The cedar holds a historical significance for Lebanon but there’s another cedar, an American breed, whose significance derives from being a key player in the golden years of the US jazz scene. Cedar Walton hung out in the same milieu as the Jazz greats – Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane are just a few names who played with the Dallas-born musician’s group when he passed through 50s NYC.

When he recorded his first LP for the Prestige label in 1967, he was arguably one of the finest unrecorded pianists in America, having flown his Texan nest to tour the States and to move to New York and settle onto the piano stools of the city’s world-famous after hours scene. Even during WWII he developed his career in Germany, playing with the likes of Leo Wright, Don Ellis and Eddie Harris, who would all go on to make impacts in the genre. Since then he has been anything but quiet, jumping from group to group and recording with new generations of jazz musicians. Now 76, and just after he was inaugurated into the NEA 2010 class of Jazz Masters, Walton plays three nights in Beirut.

Cedar Walton is performing from Oct 13 till Oct 15, for more information and tickets call 70 796279