Cedar Walton - "That Old Feeling"

Pianist Cedar Walton performing "That Old Feeling" as a member of drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Freddie Hubbard, trumpet, Curtis Fuller, trombone, Wayne Shorter, tenor sax and Jymie Merritt, bass.

Pianist Cedar Walton ....

#ThisDayInJazz: Pianist Cedar Walton born 1934 in Dallas, TX. https://t.co/9u3MUZ2E9v

— JAZZFM91 (@JAZZFM91) 17 de janeiro de 2017

Jazz Piano Giant Cedar Walton Dies At 79

by PATRICK JARENWATTANANON
August 19, 2013 5:16 PM

Cedar Walton, one of the top jazz pianists to emerge in the aftermath of bebop, died Monday morning at his home in Brooklyn, N.Y., according to his wife, Martha. Walton was 79.

The pianist and composer/arranger rose to eminence after an early-1960s spell in drummer Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and continually cemented his reputation as a bluesy, graceful and commanding improviser up until his death. But Walton's legacy also rests on a body of compositions, at least one of which became a standard ("Bolivia"); his ability to orchestrate small groups also secured him work and opportunities to lead his own bands.

Born in 1934, Walton grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother was at one time an aspiring concert pianist, and served as his first teacher. Drawn to jazz, he continued to pursue playing during college between classes and classical studies, briefly at Dillard University in New Orleans and then at the University of Denver in Colorado. He moved to the jazz hub of New York City in 1955, and — after compulsory military service, where he played in an Army band in Germany — returned in 1958.

Walton rubbed shoulders with emerging greats of the era. He toured with J.J. Johnson, the preeminent trombonist of his era. He jumped ship to Benny Golson's Jazztet, another small group with tightly crafted arrangements. Along the way, he recorded the first drafts of John Coltrane's seminal Giant Steps album.

And in 1961, he joined Freddie Hubbard (trumpet) and Wayne Shorter (saxophone) in the Jazz Messengers, where he was one of the stars in what became one of Art Blakey's most celebrated lineups. That unit was responsible for classic albums like Mosaic, Ugetsu and Free For All — among other recordings — and Walton contributed tunes to several of them. He later described the experience "like we were a team of horses, and [Blakey] was, you know, leading from behind. You know, driving a team of horses."

Read more: http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2013/08/19/213571089/jazz-piano-giant-cedar-walton-dies-at-79?ft=1&f=10002

Piano Jazz Summit....

Starring Cedar Walton, Jacky Terrasson and Hiromi

Three generations of solo virtuoso jazz pianists in one unique concert event!

Cedar Walton is a hard pop jazz pianist and one of the most universally respected jazz pianists active today. His most recent honor was to be named the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master for 2010.

Jacky Terrasson, winner of the distinctive Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition and two time Grammy nominee, was acclaimed by The New York Times Magazine as “one of 30 artists under the age of 30 most likely to make an impact on American culture in the next 30 years.”

Since her 2003 Telarc debut, Another Mind, keyboardist-composer Hiromi Uehara has electrified audiences and critics on both hemispheres with a creative energy that defies the conventional parameters of jazz and pushes musicianship and composition to unprecedented levels of complexity and sophistication.

For over 25 years, pianist Cedar Walton has enjoyed an uptempo career....

Born: January 17, 1934
For over 25 years, pianist Cedar Walton has enjoyed an uptempo career, which never seems to slow down. Maintaining a non-stop itinerary, Walton has accompanied a litany of Jazz greats while also fronting his own successful groups. Born January 17, 1934 in Dallas, Texas, Walton set his sights on a career in music at an early age. An after-hours gig at the Denver Club introduced him to notable musicians like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane, who would sit in with Walton's group when they passed through town.

From there, Walton ventured to New York and began to work locally with Lou Donaldson, Gigi Gryce, Sonny Rollins and Kenny Dorham before landing his first touring job with J.J. Johnson. Soon after, the pianist made his recording debut backing Kenny Dorham on the Riverside album Kenny Dorham Sings. He also made two records with J.J. Johnson' s group on Columbia Records before joining the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet, a group he toured and recorded with for two years. Walton's next major musical association was with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. During his three years tenure with Blakey, Walton stepped forward a composer, contributing originals like Mosaic and The Promised Land to the group's recordings for the Blue Note and Riverside labels.

Walton left the Jazz Messengers to lead rhythm sections and trios throughout the New York club and recording studio circuits. His debut recording as a leader came in 1966 with the release of Cedar on Prestige Records. From the late '60s to early '70s, Walton kept steady company with bassist Sam Jones and drummers Louis Hayes and Billy Higgins in multi-purpose trios that occasionally annexed saxophonists Clifford Jordan, George Coleman or Bob Berg for specific tours and albums.

During the '80s, Walton embarked on a variety of interesting projects, which have grown into lasting affiliations. In 1981, he formed a trio with Ron Carter and Billy Higgins, which clicked right from the start. Around the same time, Walton became part of the Timeless All-stars, a sextet also featuring Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Curtis Fuller, Buster Williams and Billy Higgins. Walton also ignited rhythm sections behind the likes of Milt Jackson, Frank Morgan, Dexter Gordon and vocalists Ernestine Anderson and Freddy Cole, and held the piano chair of The Trumpet Summit Band.

Walton's efforts have been well documented on record. In addition to a host of dates as a sideman, the pianist has been recording with his own groups at a prolific rate, as evidenced by an assortment of albums on the Timeless, Discovery, Red Baron and Steeple Chase record labels.

Walton is one of the most influential musicians active today. His original compositions like Bolivia, Clockwise and Firm Roots are frequently recorded by other musicians, and have become part of the standard Jazz repertoire. His playing regularly receives praise from critics, fellow Jazz musicians and audience around the world. Cedar Walton has emerged as a true master of the music he loves.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=11151

Holy Land - Cedar Walton & Clifford Jordan

The Cedar Walton Trio A Night At Boomer's Vol.1
Cedar Walton (pf)
Clifford Jordan (ts)
Sam Jones (b)
Louis Hayes (ds)
Recorded live at the Boomer's, NYC in Jan 1973.
Muse Records

Cedar Walton - Blue Monk

From a performance in 1976 at the Umbria Jazz Festival, here is Cedar Walton's solo on Blue Monk. Cedar Walton, piano, George Coleman, tenor sax, Sam Jones, bass, Billy Higgins, drums.

Art Farmer - Alfie

" The Summer Knows " Art Farmer (fh) Cedar Walton (pf) Sam Jones (b) Billy Higgins (ds) Recorded at Vanguard Studio, NYC, May 12.13, 1976 EastWind Records