Cedar Walton

Cedar Anthony Walton, Junior (born in 1934) is an American hard bop pianist. After leaving the army, in which he had performed in a jazz ensemble, he joined Kenny Dorham's band. After playing with J. J. Johnson and the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet he joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, where he played with Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard. He left the Messengers in 1964, and recorded with Abbey Lincoln and Lee Morgan, among others, and led the band Eastern Rebellion. He continued to lead his own groups and record through the 1990s.