Oscar Peterson -- Rest in Peace

I have been a fan of Oscar Peterson for several decades. My recently departed Grandfather John Tanter introduced me to roughly ten albums of Oscar Peterson while a boy of 10 years old in the early 70's. My grandparents could not understand how their young grandson was so enthusiastic about music from the their heyday. However, I cherish listening to their coveted jazz collection on the turntable. As far as I was concerned, Oscar Peterson stood out the most. I think that it was because that I never heard of Oscar Peterson prior to seeing the wealth of Oscar Peterson albums my Grandfather owned. Listening to the Peterson grooves, I figured out why. Yes, there were also albums by Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and the like. "The legendary Jazz giants" -- whom often appeared on television -- music would be played as well.

My appreciation for jazz was unending. Classmates and kids my age would think that something was wrong with me listening to "old-timers" jazz music and jazz radio, instead of the popular Soul and Rock on the radio. I enjoyed the hit a week music as well, but Jazz was much more sustaining. Playing the trumpet, saxophone, and drums in music classes throughout my school years may have contributed to my respect for fine musical arrangements.

My "elder" cousin Lawrence Tanter, who grew during the 50's jazz era considered Oscar Peterson as the best jazz pianist, which is the highest of high compliments, as LT is one of thee most prolific Jazz experts in the radio and jazz business. Though LT surprisingly stated this, I still had to go and compare anyway, as that is a bold statement about one jazz artist. I listened to all the great jazz pianist like Duke, Tatum, Jamal, Smith (organist), Count, Fats (Waller), Tyner (almost as quick as Peterson), and a few others. LT was right, Peterson takes the cake. I went as far as making seveal CD's of Peterson to ride around with, and play Peterson's soft Jazz tracks as background music on my Smooth Jazz radio show.

I was pleased to agree with LT, considring that my first knowledge of Peterson came from my recently departed Grandfather. The death of Peterson took me back to the summers that I would spend in Chicago with my fathers side of the family each year growing up, as my parents divorced when I was two, and my mother and I moved to Los Angeles three years later.

A good website source to hear music is YouTube.com. The website is a great source to hear the full songs and see performers in concert settings. CDnow.com is also a good source to literally hear everything in artists collection, but you only are allowed to listen to 30 second (or 60 seconds) clips of songs.

"Night Train" was one of the Oscar Peterson Trio's signature composition, a jazz adventure to say the least. Listen to "Night Train", "Blues Etude", "Moten Swing", and "This could be the start of something" via this link:



http://www.amazon.com/Night-Train-Oscar-Peterson-Trio/dp/B0000047D4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198637253&sr=1-1
These tunes are indicative of both Peterson's cool and swing jazz style.

http://oscarpeterson.com/news/

Musicians perfoming in a band or orchestra setting, often refer to the term "locked in the pocket". An attempt for me to define the term, would be when musicians are on the same rif, the same vibe or groove, locked in rhythm. A band jammin' in-synch as a group. Today's computer generated producers, piecing together individuals studio performances cannot "fully" comprehend what I am talking about unless they themselves played an instrument in a band. An example of today's producers not fully understanding the term 'locked in the pocket', is the new re-release of Michael Jackson CD "Thriller". On the CD are about a half dozen of his originals that were covered by some of today's popular producers. The new style hit making producers completely failed in their interpretation of the select songs from the Thriller CD. The "Thriller" CD is the biggest selling CD of all time, and even the most profound big band producers would have also had a tough time "Locking in the Pocket". The original hits from the Thriller CD was produced by Classical and Big Band trained Quincy Jones. The vision from Michael Jackson, as he wrote the songs. Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson were "Locked" in a groove so tight that no one, to this day, can figure out the reason why the "Thriller" CD is so well received from all corners of the world. Respective of producers, frankly, you cannot recreate Quincy Jones/Michael Jackson arrangements, especially with today's simplified Pop and Hip Hop producers. Impossible!!! Locked OUT the pocket was the result from the clash of current-day titan Producers, in their attempt to "freshen up" a Quincy Jones production. Total failure! Made me wish for a Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson album collaberation, once again.

Simularly, Oscar Peterson was a consumate "musician", worthy of the praise earned inside and out of the jazz world. The Oscar Peterson's trio is the model for all trios. Swingin, Straight-Ahead, and BeBop were just a few labels that best fit Oscar Peterson, and I say "few", as Peterson was a complete Jazz musician elequently performing jazz standards, and then groove a hip track like Basie and Dizzy. Peterson was Quincy Jones-like in this respect with his versatality. Peterson also was an expert enterpreter of arrangments from Duke, Basie, Gerschwin, or Porter. Duke Ellington would smile from an Oscar Peterson interpretation of his work, as Peterson literally did a tribute album of Duke, and others. Oscar Peterson injusts an artist paintbrush to the picture precisely, but then Oscar Peterson would add light to the waterfall, a sparkle to a doves glimmer, wind to the tree's falling leaves, a series of waves to a pertruding ocean, and fog resting on sails of an outgoing sailboat.

Oscar Peterson was a well respected international jazz figure. Jazz enthusists from North and South America, Europe, Asia, Austrilia, and Africa all claimed Oscar Peterson. Peterson understood what few have the talent to do, which is to entertain an international audience. Peterson real home in Canada honored Peterson with his face on a stamp, reserved only for premiers. Oscar Peterson was a true jazz legend, with his signature piano style engraved on over 300 albums of his own and collaberations with other jazz musicians. Oscar Peterson lives forever as a true jazz pioneer.