OSCAR PETERSON

Oscar Peterson is one of the greatest piano players of all time, Oscar Peterson’s career as a jazz pianist has spanned over six decades through which he has played with, and come to know, many of the genre’s greatest contributors.  A pianist with phenomenal technique on the level of his idol, Art Tatum, Peterson’s speed, dexterity and ability to swing at any tempo has long been amazing. Very effective in small groups, jam sessions and in accompanying singers, Oscar is at his best when performing unaccompanied solos.

Peterson has been criticized through the years because he uses so many notes, has not evolved much since the 1950s, and has recorded a remarkable number of albums. Perhaps it is because critics ran out of favourable adjectives to use early in his career; certainly it can be said that Peterson plays 100 notes when other pianists might use ten, but all 100 usually fit, and there is nothing wrong with showing off technique when it serves the music. As with Johnny Hodges and Thelonious Monk, to name two, Peterson spent his career growing within his style rather than making any major changes once his approach was set, certainly an acceptable way to handle one's career. Because he was Norman Granz's favourite pianist (along with Tatum) and the producer tended to record some of his artists excessively, Peterson has made an incredible number of albums. Not all are essential, and a few are routine, but the great majority are quite excellent, and there are dozens of classics.

Oscar Peterson started classical piano lessons when he was six and developed quickly. After winning a talent show at 14, he began starring on a weekly radio show in Montreal. Peterson picked up early experience as a teenager playing with Johnny Holmes' Orchestra. From 1945-49, he recorded 32 selections for Victor in Montreal. Those trio performances find Peterson displaying a love for boogie-woogie, which he would soon discard, and the swing style of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole. His technique was quite brilliant even at that early stage, and although he had not yet been touched by the influence of bop, he was already a very impressive player.

Norman Granz discovered Peterson in 1949 and soon presented him as a surprise guest at Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. Peterson was recorded in 1950 on a series of duets with either Ray Brown or Major Holley on bass; his version of "Tenderly" became a hit. Peterson's talents were quite obvious, and he became a household name in 1952 when he formed a trio with guitarist Barney Kessel and Brown. Kessel tired of the road and was replaced by Herb Ellis the following year. The Peterson-Ellis-Brown Trio, which often toured with JATP, was one of jazz's great combos from 1953-58. Their complex yet swinging arrangements were competitive — Ellis and Brown were always trying to outwit and push the pianist — and consistently exciting. In 1958, when Ellis left the band, it was decided that no other guitarist could fill in so well, and he was replaced (after a brief stint by Gene Gammage) by drummer Ed Thigpen. In contrast to the earlier group, the Peterson-Brown-Thigpen Trio.  With the inclusion of Ed Thigpen, "the thinking man's drummer" a whole new trio is born, one where Oscar Peterson can play the way he plays. He describes this time as "...six years of unbelievable music."

In 1960, Oscar, Ray, Ed, Butch Watanabe and composer Phil Nimmons opened the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto, Ontario. The school is successful and a dream come true for Oscar however financial difficulties forced the doors to close after only three years of operation. During 1962 Oscar and the trio faced one of the industries most grueling recording and touring schedules that resulted in the production of seven studio and four live albums within the year. His friends and critics alike wonder how they survived the work load.

In 1964 Oscar's first major composition, Canadiana Suite, was released. And it was during this time when Oscar was invited to play a private engagement for Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, a German millionaire with a passion for jazz music and audio recording technology. A relationship developed between the two, despite the language barrier between them, and Oscar returned to record in Germany with Hans Georg several times during this time. Some of the best recordings of Oscar's work, both with the trio and as a soloist, would result from these intimate sessions. In 1965, Ed Thigpen, tired of life on the road, decides to leave the trio and then later that year, Ray Brown decides to leave the hectic road schedule behind also.

Peterson made his first recorded set of unaccompanied piano solos in 1968 during his highly rated series of MPS recordings. With the formation of the Pablo label by Granz in 1972, Peterson was often teamed with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. He appeared on dozens of all-star records, made five duet albums with top trumpeters (Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Harry "Sweets" Edison,Terry Clark and Jon Faddis) and teamed up with Count Basie on several two-piano dates. An underrated composer, Peterson wrote and recorded the impressive "Canadiana Suite" in 1964 and has occasionally performed originals in the years since. Although always thought of as a masterful acoustic pianist, Peterson has also recorded on electric piano, organ on rare occasions, and even clavichord for an odd duet date with Joe Pass. One of his rare vocal sessions in 1965, With Respect to Nat, reveals that Peterson's singing voice was nearly identical to Nat King Cole's.

