Ben Markley - Pianist, Composer/Arranger, Educator

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Keep Swingin!

Ben

Cedar Walton Big Band Project - Day 7 Ballads, I'll Let You Know 

Ballads - I'll Let You Know

In addition to talking about the ballads Walton played and composed, I wanted to talk a little about some of his influences. Solo piano performances as well as ballads (whether in the trio or solo context) provide a lot of insight into a pianist's influences. In an interview in 2010 with Ethan Iverson, Walton says of his influences,
 
" I was so hungry. There were many Nat King Cole records… Before I left Dallas, I remember the first recording of “Satin Doll” by Duke Ellington on Capitol. I couldn’t believe it. I played that 78 record over and over. I can remember that as an outstanding experience – the clarity."

EI:  What about your exposure to Bud Powell? 

CW:  By the time I heard Bud, I think he’d been sick. He wasn’t the Bud that I heard on record in Texas, like “Somebody Loves Me,” “Parisian Thoroughfare” – all his great records. I heard his “Over the Rainbow,” which I still sort of play like him. “Petty larceny” you might call it. 

Walter Davis Jr. told me about watching Bud. Bud could play endlessly. They’d have to say, “Okay, Bud, that’s enough.” Bird and Dizzy, they had to use their lungs. But Bud was endless in this magical thing he had come upon. As far as the records, the history of piano goes, he succeeded people like Teddy Wilson and Earl “Fatha” Hines in that style – even Ellington. And he played horn-like, as you know, figures up here[mimes treble clef] but unusually structured. And his chordal knowledge, as it turned out, was very influential – to say the least! He was absolutely innovative. 

EI:  Did you try to learn Bud’s lines in Texas? 

CW:  Mmm-hmm. I was trying to learn everybody’s lines. I was very impressionable. Also, I was fascinated with Bud’s accompaniment on the records with Miles and Bird. I heard those chords – they’re so rich. And as much as he could do with lines, he was doing that as well as he did this. 

I was a fanatic, trying to absorb all the material off the records, but you could only get to a certain degree. You had to see someone playing this. 

EI:  So who showed you stuff at the piano? 

CW:  A guy named Gil Coggins. 

EI:  Oh, right, he’s on some of the Miles records. 

CW:  On one at least. He wasn’t a great soloist; he was a great accompanist. He had played with Lester Young, too. I met him over here in Bed Stuy in a brownstone on Washington Avenue. His mother rented out rooms to those of us who had just got to town. Even before I moved in we became friends: I would go over and he would show me stuff he had learned while he was with Miles. He was very respectful of Miles. Miles knew a lot of harmony; Miles was a student of harmony. He came up with a new version of George Shearing’s “Conception” – you remember that piece? I forgot what Miles called it.

Ethan Iverson does a wonderful job with these interviews. The entire interview with Cedar as well as an interview with my former teacher David Hazeltine can be found at Ethan Iverson/Cedar Walton Interview

One influence that I others have found very apparent is that of Art Tatum. Walton demonstrates this with unaccompanied rubato introduction of I'll Let You Know


The pacing of Walton's solo piano introductions are also very influenced by Tatum. Cedar Walton at Maybeck is a shining example of Walton playing in the solo context. In this record, his influences are acknowledged while his playing is still inherently Cedar.

Two original ballads that Walton penned were I'll Let You Know (which shows up on the recordings Mosaic and Roots as well as the above listed trio clip) and When Love is NewWhen Love is New first showed up on the Jazz Messengers recording Indestructible and a few years later on the Lee Morgan record Charisma under the title Rainy Night

One of the aspects about Walton's ballad playing that drew me in was the freedom in which he played. Whether playing on a standard such as Somewhere Over the Rainbow (one of his specialties) or one of his own compositions, he possessed the ability to freely create melody as well as an esthetic that captivated the listener. 
 

Cedar Walton Big Band Project - Day 8 I'm Not So Sure 

I'm Not So Sure

Jazz music in the late 60s and into 70s began to use electric instruments. Many pianists started to play rhodes and other keyboards. In 1969 Cedar released a recording on Prestige titled Soul Cycle.



in the liner notes Walton writes "During the course of a career in music, sooner or later the artist will come face to face with the task of reaching and appealing to a larger listening audience than before. In view of the obvious benefits of such an accomplishment (more record sales, better paying gigs) it would seem that the artist would happily immerse himself in the pleasant activity of seeking out new material, experimenting with various methods of presenting new and old works, taking care that the essence of nature of his original style is not sacrificed. However, it should be point out that this effort to preserve a high lever of quality is not with out certain pit falls - "built-in contradictions", so to speak. For instance, the listening public "tuned in" or accustomed to previous performances may become disenchanted, or, as in some cases, completely alienated by, in their judgement, this "sudden switch to out-and-out commercialism". Therefore, the attempt to attract the larger commercial audience results in the loss of a more compact but loyal following

With this recording and others with Milt Jackson (Bag's Bag) Walton showed lot of jazz musicians entrenched in the tradition that it was ok to evolve while still keeping the integrity of the music. On the recording Soul Cycle, the title track Sundown Express shows up on a Messengers record featuring Woody Shaw (this time titled I'm Not So Sure) titled Anthenagin (in 1973) and later with Cedar's acoustic quartet titled First Set (which is part of 3 recordings on Steeplechase recorded on the same night in 1977).  First Set features Sam Jones, Billy Higgins, and a young Bog Berg. There is a lot of variance between each of the 3 recordings of I'm Not So Sure . The First Set recording is very funky and embodies many of the great playing characteristics of rhythm section. The playing styles of Billy Higgins and Sam Jones are very unique. Studying Higgins' cymbal beat and Jones' placement of the beat, reveals a depth and nuance of playing style that is truly only grasped through countless hour of listening and practice. That's why so my arrangers or composers write "Billy Higgins" groove! 

