Results for "Cedar Walton"

Cedar Walton

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.

Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Jazz - Part 3

by Ludovico Granvassu
September 28, 2026

The third and final part of our celebration of 50 years of Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life--with more jazz renditions of this timeless masterpiece.Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Gato Barbieri “Ngiculela--Es una Historia--I Am Singing" Ruby Ruby (A&M) 0:16 Host ...

Benny Green: Renovation

by Pierre Giroux
September 16, 2026

There are pianists who play solo because they have something to prove, and then there are pianists like Benny Green, who have nothing to prove and regard the absence of a rhythm section as an invitation. On Renovation, his first live solo recording, Green seems to be enjoying himself.  Most of these 13 performances were recorded ...

John Clayton, Alan Braufman, and New Jazz Underground

by Jerome Wilson
July 29, 2026

This episode features recent music by John Clayton, Quinsin Nachoff, and New Jazz Underground and older work from Alan Braufman, George Haslam, and Cedar Walton. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextet “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Dave Stryker “Taxi Driver" ...

Louis Hayes at Jazz Alley

by Paul Rauch
June 26, 2026

Louis HayesJazz Alley Seattle WA June 23, 2026  At eighty-nine years old, the fact that drummer Louis Hayes is still touring as a bandleader is remarkable in itself. The fact that he is still playing so well, and playing with great energy is downright inspiring. With the sun burning bright, ...

Ben Markley Big Band: Tuesday Morning Feeling

by Jack Bowers
May 24, 2026

When a bandleader says he plans to rely less on arranging the music of others to focus more on his own compositions and charts, the usual response is a prolonged sigh or indifferent shrug of the shoulders --which makes it all the more remarkable that when pianist and composer Ben Markley did exactly that on Tuesday ...

Frode Kjekstad Qrt: Stars Aligned

by Glenn Astarita
March 11, 2026

Talented Norwegian guitarist Frode Kjekstad discovered jazz in his early teens through the bebop genius of Charlie Parker and the refined touch of Joe Pass. He started formal jazz guitar studies at fifteen and moved to Oslo in 1994, where he immersed himself in the local scene and performed with legends like Johnny Griffin, Frank Foster, ...

John Bishop: A Multi-Dimensional Journey in Jazz

by Paul Rauch
March 9, 2026

John Bishop has spent the past 50 years traversing a jazz landscape that has been in a state of constant change. The music has continued to evolve at a rate one might expect from art in general, while the business end of it has seen radical change that most would consider a state of de-evolution. As ...

Richie Beirach: Indelible Memories and Thought-Provoking Reflections on a Life in Jazz, Part 1

by Victor L. Schermer
January 31, 2026

This two-part article was first published on All About Jazz on August 13, 2019. Part 1 | Part 2 Richie Beirach hovers somewhat mysteriously in the pantheon of the great modern jazz pianists. Some of the others in that category from his generation (coming up in the 1960s/'70s), like Herbie Hancock, Keith ...

Margherita Fava: Murrina

by Geannine Reid
January 4, 2026

The hum of modern jazz is strong from the first notes of Murrina. Margherita Fava emerges as a creative force at the piano with her crystalline single notes and cascade of piano chords that shimmer with the microcosms of the modern jazz piano tradition. Recorded in the autumn of 2025, the album captures a trio that performs ...