Oscar Peterson

Posted by: John on 08 April 2001

Looking for recommendations. I have his Night Train and just traded in his Exclusively for My Friends. Love the Night Train but never seemed to listen to the Exclusively box set for some reason. I have listened to some other CD in the store but nothing really grabbed me. I am in need of some more Night Train. Any suggestions?

Posted on: 16 April 2001 by ken c

john, do try "the trio". i have it and love it. great album.

enjoy...

ken

Posted on: 17 April 2001 by John

Thanks Ken, I will give it a spin next time in a CD store. Oscar has soooo many CDs to chose from. Do you recommend anything with Milt Jackson. I heard his Very Tall CD and I thought it was a little laid back. It was a short listen.

Thanks for your input.

John

Posted on: 18 April 2001 by Frank Abela

Why don't you play the 'Exclusively..' set? They're fabulous (though I have them on vinyl).

"We Get Requests" is one of the Oscar Peterson albums to have.

"Trio" with Brown and Thigpen is fairly frenetic.

The Live at Montreux albums in sets of 4 and 6 (as well as the trio) are fast vibrant albums.

If you can find any of the trio stuff with piano, bass and guitar such as Brown/Ellis (you'll be lucky) or the Orsted-Pederson/Joe Pass combinations, they're pretty awesome too. The older combination of Brown/Ellis is what made Peterson famous.

Regards,
Frank.

Posted on: 18 April 2001 by Former member

Sorry John - not been on the ball.

I second everything Ken and Frank have said - and it reminds me, my copy of 'We get Requests' has gone walkies - must get another.

I'd also add - the Verve duo albums 'Ben Webster meets Oscar Peterson' and 'Louis Armstrong meets Oscar Peterson' - the last one sounds like it should never work - but strangely does - which can also lead into Ben and Louis' stuff.

I also really like 'Motions and Emotions' - but from memory the recording quality is pretty crap - so maybe something above first to see if you like all of his stuff.

Oscar is a dude.

Jonathan

Posted on: 20 April 2001 by Former member

I had a rather enjoyable flick through my Oscar last night - thinking about your requirements.
Mostly because I couldn't figure out why I hadn't played Motions and Emotions for a while - but remembered quite liking it.

Oscar's playing is always swinging - I think it depends on what you want.

We get requests is a definite go for it.

I think if you liked Night Train - the thing to look for is late 50's / early 60's stuff with the same trio - Ray Brown (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums) as his rhythm section.

The Verve ..Meets Ben Webster is OK if you like lyrical sax playing alone with the Trio - some of the tunes improvised on are a bit dodgy (I don't care what you do to Bye Bye Blackbird.. it's naff) but the trio is on good form - Oscar definitely swinging - so depends if you like the sax - which can drown the cool sound in places - but Ben on sax is pretty cool anyway.

The other one I mentioned - Louis Armstrong Meets... I think is good - if you like Louis singing (not much trumpet here - he was getting on) certainly the piano sound is there. If you want that classic trio sound without Louis - look elsewhere.

Motions and Emotions has good improvisation on, again, some material that you'd probably be a bit sniffy about - but sounds good EXCEPT for the sodding over-dubbed orchestra with syrupy strings - and it was done post recording with Oscar. Not the best backing musicians Oscar ever had. Great piano impro on Eleanor Rigby. Recorded about '70.

Hello Herbie has Herb Ellis with the same trio as above - bluesy guitar and the late '60s oscar sound. OK, but not as good as the Thigpen/Brown based sound.

Tristeza is more interesting musically - but this and the above two have a bit of a late 60s / early 70s "Murph and the Magi-tones" leanings in the sound.

I'd have rummage around a good Jazz section for Oscar / Thigpen / Brown stuff. That's the classic Oscar sound. In fact - I'm going to do it myself.

Decided I wasn't happy with the last response - but couldn't think why.

Jonathan

Oscar - a cats cat

Posted on: 29 April 2001 by ken c

john,

frank says:

quote:
or the Orsted-Pederson/Joe Pass combinations, they're pretty awesome too.

just to say "the trio" album i mentioned is live; had niels pederson and joe pass in the 'line up'. rit was recorded at the london house, chicago in 1973.

great atmosphere, great album!

enjoy...

ken

[This message was edited by ken c on MONDAY 30 April 2001 at 00:02.]

Posted on: 30 April 2001 by ken c

john, you asked about more OP's. weeeel... you cant do a lot worse than "oscar petersons finest hour". its a live album, and milt jackson is in the line up. hifi quality is not good. but the music is absultely fantastic. makes me realise how little i actually care about the hifi, when presented with a musical feast like this.

i recommend this album highly...

enjoy...

ken

Posted on: 30 April 2001 by P

Does anybody remember watching this series on TV back in the seventies?

I never used to miss it and am wondering if it's available on DVD or Video?

Does it still run anywhere?

Regards

Posted on: 30 April 2001 by ken c

yes, i do. i think andre previn, the then conductor of the lso(or some xso or other?), was the presenter. i dont video recorders were invented yet

and in any case i was still a student -- so owning one would have been out of the question.

however, i have fond memories of the program -- where the two would discuss jazz, and OP would describe how he had played with so and so (including some very big names in jazz)...

worth investigating further in case this is on some portable medium somewhere...

enjoy...

ken

Posted on: 30 April 2001 by Peter Litwack

John-

If you like Oscar Peterson, I recommend that you try to get your hands on some Art Tatum. He was "The Master". Vladimir Horowitz used to go see Tatum play on 52nd St. in NYC after his classical gigs, so he must have been pretty incredible. You might start with Solo Masterpieces Vol. 8 (or any of the Solo Masterpieces, for that matter), and if you like trios, try any of the Group Masterpieces.

Posted on: 01 May 2001 by Rico

I too love the Exclusively for my friends sets ( I have many on vinyl, and find the CD mastering is also pretty good), and also give a strong vote on The Trio, which is outstanding.

Rico - all your base are belong to us.