A two-day reunion with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown in 1990 (which also included Bobby Durham) resulted in four CDs. Peterson was felled by a serious stroke in 1993 that knocked him out of action for two years. Since then, he has gradually returned to the scene, although his left hand has been weakened. But even when he is not 100%, Oscar Peterson remains a classic improviser. In 1997 he received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement and an International Jazz Hall of Fame Award, proof that Oscar Peterson is still regarded as one of the greatest jazz musicians ever to play.

  DISCOGRAPHY

ALBUMS

1945 I Got Rhythm 1947 Rockin' in Rhythm 1950 Oscar Peterson at Carnegie Hall Live Mercury 1951 Oscar Peterson Plays Cole Porter 1952 The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio with Lester Young The Astaire Story with Fred Astaire Clef Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington 1954 Lionel Hampton Plays Love Songs Lionel Hampton Clef Hamp's Big Four Lionel Hampton Rock with Flip Flip Phillips Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin with Buddy DeFranco Oscar Peterson Plays Harold Arlen 1955 Sing and Swing with Buddy Rich Buddy Rich Norgran Ralph Burns Among the JATP's Ralph Burns The Wailing Buddy Rich Buddy Rich Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie Clef In a Romantic Mood Verve 1956 Krupa and Rich Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich Pres and Sweets Lester Young, Harry "Sweets" Edison Toni Toni Harper Ellis in Wonderland Herb Ellis Oscar Peterson at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival Live Ella and Louis Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong 1957 Anita Sings the Most Anita O'Day Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You Harry "Sweets" Edison Stuff Smith Stuff Smith Soft Sands The Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones at Newport Live, with Sonny Stitt, Roy Eldridge, Jo Jones Ella and Louis Again Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong Going for Myself with Lester Young, Harry Edison Jazz Giants '58 with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Harry "Sweets" Edison Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio with Stan Getz Only the Blues Sonny Stitt Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson with Louis Armstrong Soulville Ben Webster The Genius of Coleman Hawkins Coleman Hawkins Coleman Hawkins Encounters Ben Webster Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Songbook Ella Fitzgerald Ella at the Opera House Live, Ella Fitzgerald Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House Live, Stan Getz, J.J. Johnson 1958 Oscar Peterson at the Concertgebouw Live Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert Live, Ella Fitzgerald Smooth Operator Dorothy Dandridge This Is Ray Brown Ray Brown On the Town with the Oscar Peterson Trio Live Oscar Peterson Plays "My Fair Lady" 1959 Sonny Stitt Sits In with the Oscar Peterson Trio with Sonny Stitt A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra The Jazz Soul of Oscar Peterson Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Richard Rodgers Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Jerome Kern Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Cole Porter Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Harry Warren Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Irving Berlin Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Harold Arlen Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays the Jimmy McHugh Songbook Oscar Peterson Plays Porgy & Bess Swinging Brass with the Oscar Peterson Trio Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson with Ben Webster [edit] 1960s–70s Year Album Notes Label 1960 Fiorello! Verve 1961 The Trio Live The Sound of the Trio Live Very Tall with Milt Jackson The London House Sessions Live, released 1997 1962 West Side Story: Oscar Peterson Trio Bursting Out with the All-Star Big Band! Affinity Something Warm Put On a Happy Face Night Train 1963 Bill Henderson with the Oscar Peterson Trio with Bill Henderson Oscar Peterson and Nelson Riddle with Nelson Riddle 1964 The Oscar Peterson Trio Plays Action MPS The Oscar Peterson Trio In Tokyo 1964 Live Hallelujah Time! Live and at It's Very Best Live Oscar Peterson Trio + One Verve Canadiana Suite Limelight We Get Requests Verve 1965 The Lost Tapes: Exclusively for My Friends MPS Exclusively for My Friends Box set Eloquence Limelight With Respect to Nat Girl Talk Blues Etude 1966 Soul Español 1967 Jazz at the Philharmonic - The Greatest Jazz Concert in the World Live 1968 The Way I Really Play MPS