Launch (formerly CDSA), School’s Out Washington and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Aaron eventually became the Education Director for Seattle JazzED (2010-2016), a teaching artist for Arts Corps (2008-present), as well as the drumline director for Washington Middle School (2008-2016) and O’Dea High School (2012-2018). Now through Big World Breaks, Aaron designs and leads several on-going youth and family empowerment initiatives; primarily in Central, South and West Seattle.
Most recently, Aaron became a member of the Creative Advantage roster, co-founded 50 Next: Seattle Hip-Hop Worldwide (est. 2012), founded the award-winning intergenerational BWB Drumline (est. 2015) and co-curated The Legacy of Seattle Hip-Hop exhibit at MOHAI (with over 31,000 attendees and 20 co-produced events), which won the 2016 American Association of State and Local History Leadership in History Award, “the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history”.
Other artists and collectives that Aaron has had the opportunity to work with as a drummer and percussionist include Bakrabata, Picoso, Kore Ionz, Yirim Seck, Totem Star, Darrius Willrich, Khingz, Owuor Arunga, Gabriel Teodros, Eldridge Gravy and The Court Supreme, Draze, Andrew Vait, The New Triumph, Evan Flory-Barnes, Jennifer Johns, Thione Diop’s Afro Groove, Toni Hill, The Jefferson Rose Band, The Daniel Rapport Trio and The Pazific.