Cedar Walton
Background information
Birth name	Cedar Anthony Walton, Jr.
Born	January 17, 1934 Dallas, Texas, United States
Died	August 19, 2013(2013-08-19) (aged 79) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Jazz, Hard bop
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Piano

Cedar Anthony Walton, Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band before establishing a long career as a bandleader and composer. Several of his compositions have become jazz standards, including "Mosaic", "Bolivia", "Holy Land", "Mode for Joe" and "Fantasy in D".^[1]

Early life[edit]

Walton was born and grew up in Dallas, Texas.^[2] His mother Ruth was an aspiring concert pianist, and was Walton's initial teacher.^[3] She also took him to jazz performances around Dallas. Walton cited Nat King Cole, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk and Art Tatum as his major influences on piano.^[4] He began emulating recordings of these artists from an early age.

After briefly attending Dillard University in New Orleans,^[2] he went to the University of Denver as a composition major originally, but was encouraged to switch to a music education program targeted to set up a career in the local public school system. This switch later proved extremely useful since Walton learned to play and arrange for various instruments, a talent he would hone with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Walton was tempted by the promise of New York City through his associations with John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, and Richie Powell, whom he met at various after-hours sessions around the city of Denver, Colorado. In 1955, he decided to leave school and drove with a friend to New York City. He quickly got recognition from Johnny Garry, who ran Birdland at that time.

Later life and career[edit]

Walton was drafted into the U.S. Army, and stationed in Germany, cutting short his rising status in the after-hours scene. While in the Army, he played with musicians Leo Wright, Don Ellis, and Eddie Harris. Upon his discharge after two years, Walton picked up where he left off, playing as a sideman with Kenny Dorham (on whose 1958 album This Is the Moment! Walton made his recording debut),^[5]J. J. Johnson, and with Gigi Gryce.^[6] Joining the Jazztet, led by Benny Golson and Art Farmer, Walton played with this group from 1958 to 1961. In April 1959, he recorded an alternate take of "Giant Steps" with John Coltrane, though he did not solo.

In the early 1960s, Walton joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers as a pianist-arranger for three years, on the same day as Freddie Hubbard. In this group, which also featured Wayne Shorter, he demonstrated a keen sense of arranging in originals such as "Ugetsu" and "Mosaic". He left the Messengers in 1964 and by the late 1960s was part of the house rhythm section at Prestige Records, where in addition to releasing his own recordings, he recorded with Sonny Criss, Pat Martino, Eric Kloss, and Charles McPherson. For a year, he served as Abbey Lincoln's accompanist, and recorded with Lee Morgan from 1966 to 1968. During the mid-1970s, he led the funk group Mobius.^[6] Walton arranged and recorded for Etta James from the mid 1990s helping her to win a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album for Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday (RCA Victor) in 1994.^[7]

Many of Walton's compositions have been adopted as jazz standards, including "Firm Roots", "Bolivia", "Holy Land", "Mode for Joe" and "Cedar's Blues". "Bolivia" is perhaps his best-known composition, while one of his oldest is "Fantasy in D", recorded under the title "Ugetsu" by Art Blakey in 1963,^[8] and as "Polar AC" by Freddie Hubbard, first in 1971.

In January 2010, Walton was inducted as a member of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters.^[9]

After a brief illness, Walton died on August 19, 2013, at his home in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of 79.^[10]

Discography[edit]

As leader/co-leader[edit]

• 1967: Cedar! (Prestige)


• 1968: Spectrum (Prestige)


• 1969: The Electric Boogaloo Song (Prestige)


• 1969: Soul Cycle (Prestige)


• 1972: Breakthrough! (Cobblestone) with Hank Mobley
  


• 1973: A Night at Boomers, Vol. 1 (Muse)


• 1973: A Night at Boomers, Vol. 2 (Muse)


• 1974: Firm Roots (Muse)


• 1974: Pit Inn (East Wind)


• 1975: Mobius (RCA)


• 1975: Eastern Rebellion (Timeless) with George Coleman, Sam Jones & Billy Higgins
  


• 1976: The Pentagon (East Wind)


• 1976: Beyond Mobius (RCA)


