The Complete Clef / Mercury Studio Recordings Of The Oscar Peterson Trio (1951-53) [2008, 7CD Box Set, Mosaic Records]

The Complete Clef / Mercury Studio Recordings Of The Oscar Peterson Trio (1951-53) [2008, 7CD Box Set, Mosaic Records]
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Oscar Peterson appeared on hundreds of recordings produced by Norman Granz, though most of his early trio dates for Mercury and Clef were overlooked for CD reissue until the release of this thorough seven-disc compilation by Mosaic in 2008. It still represents only a portion of the pianist's considerable output for the two labels between 1951 and 1953. This collection was put together as a result of laborious detective work, assembling nine different sessions from tape masters and second generation reels, 78s, EPs and LPs, some of which came from collectors and libraries, while also including eight previously unissued performances. In spite of the variation in source material, the audio is consistently high, thanks to Malcolm Addey's skillful sound restoration and mastering. The biggest news is that the guitarist on most of these dates is Barney Kessel, who spent just over a year in Peterson's trio, with Irving Ashby taking his place on one session. The pianist had already built a relationship with bassist Ray Brown, but the addition of Kessel added some spark to the mix. The chemistry becomes apparent in the extended jam of Peterson's "Astaire Blues" (which isn't a blues at all), with rapid-fire exchanges between the players. The performances have held up very well, due to the abilities of the musicians and the choice of material, as most of the 126 songs are either well known standards or originals by prominent jazz composers. Peterson penned several originals (none of which became a lasting part of his vast repertoire) and sings on several numbers, beginning with "Until the Real Thing Comes Along," but the similarity of his vocal style to Nat King Cole's kept it from being a major component of his career, even though he made a few vocal albums and still occasionally sang into at least the early '80s. John McDonough's extensive liner notes are excellent, though it is odd that the misspelling of several musician's names (Major Holley, Chico O'Farrill and Tadd Dameron) and composer Ann Ronnell escaped the proofreader. The package also includes a number of rarely seen vintage photographs from the period. This essential Oscar Peterson boxed set, a limited edition of 10,000 copies, is destined to become a collector's item.

Ken Dryden, Rovi



Oscar Peterson:

Born: August 15, 1925, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Died: December 23, 2007, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Active: '40s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000s
Genres: Jazz
Instrument: Piano
Representative Albums: "Exclusively for My Friends, Vol. 4: My Favorite Instrument", "At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival", "Exclusively for My Friends"
Representative Songs: "Sweet Georgia Brown", "It Ain't Necessarily So", "Night and Day"

Oscar Peterson was one of the greatest piano players of all time. A pianist with phenomenal technique on the level of his idol, Art Tatum, Peterson's speed, dexterity, and ability to swing at any tempo were amazing. Very effective in small groups, jam sessions, and in accompanying singers, O.P. was at his absolute best when performing unaccompanied solos. His original style did not fall into any specific idiom. Like Erroll Garner and George Shearing, Peterson's distinctive playing formed during the mid- to late '40s and fell somewhere between swing and bop. Peterson was criticized through the years because he used so many notes, didn't evolve much since the 1950s, and recorded a remarkable number of albums. Perhaps it is because critics ran out of favorable adjectives to use early in his career; certainly it can be said that Peterson played 100 notes when other pianists might have used ten, but all 100 usually fit, and there is nothing wrong with showing off technique when it serves the music. As with Johnny Hodges and Thelonious Monk, to name two, Peterson spent his career growing within his style rather than making any major changes once his approach was set, certainly an acceptable way to handle one's career. Because he was Norman Granz's favorite pianist (along with Tatum) and the producer tended to record some of his artists excessively, Peterson made an incredible number of albums. Not all are essential, and a few are routine, but the great majority are quite excellent, and there are dozens of classics.

Peterson started classical piano lessons when he was six and developed quickly. After winning a talent show at 14, he began starring on a weekly radio show in Montreal. Peterson picked up early experience as a teenager playing with Johnny Holmes' Orchestra. From 1945-1949, he recorded 32 selections for Victor in Montreal. Those trio performances find Peterson displaying a love for boogie-woogie, which he would soon discard, and the swing style of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole. His technique was quite brilliant even at that early stage, and although he had not yet been touched by the influence of bop, he was already a very impressive player. Granz discovered Peterson in 1949 and soon presented him as a surprise guest at a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. Peterson was recorded in 1950 on a series of duets with either Ray Brown or Major Holley on bass; his version of "Tenderly" became a hit. Peterson's talents were quite obvious, and he became a household name in 1952 when he formed a trio with guitarist Barney Kessel and Brown. Kessel tired of the road and was replaced by Herb Ellis the following year. The Peterson-Ellis-Brown trio, which often toured with JATP, was one of jazz's great combos from 1953-1958. Their complex yet swinging arrangements were competitive -- Ellis and Brown were always trying to outwit and push the pianist -- and consistently exciting. In 1958, when Ellis left the band, it was decided that no other guitarist could fill in so well, and he was replaced (after a brief stint by Gene Gammage) by drummer Ed Thigpen. In contrast to the earlier group, the Peterson-Brown-Thigpen trio (which lasted until 1965) found the pianist easily the dominant soloist. Later versions of the group featured drummers Louis Hayes (1965-1966), Bobby Durham (1967-1970), Ray Price (1970), and bassists Sam Jones (1966-1970) and George Mraz (1970).

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