Mal Waldron: Stardust & Starlight At The Jazz Showcase

April 2026 sees Zev Feldman—a man devoted to finding unreleased tapes of past jazz masters, well-known and lesser-known—bringing us four excellent live recordings on his Resonance Records label. All of these shows were captured at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago. Pianist Ahmad Jamal's At the Jazz Showcase comes from 1976; Reedman Yusef Lateef's Alight Upon The Lake was recorded in 1975; saxophonist Joe Henderson's Consonance is taken from a 1978 show; and the disc at hand, Stardust & Starlight, from pianist Mal Waldron (1925 -2002), was taped in 1979.

Mal Waldron is a somewhat overlooked jazz artist—in part due to long-term expatriation to Europe, where jazz was well received and racism was less onerous than in the United States. Known more to hardcore jazz fans than to the general public. He played in Charles Mingus' band, he accompanied Billie Holiday ( 'Lady Day' ) from 1957 until 1959—the end of her days. He also recorded over 100 albums during a 50-year career, including the first release on ECM Records, Free At Last (1970).

Stardust & Starlight—At the Jazz Showcase features Waldron in a loose and highly-inspired trio/solo outing. The set wraps up with what might be called 'bonus tracks' though Feldman does not tag them as such: "Old Folks" and "Stardust," with saxophonist Sonny Stitt sitting in.

Waldron was a stylist with a style that is hard to pin down. He often dwelled in darker zones, exploring variation in the minor keys; he used dissonance in his chord voicings; he played in a rhythmic mode, rather than soloing over the chord changes. Even when presenting tunes with upbeat vibes, there seemed to a somber outlook standing in the shadows.

He opens with one of his own tunes: "All Alone." Lonely it is. His rhythm partners, the house rhythm team, bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Wilbur Campbell, sit out. Waldron is morose, as rhythmic, almost, as Nik Bärtsch with his striking repetitions. And that is another thing about Waldron's approach: it gives a feeling of modernity. He is doing things his way.

"All God's Chillun got Rhythm" prances, but again, sadness seems to be hanging around. "I Thought About You" opens lush and lovely. It stretches out for eight minutes, with the pianist exploring every angle of the melody that ponders a separation from someone loved. Waldron's original, "Fire Waltz,"  an 11-minute rumination that showcases not only a use of percussive piano but also a penchant for delicacy and touch.

Thelonious Monk's' "'Round Midnight" fits perfectly into the wee-hours mood of the set, and "Stella By Starlight" closes the regular show on a particularly energized, jaunty note, leading into Stitt's step onto the stage for a pair of late-set impromptu takes on a pair of familiar standards, "Old Folks" and "Stardust."

Sound quality—sometimes a concern on old recording undergoing resuscitation—is remarkably good. The music is excellent, from start to finish. The packaging, cover art, and essays are—as is customary with Feldman productions—absolutely first rate.