• 1977: Eastern Rebellion 2 (Timeless) with Bob Berg, Sam Jones & Billy Higgins


• 1977: First Set (SteepleChase)


• 1977: Second Set (SteepleChase)


• 1977: Third Set (SteepleChase)


• 1978: Animation (Columbia)


• 1979: Eastern Rebellion 3 (Timeless) with Curtis Fuller, Bob Berg, Sam Jones & Billy Higgins


• 1979: Charmed Circle (HighNote)


• 1980: Soundscapes (Columbia)


• 1980: The Maestro (Muse) with Abbey Lincoln
  


• 1981: Piano Solos (Clean Cuts)


• 1981: Heart & Soul (Timeless) with Ron Carter
  


• 1982: Among Friends (Theresa)


• 1983: Eastern Rebellion 4 (Timeless) with Curtis Fuller, Bob Berg, Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, David Williams & Billy Higgins


• 1983: The All American Trio (Baystate) with Ron Carter and Jack DeJohnette
  


• 1985: Cedar's Blues (Red)


• 1985: The Trio 1 (Red)


• 1985: The Trio 2 (Red)


• 1985: The Trio 3 (Red)


• 1985: Cedar Walton (Timeless)


• 1985: Bluesville Time (Criss Cross)


• 1986: Blues for Myself (Red)


• 1986: Cedar Walton Plays (Delos)


• 1988: Standards with the VIP Trio (California Breeze)


• 1988: Standards Vol 2 with the VIP Trio (California Breeze)


• 1990: Duo (Red) with David Williams [also released as Off Minor]


• 1990: As Long as There's Music (Muse [1993])


• 1990: Mosaic (Musicmasters) with Eastern Rebellion


• 1992: Cedar Walton at Maybeck (Concord Jazz)


• 1992: Simple Pleasure (Musicmasters) with Eastern Rebellion


• 1992: Manhattan Afternoon (Criss Cross)


• 1994: Just One of Those... Nights at the Village Vanguard (Musicmasters) with Eastern Rebellion


• 1996: Composer (Astor Place)


• 1997: Roots (Astor Place)


• 2001: The Promise Land (HighNote)


• 2002: Latin Tinge (HighNote)


• 2005: Underground Memoirs (HighNote)


• 2005: Midnight Waltz (Venus)


• 2006: One Flight Down (HighNote)


• 2008: Seasoned Wood (HighNote)


• 2009: Voices Deep Within (HighNote)


• 2010: Cedar Chest (HighNote)


• 2011: The Bouncer (HighNote)

With the Timeless All Stars

• 1982: It's Timeless (Timeless)


• 1983: Timeless Heart (Timeless)


• 1986: Essence (Delos)


• 1991: Time for the Timeless All Stars (Early Bird)

As sideman[edit]

With Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt

• 
  God Bless Jug and Sonny (Prestige, 1973 [2001])


• 
  Left Bank Encores (Prestige, 1973 [2001])

With Art Blakey

• 
  Mosaic (Blue Note, 1961)


• 
  Three Blind Mice (Blue Note, 1962)


• 
  Caravan (Riverside, 1963)


• 
  Ugetsu (Riverside, 1963)


• 
  Buhaina's Delight (Blue Note, 1963)


• 
  Free for All (Blue Note, 1964)


• 
  Kyoto (Riverside, 1964)


• 
  Indestructible (Blue Note, 1964)


• 
  Golden Boy (Colpix, 1964)


• 
  Buhaina (Prestige, 1973)


• 
  Anthenagin (Prestige, 1973)

With Ray Brown

• 
  Something for Lester (Contemporary, 1977)

With Kenny Burrell

• 
  Sunup to Sundown (Contemporary, 1991)

With Donald Byrd

• 
  Slow Drag (Blue Note, 1967)

With Joe Chambers

• 
  The Almoravid (Muse, 1974)

With Junior Cook

• 
  Somethin's Cookin' (Muse, 1981)

With Ornette Coleman

• 
  Broken Shadows (Columbia, 1972 [1982])

With Johnny Coles

• 
  Katumbo (Dance) (Mainstream, 1971)