Mellow Mood Travelin' On My Favorite Instrument 1969 Motions and Emotions Hello Herbie 1970 Tristeza on Piano Walking the Line Another Day Tracks 1971 In Tune with The Singers Unlimited Reunion Blues with Milt Jackson Great Connection 1972 The Oscar Peterson Trio in Tokyo Live Denon Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72 Live, various artists Pablo Solo The History of an Artist, Vol. 1 The History of an Artist, Vol. 2 1973 The Trio with Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group The Good Life 1974 Terry's Tune Basie and Friends Count Basie Oscar Peterson In Russia Live Oscar Peterson and Dizzy Gillespie with Dizzy Gillespie Oscar Peterson and The Trumpet Kings - Jousts Live, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist Satch and Josh with Count Basie The Giants with Joe Pass, Ray Brown, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist Oscar Peterson and Roy Eldridge with Roy Eldridge Oscar Peterson and Harry Edison with Harry "Sweets" Edison 1975 Oscar Peterson et Joe Pass à Salle Pleyel with Joe Pass Oscar Peterson and Clark Terry with Clark Terry Ella and Oscar with Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Maturity...Where It's Coming From with Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie Happy Time with Roy Eldridge Oscar Peterson and Jon Faddis with Jon Faddis Zoot Sims and the Gershwin Brothers Zoot Sims The Oscar Peterson Big 6 at Montreux Live The Trumpet Kings at Montreux '75 Live with Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry The Milt Jackson Big 4 at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1975 Live with Milt Jackson The Tenor Giants Featuring Oscar Peterson with Zoot Sims, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis 1976 Porgy and Bess with Joe Pass 1977 Roy Eldridge 4 - Montreux '77 Live, Roy Eldridge Oscar Peterson Jam - Montreux '77 Live, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist The Pablo All-Stars Jam - Montreux '77 Live, Various Artists Oscar Peterson and the Bassists - Montreux '77 Live, Various Artists Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis 4 - Montreux '77 Live with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Satch and Josh...Again with Count Basie 1978 Night Rider with Count Basie Count Basie Meets Oscar Peterson - The Timekeepers with Count Basie Yessir, That's My Baby with Count Basie How Long Has This Been Going On? Sarah Vaughan Linger Awhile: Live at Newport and More Sarah Vaughan, released 2000 The Paris Concert Live The London Concert Live 1979 The Silent Partner Ain't Misbehavin' with Clark Terry Night Child with Joe Pass, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Louie Bellson Skol with Stephane Grappelli, Joe Pass, Mickey Roker Digital at Montreux Live [edit] 1980s–2007 Year Album Notes Label 1980 The Personal Touch Pablo The Trumpet Summit Meets the Oscar Peterson Big 4 Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry The Alternate Blues Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival, 1980 Live 1981 A Royal Wedding Suite Nigerian Marketplace Live Ain't But a Few of Us Left with Milt Jackson, Ray Brown, Grady Tate 1982 Freedom Song Live Face to Face with Freddie Hubbard 1983 Two of the Few with Milt Jackson Jazz at the Philharmonic - Yoyogi National Stadium, Tokyo 1983: Return to Happiness Live with various artists A Tribute to My Friends If You Could See Me Now 1985 Hark with Buddy DeFranco 1986 Oscar Peterson Live! Live Time After Time Oscar Peterson + Harry Edison + Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Harry "Sweets" Edison Benny Carter Meets Oscar Peterson with Benny Carter 1990 Live at the Blue Note Live, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group, Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist Telarc Saturday Night at the Blue Note Live, won Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group Last Call at the Blue Note Live Encore at the Blue Note Live 1994 Side by Side with Itzhak Perlman Some of My Best Friends Are...The Piano Players Ray Brown 1995 The More I See You with Benny Carter, Clark Terry, Ray Brown An Oscar Peterson Christmas 1996 Oscar Peterson Meets Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore with Roy Hargrove, Ralph Moore Oscar in Paris Live 1997 A Tribute to Oscar Peterson - Live at the Town Hall Live 1998 Oscar and Benny with Benny Green 1999 Summer Night in Munich Live The Very Tall Band: Live at the Blue Note Live 2000 Trail of Dreams: A Canadian Suite A Jazz suite with strings conducted by Michel Legrand 2004 A Night in Vienna Live Verve 2007 The Very Tall Band: What's Up? Live Telarc

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