Born in New York City, his jazz work was chiefly in the hard bop, post-bop and free jazz genres. He is known for his distinctive chord voicings and adaptable style, which was originally inspired by the playing of Thelonious Monk.
After obtaining a B.A. in music from Queen's College, New York, he worked in New York City in the early 1950s with Ike Quebec, "Big" Nick Nicholas, and rhythm and blues groups. He worked frequently with Charles Mingus from 1954 to 1956 and was Billie Holiday's regular accompanist from 1957 until her death in 1959. He also supervised recording sessions for Prestige Records, for which he provided arrangements and compositions (including the jazz standard "Soul Eyes"). After Holiday's death he chiefly led his own groups.
Waldron had a unique playing style. He played chords in a lower bass part of the keyboard, and is comparable to Bud Powell in his dissonant voices. His solo style is in noted contrast to players like Red Garland.
He was frequently recorded, both as a leader and sideman, with, among others, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Clifford Jordan, Booker Little, Steve Lacy, Jackie McLean and Archie Shepp.
Besides performing he composed for films (The Cool World, Three Bedrooms In Manhattan and Sweet Love Bitter), theatre, and ballet. In 1963 he had a major nervous breakdown, and had to re-learn his skills, apparently by listening to his own records. Waldron's playing style re-emerged more brooding, starker and percussive, combining bebop and avant-garde melodies, and at times weaving repetitive melodic motifs using just a few notes over a drone like accompaniment figure. After working on a film score in Europe he moved there permanently in 1965 initially living in Munich, Germany and in his last years he was based in Brussels, Belgium. On the principle that working at local venues reduced his fee, he avoided playing in the city in which he lived. He regularly returned to the United States for bookings.
Through the 1980s and 1990s he worked in various settings with Steve Lacy, notably in soprano-piano duets playing their own compositions as well as Monk's.
After some years of indifferent health, though continuing to perform, Waldron died in December 2002 in Brussels, Belgium.
All the Way
Mal Waldron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
Happy to be near you
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
Taller than the tallest tree is
That's how it's got to feel
Deeper than the deep blue see is
When somebody needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
Through the good or lean years
And for all the in between years, come what may
Who know where the road will lead us
Only a fool would say
But if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
All the way
The song "All the Way" by Mal Waldron is a classic love ballad that expresses the emotion and commitment of being in love with someone. The opening verse sets the tone for the entire song, as it highlights that it's not enough for someone to love you, they have to love you "all the way." The singer acknowledges that they need someone to lift them up and support them when life gets tough, and that person needs to be committed to loving them through all of the ups and downs.
The second verse is where the singer really emphasizes the depth of love they are looking for. They describe needing someone whose love makes them feel as tall as the tallest tree and reaches as deep as the deepest ocean. This type of love transcends the physical world and is rooted deep in the soul. The singer refuses to settle for anything less than a love that is real and all-encompassing.
In the final verse, the singer acknowledges that they don't know what the future holds, but if their love interest allows them to love them, they will love them "all the way." This line once again emphasizes the importance of commitment in relationships and showcases the singer's willingness to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work.
Overall, "All the Way" is a timeless love song that highlights the importance of finding someone who will love you wholeheartedly and stand by your side through all of life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
When somebody loves you
If someone loves you
It's no good unless he loves you, all the way
It's not enough unless they love you completely
Happy to be near you
Being close to you brings happiness
When you need someone to cheer you, all the way
I'll be there cheering you up completely
Taller than the tallest tree is
My love for you is towering
That's how it's got to feel
That's the level of intensity it should have
Deeper than the deep blue sea is
My love is deep and vast like the ocean
That's how deep it goes, if its real
That's how profound it is if it's genuine
When somebody needs you
If someone needs you
It's no good unless he needs you, all the way
It's not enough unless they need you completely
Through the good or lean years
During the prosperous or difficult times
And for all the in between years, come what may
And for all the moments in between, whatever happens
Who know where the road will lead us
We can't predict where our journey will take us
Only a fool would say
Only a naive person would make a guess
But if you'll let me love you
But if you allow me to love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you, all the way
I'll definitely love you completely
All the way
Completely and with my whole heart
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER HOOK, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS, BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jeremy Nasuti
This is amazing, I wonder where the person who put this in elevator source originally heard this
Jsnoopymagic
Elevator source brought me here, but actually a soothing song