As a jazz pianist, I’m less sensitive than most others of my ilk to people’s frequently (and freely) expressed negative opinions about the music that I love. This is largely due to my belief that when people say that they don’t like jazz they’re not really referring to jazz–they’re either referring to soft, gushy pop a la Kenny G. or radical free jazz, which lacks any discernible form, melody and is more barbaric than most other music. (Although, come to think of it, acid rock isn’t nearly as reviled as free jazz–audiences have always dug it. Go fig.) Yesterday I posted two examples of Phineus Newborn Jr.;s glorious jazz piano and I thought today I’d continue pursuing the path of converting the unconverted (or at least attempting too). Above is pianist Cedar Walton playing with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messangers in a Parisian concert from 1963. Everyone in the band is a genuine jazz giant–Wayne Shorter on sax, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Reggie Workman on bass and Blakely, of course, on drums. If you love jazz you’ll delight in this top-shelf stuff. On ‘That Old Feeling’, Cedar swings harder than almost any other pianist I can think of. You don’t really hate jazz…you may not just have heard the real thing. And jazz doesn’t really hate you–it just feels a little misunderstood…