Pianist, Jazz Great Oscar Peterson Dies at 82

Foxnews and AP ^ | 12/24/2007 | AP

[cowtowney]

His death was confirmed by Hazel McCallion, mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, the Toronto suburb where Peterson lived. McCallion told The Associated Press that he died of kidney failure. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said he died Sunday. "He's been going downhill in the last few months, slowing up," McCallion said, calling Peterson a "very close friend." During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s. Peterson's impressive collection of awards include all of Canada's highest awards and honors, such as the Order of Canada, as well as a Lifetime Grammy (1997) and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame.

[cowtowney]

http://oscarpeterson.com/news/

One of the very best. May he rest in peace.

God bless him and his family

[Norman Bates]

Oh... :(

Rest in peace, Oscar.

[Philistone]

A great musician. Had the chance to see him in a small club in Seattle many years ago. A great, great show.

[Mr. Mojo]

Oscar in action.

He was a swing machine. Top-tier in the history of the genre.

[joebuck]

Although I enjoy Jazz, I’m not familiar with Oscar Peterson. Since I don’t intend to remain that way could any FR fans of Oscar’s out there suggest his best one or two disks. I would be especially interested in any recordings with horns. (I love horns, trumpet, sax, trombone, clarinet, anything that makes sound when you blow into it)

[seenenuf]

Oh how great he was! My favor album - “Munich on a Summer Night”. R.I.P.

[Cyropaedia]

We'll miss you Oscar...

[keykitten]

A giant among jazz piano players. As a jazz piano
player myself, I was always in awe of his virtuosity
and creativity. To bring it a little more down to
earth, “Man, he was a piano player! “

[SunTzuWu]

PING!

[cowtowney]

go to Youtube. He had a great trio with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown.

He was intoxicating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=337hbXJD9vk

You might notice him humming/groaning during his play. He did this all the time.

[pyx]

You can see Oscar's impressive discography here. Oscar truly was a great Jazzman. He will be missed.

[Rockitz]

One of the very best. May he rest in peace.

God bless him and his family

Indeed.

[sitetest]

Dear SunTzuWu,

Thanks for the ping!

Classical Music Ping List ping!

If you want on or off this list let me know via FR e-mail.

Thanks,

sitetest

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Oscar Peterson was an absolutely brilliant piano player, one of the best ever, with phenomenal technique and amazing musicality. Sometimes he was criticized for being a tad “notey” = too many notes. For the most part, Oscar almost always played with smaller combos (standard piano trio) or quartets (most famous probably with Herb Ellis: guitar) So, it will be a definite minority of his albums that have horns. And in most of those cases, there might be one or two horn players vs. whole horn sections. But there are some recordings of his, evidently from the early 50’s, where he played with Billie Holiday orchestra, and he made some recordings with Ella Fitzgerald in 1957 (where OP is not listed as the bandleader and so might be harder to find)

One appears to stand out:
Ella Fitzgerald At JATP (jazz @ the philharmonic)
Roy Eldridge (tp) J.J. Johnson (tb) Sonny Stitt (as) Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Flip Phillips, Lester Young (ts) Oscar Peterson (p) Herb Ellis (g) Ray Brown (b) Connie Kay (d) Ella Fitzgerald (vo)
“Shrine Auditorium”, Los Angeles, CA, October 25, 1957

I would (in your position) Go to youtube.com and look up Oscar Peterson to get a sampling of his playing.

here is a discography http://www.jazzdisco.org/peterson/dis/

enjoy!

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

try:

http://www.emusic.com/album/Oscar-Peterson-Ella-Fitzgerald-Oscar-Peterson-Ella-Fitzgerald-JATP-Lausanne-195-MP3-Download/11057042.html

(Samples of 1953 w/Ella, but note, smallish combo)

http://www.tvondvdshop.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=193&upc=80552006082&affnr=-1

(w/Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy & Clifford Brown, wow!)

http://www.tvondvdshop.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=193&upc=04228493952

w/Benny Carter....tvondvdshop has a bunch of OP but again, mostly with ONE horn max)

[Lexinom]

Sad day :-( One of the greats...

[the scotsman]

A TRUE legend.

RIP.

[Blue Highway]

Rest in peace Oscar.

This is some mind blowing Oscar Pederson, that my friend and fellow freeper Perfect Stranger found a week or two ago, that we watched. Check it out. Incredible, he never stops the frenetic piano playing! He will be missed.

Oscar Peterson - "Mack The Knife" (1974)

[romanesq]

And onward to your reward in the next journey. He was a beautiful musician that had an uplifting swing written into the notes.

One of a kind.

[Clemenza]

I recommend that everyone here pick up or download some tracks from his album with Stan Getz. From the leadoff track (”You Make Me Happy”) through “Bronx Blues,” it very rarely gets better than this...