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Cedar Walton Trio 12/12-17 and Quartet 12/19-24 at the Village Vanguard |
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Written by Ronaldo Oregano
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Monday, 11 December 2006 |
 Cedar Walton
Born January 17, 1934 in Dallas, Texas, Cedar Walton began his 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 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-year tenure with Blakey, Walton became known as a composer,
contributing originals like "Mosaic" and "The Promised Land" to the
Jazz Messaangers' book.
Walton left the Jazz Messengers to lead rhythm sections and trios in
New York. His debut recording as a leader came in 1966 with the release
of Cedar on Prestige
Records. In 1981, he formed a trio with Ron Carter and Billy
Higgins which clicked right from the start. Around the same time,
Walton became part of the Timeless All-Stars, a sextet also featuring
Harold Land, Bobby Hutcherson, Curtis Fuller, Buster Williams and Billy
Higgins. Walton also performed with Milt Jackson, Frank Morgan, Dexter
Gordon and vocalists Ernestine Anderson and Freddy Cole, and held the
piano chair of The Trumpet Summit Band.
Cedar Walton is one of the most influential jazz musicians active
today. His original compositions like "Bolivia", "Clockwise" and "Firm
Roots" are frequently recorded by other musicians, and have become part
of the standard Jazz repertoire. Cedar Walton has emerged as a true
master of jazz.
 Lewis Nash
Lewis Nash, born in Phoenix,
Arizona, developed an
early interest in music. By age 18, he was performing with local jazz
groups. By the time he was 21, Nash had become the "first call" jazz
drummer in Phoenix, working with Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Red Garland,
Lee Konitz, Barney Kessell and Slide Hampton during their engagements
in the city.
In 1981, Nash moved to New York City and joined the trio of the great
jazz vocalist Betty Carter. For nearly four years, he toured
internationally with Ms. Carter. He is featured on three of her
recordings, including the Grammy winning Look What I Got. Ron
Carter
hired Nash in 1984. As a member Carter´s nonet, quintet and
quartet, Nash toured extensively and is featured on several of the
bassist´s recordings. In the fall of 1986, saxophonist Branford
Marsalis asked Lewis to join
his quartet. That active association spanned two years and several
continents, and is documented on Marsalis´ Grammy nominated
recording Random Abstract, as well as two videos: Royal
Garden Blues
(directed by Spike Lee) and Branford Marsalis - Steep.
Vincent Herring played sax at West Point in the U.S. Military
Band. Dubbed a “Young Lion” in the early 80s, he toured with the Lionel
Hampton Band before his big break with Nat Adderley's band, displaying
a style in the vein of Nat’s brother, Cannonball. Notes International
Jazz Productions, “Vincent has developed into a virtuoso with a voice
that is uniquely intense and vigorous with the energy and direction.”
Regarding his place in the Cannonball chair with the Legacy Band, Jazz
Times (November 2002) noted that he has “formidable technique and the
appropriately aggressive attitude to put it over. Like Adderley,
Herring tells a story when he plays, quotes other songs in his
solos…and always plays hip turnarounds at the ends of his phrases.”
(For more information on Vincent Herring, see www.vincentherring.com)
The Village Vanguard presents the Cedar Walton trio featuring David Williams on bass and Lewis Nash on drums from December 12th through the 17th. Then for the week of December 19th through the 24th they will be joined by Vincent Herring on saxophone to make it a quartet.
The Vanguard is located at 178 7th Avenue South. That's on 7th Avenue just below West 11th Street in Greenwich Village. Nearest subway: 1, 2 or 3 (local or express) at the 14th Street stop.
Doors open at 8:00pm. Sets begin at 9:00pm and 11:00pm nightly. From time to time, there is an additional 12:30am set on Saturday. It's best to call the club for confirmation of a third set.(212) 255-4037 |
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 Monday, 13 October 2008
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