Cedar Walton Trio Ironclad

The working trio of pianist Walton, bassist David Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins is not only bulletproof but in lockstep with Walton's extraordinary musical talents. This set, done at Yoshi's Nitespot in Oakland, CA for radio broadcast over KJAZ-FM, is a perfect example of the Walton trio's brilliance. Of the seven pieces, four are Walton's and comprise his better writings. "Bremond's Blues," an underrated composition in the Walton repertoire, starts and ends by quoting "Giant Steps" and paraphrasing "Sweet & Lovely" in the middle, and spreads buttery melodicism throughout. "N.P.S." is a Walton classic, with Higgins' tango-to-light-swing rhythm accenting a bluesy melody. "Fiesta Espanol" is quicker, brighter, and quite familiar to fans, with Higgins digging in on his lengthy drum solo, while "Ironclad" features an elongated intro and coda, stating the chiming staccato melody in two spurts over 14 minutes…