I'm Not So Sure from First Set was one of those tunes that I had on repeat for a long time. Enjoy!

Cedar Walton Big Band Project - Day 9 Black 

Black

Cedar Walton has played with some of the greatest tenor players in the history of jazz music. Players including Clifford Jordan, George Coleman, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, and Junior Cook. 

Cedar contributed many compositions to bands and recording sessions that he was a part of. We begin to see many of his compositions and arrangements showing up with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Tunes like - Mosaic, Plexus, and The Promise Land. 

One of my favorite records on which Walton played and contributed tunes as sideman was Mode for Joe lead by Joe Henderson. Henderson and Walton are joined by Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Bobby Hutcherson, Ron Carter, and Joe Chambers. Everyone plays so well on this record, but check out Joe Chambers! There are so many great moments.  For this record date, Walton contributed two originals Mode of Joe (oddly enough not written for Joe Henderson) and Black.

Black is very reminiscent of a tune that the Messengers would play. 4 horn writing (counting vibes) A sustained introduction before launching into a groove before the head starts. The blowing form is 40 bars that are comprised of a balance of sustained and faster moving harmonic rhythm in the A sections and bridge respectively - a tune that is a perfect vehicle for Joe Henderson. Black is a Cedar tune that hasn't been recording much (to my knowledg), once on this Joe Henderson record and once on a Cedar Walton tribute recording titled Cedar Chest: The Cedar Walton Songbook which features many different guest artists. 

Since we're talking about tenor players, I thought I'd share a link that offers a little more about Cedar and his involvement John Coltrane and the classic record Giant Steps. When the "alternate takes" of the record were released many years after recording, we learned Walton played on these. He in fact was asked to do the record date with Coltrane, but was scheduled to go out on the road with another band. The "alternate takes" included on later released recordings of Giant Steps were really rehearsal recordings according to Walton.  Here's a link to that story: Cedar Walton Giant Steps Story 

And now for the music!

  

Cedar Walton Big Band Project - Day 10 Cedar's Blues 

Hi Folks,

There are 10 days until the Ben Markley Big Band featuring Terell Stafford plays Cedar Walton. I thought I'd share a Cedar tune and recording that 1) is a favorite of mine and 2) that I did an arrangement of. Additionally, I'll share some commentary and biographical info on Cedar and his recordings.

For those of you who don't know a lot about Cedar, I've included his biography from the National Endowment of the Arts. Walton was recognized as a NEA Jazz Master in 2010.

"One of the great hard bop pianists, Cedar Walton was also known for his compositions, some of which have become jazz standards, such as "Bolivia," "Clockwise," and "Firm Roots." 

Walton was first taught piano by his mother, and, after high school, moved to Colorado to commence studies at the University of Denver. There, during after-hours jazz club gigs, he met musicians, such as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and John Coltrane, who would sit in with Walton's group when traveling through town. 

Eventually, Walton moved to New York. In 1955, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Germany where he performed in a military jazz ensemble. Upon his return to New York City two years later, he began playing and recording with Kenny Dorham, J. J. Johnson, and Gigi Gryce. In 1959, he recorded with Coltrane on his seminal album Giant Steps, but the recordings weren't included on the initial issue of the album; the alternate tracks were later issued on the CD version. From 1960-61, Walton worked with Art Farmer and Benny Golson's band Jazztet. 

Walton's next significant musical association was with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. During his years with Blakey (1961-64), Walton stepped forward as composer, contributing originals such as "Mosaic," "Ugetsu," and "The Promised Land" to the group's repertoire. Walton left the Jazz Messengers to lead rhythm sections and trios featured in various New York clubs and work as a sideman for well-known artists such as Abbey Lincoln (1965-66) and Lee Morgan (1966-68). 

In 1974, Walton joined with bassist Sam Jones, drummer Billy Higgins, and saxophonist Clifford Jordan to form the group Eastern Rebellion, which would perform and record sporadically over the subsequent two decades. Other musicians rotated in and out of the band, including George Coleman, Bob Berg, Ralph Moore, David Williams, Curtis Fuller, and Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros. Higgins became a regular accompanist for Walton throughout the 1980s -- along with other stellar musicians such as Ron Carter,Bobby Hutcherson, Harold Land, and Buster Williams. In addition, he continued to perform in rhythm sections for Milt Jackson, Frank Morgan, and Dexter Gordon and accompanied vocalists Ernestine Anderson and Freddy Cole. He also led the backup trio for the Trumpet Summit Band, which started as a project for the 1995 Jazz in Marciac festival in France." - National Endowment for the Arts
 

Cedar's Blues 
One of the most prominent aspects of Cedar's playing is his ever-present ability to play the blues (not just on blues tunes, on everything!). He truly embodies the African esthetic that is present in Black American Music (Swinging and Blues Based) Jazz! In regards to blues tunes, Walton always had a steady diet in his sets and recordings. 