With John Coltrane

• 
  Giant Steps (Atlantic, 1959) [alternate takes]

With Larry Coryell

• 
  Cedars of Avalon (HighNote, 2002)

With Sonny Criss

• 
  Up, Up and Away (Prestige, 1967)


• 
  The Beat Goes On! (Prestige, 1968)

With Kenny Dorham

• 
  This Is the Moment! (Riverside, 1958)


• 
  Blue Spring (Riverside, 1959; with Cannonball Adderley)

With Teddy Edwards

• 
  It's All Right! (Prestige, 1967)

With Art Farmer

• 
  The Time and the Place (Columbia, 1967)


• 
  The Art Farmer Quintet Plays the Great Jazz Hits (Columbia, 1967)


• 
  Homecoming (Mainstream, 1971)


• 
  Yesterday's Thoughts (East Wind, 1975)


• 
  To Duke with Love (East Wind, 1975)


• 
  The Summer Knows (East Wind, 1976)


• 
  Art Farmer Quintet at Boomers (East Wind, 1976)

With Curtis Fuller

• 
  Soul Trombone (Impulse!, 1961)


• 
  Smokin' (Mainstream, 1972)

With Benny Golson

• 
  Take a Number from 1 to 10 (Argo, 1961)


• 
  This Is for You, John (Timeless, 1983 [1987])

With Dexter Gordon

• 
  Tangerine (Prestige, 1972 [1975])


• 
  Generation (Prestige, 1972)

With Johnny Griffin

• 
  Bush Dance (Galaxy, 1978)

With Steve Grossman

• 
  Love Is the Thing (Red, 1985)

With Slide Hampton

• 
  Roots (Criss Cross, 1985)

With Eddie Harris

• 
  Cool Sax from Hollywood to Broadway (Columbia, 1964)


• 
  The In Sound (Atlantic, 1965)


• 
  Mean Greens (Atlantic, 1966)


• 
  The Tender Storm (Atlantic, 1966)


• 
  Excursions (Atlantic, 1966–73)


• 
  How Can You Live Like That? (Atlantic, 1976)

With Jimmy Heath

• 
  The Quota (Riverside, 1961)


• 
  Triple Threat (Riverside, 1962)

With Joe Henderson

• 
  Mode for Joe (Blue Note, 1966)

With Billy Higgins

• 
  Soweto (Red, 1979)


• 
  The Soldier (Timeless, 1979 [1981])


• 
  Once More (Red, 1980)


• 
  Bridgework (Contemporary, 1987)


• 
  Billy Higgins Quintet (Sweet Basil, 1993)

With Freddie Hubbard

• 
  Hub Cap (Blue Note, 1961)


• 
  Here to Stay (Blue Note, 1962 [1979])


• 
  The Body & the Soul (Impulse!, 1963)


• 
  Bolivia (Musicmasters, 1991)

With Bobby Hutcherson

• 
  Highway One (Columbia, 1978)


• 
  Farewell Keystone (Evidence, 1982 [1992])

With Milt Jackson

• 
  Milt Jackson at the Museum of Modern Art (Limelight, 1965)


• 
  Born Free (Limelight, 1966)


• 
  Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet (Verve, 1968)


• 
  Goodbye (CTI, 1973)


• 
  Olinga (CTI, 1974)


• 
  Milt Jackson at the Kosei Nenkin (Pablo, 1976)


• 
  Bags' Bag (Pablo, 1979)


• 
  It Don't Mean a Thing If You Can't Tap Your Foot to It (Pablo, 1984)


• 
  Reverence and Compassion (Warner Bros., 1993)

With Etta James

• 
  Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday (RCA Victor, 1994)


• 
  Time After Time (RCA Victor, 1995)


• 
  12 Songs of Christmas (Private Music, 1998)


• 
  Blue Gardenia (Private Music, 2001)

With The Jazztet (Art Farmer and Benny Golson)

• 
  Big City Sounds (Argo, 1960)


• 
  The Jazztet and John Lewis (Argo, 1961)


• 
  The Jazztet at Birdhouse (Argo, 1961)


• 
  Voices All (Eastworld, 1982)

