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Cedar Walton: Seasoned Wood
ByHis savvy is hardly surprising after all the decades he has spent with the likes of Milt Jackson, Art Blakey, Clifford Jordan and his earlier groups including Eastern Rebellion and the Timeless All-Stars. On Walton's "When Love Is New," Jeremy Pelt's flugelhorn provides a haunting counterpoint to the leader's crisp ruminations that evokes echoes of Miles David in its totally engaging unsentimental poignancy. A Jimmy Heath beauty, "Longevity," finds Walton's backing of alto saxophonist Vincent Herring and Pelt's down-front solos to be as bracing as it is spare.
Among the older classics included is Gershwin's "The Man I Love." Here the group swings so mightily the sound is simply massive. The whole becomes much more than the parts, notable for the white heat blowing of Herring, with whom Walton has collaborated for over 15 years. Here and throughout the session is Walton's hard-driving delicacy, mixing bop, brilliant phrasing, harmonic variety and more into his totally distinctive and evergreen style.
Track Listing
The Man I Love; Clockwise; Longravity; When Love Is New; Hindsight; A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square; Plexus; John's Blues.
Personnel
Cedar Walton
pianoCedar Walton: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Al Foster: drums; Vincent Herring: alto and tenor saxophone; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet, flugelhorn.
Album information
Title: Seasoned Wood | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: HighNote Records