Cedar's Blues is a great example of Walton's compositional style. Many of Cedar's tunes are already arranged (complete if you will). They are complete in that he wrote intros and codas for the pieces. They more than the typical standard song forms with a new melody (contrafact). 

Walton didn't use many standard song forms as compositional vehicles. Other than the blues (of which he wrote several) he did write a contrafact on Love for Sale titled  Hand in Glove. When Cedar writes on a blues form, he often adds compositional elements that distinguish his blues' from others. The head of Cedar's Blues  is 16 bars and features two descending four bar pedal sections at the the last half of the tune. While the blowing changes revert back to the standard chords we expect over the 12 bar form it's tunes like Cedar's Blues and The Newest Blues that offer a glimpse some of Walton's compositional style on the blues.Two other blues tunes worth examining are Bremond's Blues and Holy Land (which I'll discuss later). These two tunes show Walton introducing some different harmonies in blues form and retaining the same harmonies for the blowing.   

The recording I've selected features Walton's associate from the Jazz Messengers Curtis Fuller on trombone, longtime member of his trio Billy Higgins on drums, David Williams on bass (who succeeded the great Sam Jones) and Bob Berg on Tenor saxophone. 

Cedar's Blues


Enjoy!
 

Ben Markley Big Band Featuring Terell Stafford plays the music of Cedar Walton 

This project has been a long time in the works! On Sunday, July 31 at 7pm, the Ben Markley Big Band featuring Terell Stafford plays the music of jazz legend Cedar Walton at Dazzle Jazz Club. Walton is famous for his work as leader with his trio and quartet Eastern Rebellion as well as sideman work with Art Blakey, Joe Henderson, and Freddie Hubbard among countless others. Walton spent a couple years in Denver studying at Denver University. While Walton's works are frequently played by small groups few of his tunes have been arranged for big band. This band celebrates some of Cedar Walton's well known works as well as some of his lesser known compositions.

Tickets available at: 

http://dazzlejazz.ticketfly.com/event/1230605-ben-markley-big-band-terell-denver/


The Music of Cedar Walton 

I'm happy to be playing some of music of Cedar Walton on Wednesday, April 6 at the University of Wyoming in concert with Erik Applegate on bass and Chris Smith on drums. 7:30pm University of Wyoming BCPA Concert Hall. Free Admission.

Ben Markley Music News and Email list 

Hello Everyone!

I wanted to let you know about some exciting gigs coming up in the next few weeks as well as some new additions to my website. 

Friday, October 16 - Josh Quinlan Q'tet with Greg Osby 
Dazzle Jazz Sets at 7pm and 9pm http://dazzlejazz.ticketfly.com/event/898105-josh-quinlan-quartet-special-denver/
Josh Quinlan - saxophones
Greg Osby - alto saxophone
Ben Markley - piano
Matt Smiley - bass
Ed Breazeale - drums




Ace Gillet's in Ft. Collins has been my home on Thursdays and Fridays for the last three years. The house band includes our leader John Olson - drums, Matt Smiley - bass, me - piano. Most Thursdays feature saxophonist Andrew Voght and Fridays the soloist rotates among the finest horn players and guitarists along the front range. Ace Gillet's boasts some of the best food, drink, and atmosphere in Ft. Collins. 

http://www.acegilletts.com/music.php

On occasion Ace has hosted nationally know artists including Terell Stafford. We are happy to add John Fedchock to this list!

Thursday, October 22 - John Fedchock with the Subterranean Jazz Trio.
Admission: Free!

My weekly schedule can be found on the "Gigs" tab on my website. 

Ben Markley Music Youtube Chanel.
Last week I gave a concert at the University of Wyoming that featured my original compositions for jazz trio and strings. This concert featured violinist - John Fadial, bassist Matt Smiley, drummer Chris Smith, and the UW String Students. I hope you'll take a moment to check out this videos. We had a blast performing the music! 

Here's the link.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbYPaQ23_ORRKa_nNBHjO-8gEM1TGPiuo


I've also added a "Videos" tab on my website that will feature videos from past present. 

Thanks and keep swingin'!
 

Swingin' with Strings Wyoming Public Radio Interview  

Wyoming Public Radio will be doing a feature for my concert this evening. Their program airs at 11:15am MST. You can listen from this link http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/

They'll also be giving away some of my CDs (The Return) during their pledge drive.


Concert Details
Swinin' with Strings featuring John Fadial, Chris Smith, Wil Swindler and the UW Strings.

Tonight - Monday, October 5th 
7:30pm Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts (formerly Fine Arts)
Free Admission

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