NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC:

Booker's Bossa Nova
CD: Blues For Myself
Originally released 1986, 2009 Red Records

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THE DREADED "DAY JOB" HAS BEEN UNAVOIDABLE FOR MANY ASPIRING JAZZ MUSICIANS COMING TO NEW YORK CITY. NEA JAZZ MASTER CEDAR WALTON REMEMBERS HIS ARRIVAL IN 1955.

Cedar Walton: I worked at Macy's for a few minutes, a stock boy. I worked at a place called Horn & Hardarts, a place where you put the coins in and you could see what you were buying through the little glass door. Piece of pie or something. I was the guy who replaced the pie. (laughs) One day on the bulletin board there was a poster announcing that they needed ushers for Jazz at the Philharmonic. And I said, Wow. It paid maybe 15 dollars or so, but you get to see the concert. Oh, man, that was something, I RAN and applied for that and got that. It was just exhilarating to see these people. New York was a place, and still is I think, the mecca of American jazz.

MUSIC: up and fades

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH PIANIST CEDAR WALTON WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.