Cedar Walton

One of the most valued of all hard bop accompanists, Cedar Walton was a versatile pianist whose funky touch and cogent melodic sense graced the recordings of many of jazz's greatest players. He was also one of the music's more underrated composers; although he was always a first-rate interpreter of standards, Walton wrote a number of excellent tunes ("Mosaic," "Ugetsu," and "Bolivia," to name a few) that found their way into Art Blakey's book during the pianist's early-'60s stint with the Jazz Messengers. In addition to his many quantifiable accomplishments, Walton is less well known as the first pianist to record, in April 1959 with John Coltrane, the tenorist's daunting "Giant Steps" -- unlike the unfortunate Tommy Flanagan a month later, Walton wasn't required to solo, though he does comp magnificently.

Walton was first taught piano by his mother. After attending the University of...

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Cedar Walton Albums

1 record

Albums featuring Cedar Walton

21 records