American pianist, composer, and jazz legend Cedar Walton will perform at the Jazz Cat Club in Ascona on November 22, 2010. Cedar Walton spanned most of the history of jazz as a protagonist alongside Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, and many others. An event not to be missed!

For additional information: http://www.jazzcatclub.ch

Cedar Walton Quintet:  Cedar Walton: piano; Piero Odorici: sax; Roberto Rossi: trombone;  Darryl Hall: bass; Willie Jones III: drums

Walter Payton, the genial bassist who anchored the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and taught generations of public school students, died Thursday 28 following a lengthy illness. He was 68. Mr. Payton, the father of Grammy-winning trumpeter Nicholas Payton, was an exceptionally versatile musician in possession of an exceptionally engaging persona. A student of music theory and music history, he could easily switch from electric bass to upright acoustic bass, from rhythm & blues to traditional jazz to modern jazz.

Walter Payton performed numerous times at JazzAscona, ever since the beginning of the festival, with Orange Kellin, Lars Edegran, Topsy Chapman, and other New Orleans musicians and bands. He last attended the festival in 2005.  We remember him with affection and gratitude.

Read the article here

http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2010/10/walter_payton_longtime_new_orl.html

The greatest successes of the history of pop and rock, masterfully revisited in swing vein by the French group Pink Turtle (18^th October); the legendary American pianist Cedar Walton, former member of Art Blakey’s celebrated Jazz Messengers and the first pianist to record Giant Steps with John Coltrane (22^nd November); the joy of experiencing the soul, jazz and groove of New Orleans with the exuberant  drummer Shannon Powell and the vibraphonist Jason Marsalis (13^th December); samba-jazz with the Brazilian Trio comprising Helio Alves, Nilson Matta and Duduka Da Fonseca, three Brazilian musicians now settled in Manhattan, who were nominated last year at the Latin Grammy Awards (24^th January): these are the first 4 of the eight appointments the Ascona Jazz Cat Club has in store for its third season, scheduled between October 2010 and May 2011.

Appendix to the Jazz Ascona Festival, the Jazz Cat Club winter concerts have become a key event on the jazz calendar in Canton Ticino. They take place once a month on Monday evenings in the atmospheric and intimate ambience of the Sala del Gatto in Ascona (Via Muraccio 21). The concerts to be held in February to May will be announced at a later date.

For further details download the PDF concert bill or access the official Jazz Cat Club website: www.jazzcatclub.ch

Other news concerning our winter programme will be announced shortly.

JazzAscona 2010 was another great success, thanks to the wonderful audience, sponsors, and all the extraordinary artists who made this year's edition unforgettable. We are delighted to invite you to next year's edition, which will take place from Thursday, June 23 to Sunday, July 3, 2011.