Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (1925-2007 )

• jazz pianist, preeminent in technical brilliance
• born on August 15, 1925 in Montreal, Quebec
• father began teaching him trumpet and piano at age five
• abandoned the trumpet at age seven
• won first prize on a Montreal radio show in 1940
• began to appear regularly on radio, and toured in the US and Europe
• formed his first trio in 1947, which began weekly radio broadcasts from Montreal's Alberta Lounge
• there in 1949 that he met jazz impresario Norman Granz, who became his manager
• Granz brought Peterson to the United States for a 1949 concert in Carnegie Hall, followed by two tours with Granz's "Jazz at the Philharmonic" groups
• launched a new trio in 1953 with American bassist Ray Brown and American guitarist Herb Ellis
• moved to Toronto in 1958
• Ellis left the trio in 1959 and was replaced by a drummer, Ed Thigpen. This trio lasted until 1965.
• between 1967 and 1972, Peterson recorded a series of 15 albums for the German MPS record label, including "Exclusively for My Friends".
• in the mid-1970s Peterson began collaborating with Danish bassist Neils-Henning Orsted Pederson and occasionally in trio format with American guitarist Joe Pass
• has won seven Grammy awards (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2 in 1990, 1991)
• influenced by: Nat "King" Cole, Art Tatum, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker
• important compositions include: "Canadiana Suite" (1963),"Hymn to Freedom" (1964) and "Easter Suite" (1984)
• his music has been used in film scores, including two award winning NFB shorts: Celebration and Norman McLaren's Begone Dull Care
• partial discography:
  • *The Essential Oscar Peterson: The Swinger (1992, Verve)
    • Something's Coming
    • Blues for Big Scotia
    • People
    • Tour's End
    • Con Almma
    • Tangerine
    • March Past
    • Tenderly
    • On Green Dolphin Street
    • Gravy Waltz
    • Seven Come Eleven
    • Waltz for Debby
    • Brotherhood of Man
  • *Exclusively For My Friends
  • *Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie
  • A Summer Night in Munich
  • At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival
  • At Zardi's
  • Blues Etude
  • Cole Porter Songbook
  • Complete Young Oscar Peterson
  • Digital at Montreaux
  • Eloquence
  • Halleluhah Time!
  • History of An Artist
  • If You Could See Me Now
  • In Europe
  • In the Key of Oscar
  • In Russia
  • Jazz 'Round Midnight
  • Last Call at the Blue Note
  • Live
  • Live & At Its Best
  • London Concert: Royal Festival
  • My Favorite Instument
  • Night Train
  • Oscar In Paris: Live At The Salle Pleyel
  • Paris Concert
  • Personal Touch
  • Plays Broadway
  • Plays Count Basie
  • Plays Jazz Standards: Compact Jazz
  • Palys Music from My Fair Lady
  • Plays Porgy & Bess
  • Plays The Duke Ellington Songbook
  • Plays The George Gershwin Songbook
  • Reunion Blues
  • Three Originals
  • Time After Time
  • Trio
  • Triple Play
  • Tristeza on Piano
  • Vienna Concert
  • We Get Requests
  • West Side Story
  • Will to Swing
  • Adams, Peterson / More Sightings
  • Adderley, Mulligan, Peterson, Gillespie / Live At Newport 1960
  • Count Basie, Oscar Peterson / Night Rider
  • Count Basie, Oscar Peterson / Satch & Josh
  • Count Basie, Oscar Peterson / Satch & Josh Again
  • Count Basie, Oscar Peterson / Timekeepers
  • Count Basie, Oscar Peterson / Yes Sir That's My Baby
  • Carter Meets Oscar Peterson
  • Eldridge, Oscar Peterson, Gillespie / Jazz Maturity
  • Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson / Ella & Oscar
  • *Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson Trio /The Silver Collection
  • Hampton, Oscar Peterson / Vol. 26-Verve Jazz Masters
  • Coleman Hawkins vs. Oscar Peterson
  • Hubbard, Oscar Peterson / Face to Face
  • Anita O'Day, Oscar Peterson Quartet / Anita Sings the Most
  • Perlman, Oscar Peterson / Side by Side
  • Oscar Peterson, Anthony Michael / Book of Days
  • Oscar Peterson, David / After Image
  • Oscar Peterson, Hannibal / One With the Wind
  • Oscar Peterson, Marvin "Hannibal" / Angels of Atlanta
  • Oscar Peterson & Friends / Compact Jazz
  • Oscar Peterson & The Bassists / Montreux '77
  • Oscar Peterson , Milt Jackson / Two of the Few
  • Oscar Peterson Jam / Montreux '77
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / At the Concertgebouw
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / Encore at the Blue Note
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / GOOD LIFE
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / Live at the Blue Note
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / Nigerian Marketplace
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / Saturday Night at the Blue Note
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / West Side Story
  • Oscar Peterson Trio / With Terry Clark
  • Oscar Peterson, Ralph Quintet / Art
  • Oscar Peterson, Ricky / Smile Blue
  • Oscar Peterson, De Franco / 1953 Live
  • Oscar Peterson, Edison, Vinson / Oscar Peterson & Harry Sweets
  • Oscar Peterson, Grappelli, Pass, Roker / Skol
  • Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson / Very Tall
  • Oscar Peterson, Pass / Porgy & Bess
  • Oscar Peterson, Pass / A La Salle Pleyel
  • Oscar Peterson & Harry Edison
  • Oscar Peterson & Roy Eldridge
  • Oscar Peterson & Clark Terry
  • Smith, Gillespie, Peterson
  • Webster Meets Peterson
  • Lester Young & Oscar Peterson / President Plays
  • Vol. 16-Verve Jazz Masters
  • Vol. 37-Verve Jazz Masters
• * = especially recommended
• film: In the Key of Oscar
• filmography
• biography: Oscar Peterson:The Will To Swing, by Gene Lees, published by Lester and Orpen Dennys, 1988
• more info (courtesy of David Greer)
• more info (courtesy of the Glenn Gould Foundation)

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