Oscar Peterson (1925 - 2007)

In all the craziness of the holidays, I somehow missed hearing the news that legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson had passed on. He died of kidney failure at his home in Canada on December 23. Peterson, a virtuoso of the highest order, came from the old school, influenced by the explosiveness of pianists like Art Tatum, and was considered by many to be one of the greatest jazz pianists in history.

As far as technique goes, Peterson was certainly one of the most impressive pianists in jazz. The man could play literally anything. He was extremely well-versed in various jazz piano styles, and could execute them with stunning precision, even at impossible tempos. He played with the power of a freight train, and so it's not surprising that he worked mainly within small groups (duo or trio) or solo. Nobody wants to stand in front of a freight train. Peterson will perhaps be best remembered for his trio work with another legend, bassist Ray Brown. Together, Brown and Peterson created one of the hardest-swinging combos that you'll hear anywhere. Below are just a couple clips from the wealth of Peterson videos on Youtube. The first is Peterson in full-throttle swing mode, ripping through a blues at an unknown concert, probably in the late 70s/early 80s.


Finally, and fittingly, here is the Peterson Trio, with the great Ray Brown, performing the Benny Goodman staple "Goodbye." Goodbye, indeed.