Oscar Peterson

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson

Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and band leader.
Born: 15 August 1925 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Died: 23 December 2007 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

He went through a classical piano education before turning to jazz, playing mostly in Canadian night clubs in Toronto and Montreal.

Only after repeated urgings by American colleagues he was persuaded to give a JATP performance at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1949. It was a smashing success. He then worked together with Ray Brown, at first as a duo, before founding in 1952 his first trio which included in succession, the guitarists Irving Ashby, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis. At the end of the 1950s the guitar was replaced by drums.

Peterson went on many European tours. He has made recordings with just about everybody who's anybody in jazz.

His keys touch corresponds to almost explosive ornamentation in phrasing. Despite all the dynamics, a boundless desire for improvisation, a sublime artistic technique, however, the structure of his play (i.e. the over-all conception of harmonic means, phrasing, rhythms, etc.) remains translucent and tight.

In Groups:
Ben Webster And His Orchestra, Ben Webster Septet, Benny Carter Quintet, Billie Holiday And Her Band, Billie Holiday And Her Lads Of Joy, Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra, Buddy Rich All Stars, Buddy Rich Ensemble, Charlie Parker Big Band, Charlie Parker With Strings, Dizzy Gillespie - Stan Getz Sextet, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis 4, Flip Phillips And His Orchestra, Flip Phillips Sextet, Harry Edison Sextet, Jazz Giants 1958, Lester Young Quintet, Lionel Hampton And His Quartet, Lionel Hampton Quintet, Northern Lights, Oscar Peterson - Stéphane Grappelli Quartet, Oscar Peterson & Friends, Oscar Peterson Duo, Oscar Peterson Group, Roy Eldridge 4, Roy Eldridge And His Orchestra, The Ben Webster Quintet, The Flip Phillips Quintet, The Nick Esposito Sextet, The Oscar Peterson Big 4, The Oscar Peterson Big 6, The Oscar Peterson Four, The Oscar Peterson Quartet, The Oscar Peterson Trio, The Roy Eldridge Quintet, The Stan Getz Sextet, The Tank Butterball Trio