Mal Waldron is a pianist who has a dark, rhythmic, introverted sound. His playing can be adapted to both hard and free bop settings. Waldron was influenced by Thelonious monk’s use space and has developed his own unique chord voicings almost from the beginning. Waldron started out playing jazz on alto, classical music on piano and jazz on the piano. However, he changed to jazz piano at Queens College. In the early 1950s, he freelanced in New York with Ike Quebec (for whom his debut recording was made), Big Nick Nicholas and a variety R.
