Cedar Walton, PLEASE.

Maybe I'm as guilty as anyone of leaving what we think of as "mainstream jazz" on shelf these days—taken for granted, not as worthy of 'ink', less likely to appeal to a new audience.

But a show I attended last month at DC's Bohemian Caverns gave the lie to all that.  I've written about it in this month's JAZZ TODAY on PopMatters.

The brilliant Cedar Walton, with Javon Jackson on tenor, David Williams on bass and Willie Jones III on drums, played a set of utterly up-to-the-minute, sparkling straight-ahead jazz . . . that really wasn't all that straight ahead.  Walton, at 76, is still clever and swift and daring, and I think any fan with half an ear would have loved it.

Alas, the median age of the audience had to be 55.  Man, I was one of the young folks.  Walton was slow moving across the the stage, but his fingers weren't hindered at all.  I still love him.  You've got to see him.

Check out Cedar Walton, please.