Cedar Walton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cedar Walton
Background information
Birth name	Cedar Anthony Walton Jr.
Born	January 17, 1934 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
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. (born January 17, 1934 – died August 19, 2013) was an American jazz pianist. He played a style of jazz called hard bop. He became well known as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers. After that, he had a long career leading his own bands and writing music. Some of his songs became famous jazz standards, like "Mosaic," "Bolivia," "Holy Land," and "Ugetsu."

Early Life of Cedar Walton

Walton was born and grew up in Dallas, Texas. His mother, Ruth, wanted to be a concert pianist. She was his first music teacher. She also took him to jazz shows in Dallas. Cedar Walton said that Nat King Cole, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and Art Tatum were his biggest influences on the piano. He started copying their music from a young age.

He went to Dillard University for a short time. Then he went to the University of Denver to study music composition. But his teachers told him to study music education instead. This was so he could work in local schools. This advice helped him a lot later. He learned to play and arrange music for many different instruments. He used these skills with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Walton was excited about moving to New York City. He met famous musicians like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker in Denver, Colorado. They played music together late at night. In 1955, he decided to leave school. He drove to New York City with a friend. He quickly got noticed by Johnny Garry, who ran the famous Birdland jazz club.

Cedar Walton's Music Career

Walton was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was sent to Germany. This paused his rising career in the jazz scene. In the Army, he played with other musicians like Leo Wright and Eddie Harris. After two years, he left the Army. He went back to playing jazz. He played with Kenny Dorham and made his first recording in 1958. He joined the Jazztet with Benny Golson and Art Farmer. He played with them from 1958 to 1961.

In 1959, he recorded a different version of "Giant Steps" with John Coltrane. But he did not play a solo on that recording. In the early 1960s, Walton joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He was their pianist and also arranged music. He joined the same day as Freddie Hubbard. For the next three years, he wrote and arranged songs like "Ugetsu" and "Mosaic."

He left the Jazz Messengers in 1964. By the late 1960s, he was part of the main group of musicians at Prestige Records. He released his own music there. He also recorded with other artists like Sonny Criss and Pat Martino. For a year, he played piano for singer Abbey Lincoln. He also recorded with Lee Morgan from 1966 to 1968. In the mid-1970s, he led a funk band called Mobius.

From the mid-1990s, he arranged and recorded music for Etta James. He helped her win a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 1994. This was for her album Mystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday.

Many of Walton's songs became well-known jazz tunes. These include "Firm Roots," "Bolivia," "Holy Land," and "Mode for Joe." One of his oldest songs is "Fantasy in D." Art Blakey recorded it as "Ugetsu" in 1963. Freddie Hubbard recorded it as "Polar AC" in 1971.

In January 2010, Cedar Walton was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. This is a very high honor for jazz musicians.

Death

Cedar Walton passed away on August 19, 2013. He was 79 years old. He died at his home in Brooklyn, New York after a short illness.

The Magic Triangle: A Special Partnership

Cedar Walton played and recorded with drummer Billy Higgins for many years. They played together from the mid-1960s through the 1990s. They first recorded together in 1965. Billy Higgins also played on Walton's first album, Cedar!, in 1967. They kept playing and recording together often.

In the early 1970s, bassist Sam Jones formed a special group with Walton and Higgins. They called themselves "The Magic Triangle." They recorded albums under both Walton's and Jones's names. They also played on albums by Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan. Even when they didn't use the name "The Magic Triangle" on albums, people knew it was their group.

In 1975, The Magic Triangle became the main part of a jazz group called Eastern Rebellion. This group included different saxophonists, trombonists, and trumpeters over time. Eastern Rebellion released seven albums between 1975 and 1994. Walton and Higgins were on all of them.

Sam Jones died in 1981. Walton and Higgins continued playing with bassist David "Happy" Williams. This trio recorded often in the 1980s and early 1990s. Walton and Higgins also played on recordings by other famous musicians. These included Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, and Jackie McLean.

In 1991, Walton and Higgins recorded two live albums with bassist Ron Carter. They called themselves the Sweet Basil Trio. A third Sweet Basil Trio album was recorded in 1993 with David Williams on bass.

Images for kids

• 

  Cedar Walton performing in Dachau, Germany, in 2001.

See also

In Spanish: Cedar Walton para niños