With Bjorn Johansen

• 
  Take One (Odin, 1987)

With J. J. Johnson

• 
  Really Livin' (Columbia, 1959)


• 
  J.J. Inc. (Columbia, 1961)

With Etta Jones

• 
  Save Your Love for Me (Muse, 1980)

With Philly Joe Jones

• 
  Advance! (Galaxy, 1978)


• 
  Drum Song (Galaxy, 1978 [1985])

With Sam Jones

• 
  Seven Minds (East Wind, 1974)


• 
  Something in Common (Muse, 1977)

With Clifford Jordan

• 
  Spellbound (Riverside, 1960)


• 
  Starting Time (Jazzland, 1961)


• 
  Bearcat (Jazzland, 1962)


• 
  These are My Roots: Clifford Jordan Plays Leadbelly (Atlantic, 1965)


• 
  Glass Bead Games (Strata-East, 1974)


• 
  Half Note (SteepleChase, 1974 [1985])


• 
  Night of the Mark VII (Muse, 1975)


• 
  On Stage Vol. 1 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1977])


• 
  On Stage Vol. 2 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1978])


• 
  On Stage Vol. 3 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1979])


• 
  Firm Roots (Steeplechase, 1975)


• 
  The Highest Mountain (Steeplechase, 1975)

With Eric Kloss

• 
  First Class Kloss! (Prestige, 1967)

With Abbey Lincoln

• 
  Abbey Is Blue (Riverside, 1959)

With Pat Martino

• 
  Strings! (Prestige, 1967)

With Christian McBride

• 
  New York Time (Chesky, 2006)

With Charles McPherson

• 
  From This Moment On! (Prestige, 1968)


• 
  Horizons (Prestige, 1968)

With Blue Mitchell

• 
  The Cup Bearers (Riverside, 1962)


• 
  Boss Horn (1966)


• 
  Stratosonic Nuances (RCA, 1975)


• 
  Summer Soft (Impulse!, 1977)

With Frank Morgan

• 
  Easy Living (Contemporary, 1985)


• 
  Lament (Contemporary, 1986)


• 
  Bebop Lives! (Contemporary, 1987)


• 
  Love, Lost and Found (Telarc, 1995)

With Lee Morgan

• 
  Caramba! (Blue Note, 1968)


• 
  The Sixth Sense (Blue Note, 1968)

With David "Fathead" Newman

• 
  Resurgence! (Muse, 1981)


• 
  Davey Blue (HighNote, 2002)


• 
  Diamondhead (HighNote, 1988)

With Houston Person

• 
  Chocomotive (Prestige, 1967)


• 
  Trust in Me (Prestige, 1967)


• 
  Blue Odyssey (Prestige, 1968)


• 
  Broken Windows, Empty Hallways (Prestige, 1972)


• 
  The Big Horn (Muse, 1976 [1979])


• 
  Very PERSONal (Muse, 1980)


• 
  Naturally (HighNote, 2012)

With Sonny Red

• 
  The Mode (Jazzland, 1961)


• 
  Sonny Red (Mainstream, 1971)

With Woody Shaw

• 
  Setting Standards (Muse, 1983)

With Archie Shepp

• 
  For Losers (Impulse!, 1969)


• 
  Kwanza (Impulse!, 1969)

With James Spaulding

• 
  James Spaulding Plays the Legacy of Duke Ellington (Storyville, 1977)

With Idrees Sulieman

• 
  Now Is the Time (SteepleChase, 1976)

With Jay Thomas

• 
  Easy Does It (Discovery, 1985)

With Lucky Thompson

• 
  Goodbye Yesterday (Groove Merchant, 1973)


• 
  Concert: Friday the 13th - Cook County Jail (Groove Merchant, 1973)


• 
  I Offer You (Groove Merchant, 1973)

With Stanley Turrentine

• 
  Another Story (Blue Note, 1969)

With David Williams

• 
  Up Front (Timeless, 1987)

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 
  Cedar Walton on IMDb


• 
  Interview with Cedar Walton, Do The Math, March 2010.


• Richard Brody, "The Glorious Cedar Walton", The New Yorker, August 26, 2013.