Walter was born, and has always lived, in Cahuita. He was adopted by a family member on his father’s side when he was seven months old. He grew up in a house located directly next to Hotel Vaz and Typico. He has a few siblings, one living in Brooklyn, NY and another living in San Jose who works as a teacher. Walter remembers Cahuita before electricity came to the city, which he estimates to be a little more than 20 years ago. He said that his interest in music led to a fairly conservative lifestyle. He does not drink, or do drugs, because he does not want it to affect his life and music. This aversion has caused him to dislike the newer Cahuita. He said it was much simpler when it was “dark” (before electricity). Now he works around town for select clients whom treat him well and he plays music. Other than that, Walter generally stays at home. He lives across the street from the lot he grew up on and remembers Cahuita as a nicer place in those days. He considers music his favorite part of life in Cahuita.
The first instrument he learned to play was the “Bell” – similar to cow bell – in Limon at his first school. He has also learned to play the conga drum in the last few years and receives frequent requests by local bands to play with them. Walter studied at two music schools as a child: one in Limon and one in Siquirres.
Walter started music school at age 11 or 12 years old. He attended classes on Fridays and Saturdays. Though he attended school, Walter has never learned to read music, which is no surprise because he never learned how to write extensively either. Walter said that he knows how to write his name, but not much else. Instead, he plays his music by ear and through memorization. He composed a song, “Rosita,” but he has forgotten portions of it because he was unable to write it down. Along with the “Bell” and the Conga drum, Walter used to sing and now plays other Afro-Caribbean inspired instruments. He received a certificate of musical proficiency in 1999 from El Consejo Nacional de Rehabilitacion y Education Especial for percussion instruments.
He describes his music as “a mix of reggae and salsa or cumbia.” Many of the members of the band he plays with most are musicians he has played with throughout his life in Cahuita. His band has travelled and played in Spain and the United States, but Walter has not travelled outside of Costa Rica. Walter said he does not like traveling much and does not like Limon. He likes the pace of smaller areas.
Walter is planning on playing with his band in the Calypso Festival held in the center of Cahuita next month. There are twelve bands scheduled to play, one of which is traveling all the way from Columbia. The music festival is pretty large, according to Walter, with people coming all the way from San Jose to listen to the music.
Walter says that his love for music came from his father, who was a trumpet player. He says if he could go back to school he would go to learn to play the trumpet. His sister’s children play the piano and the trumpet, following in his family’s musical footsteps. His future plans are to play at Coco’s, a local bar; to play for tourists during the week; and to play at the Calypso festival next month.