To celebrate the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Di of England, Oscar Peterson composed a ten-song suite that he performs on this album while accompanied by an unidentified string orchestra arranged by Rick Wilkins. Not too surprisingly Peterson (who doubles here on electric piano) proves to be a talented composer and, even if none of the individual pieces caught on (or was ever apparently recorded again by the pianist), the music on a whole is quite satisfying.

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.

Guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen both play well on these live performances, but the reason to acquire this set is for the remarkable Oscar Peterson. The pianist brilliantly investigates several jazz styles on "Blues Etude" (including stride and boogie-woogie), plays exciting versions of his "Chicago Blues" and "Easy Listening Blues," tears into "Secret Love," and shows honest emotion on "Come Sunday." Peterson really flourished during his years with Norman Granz's Pablo label, and this was one of his finest recordings of the period.

This first matchup on records between pianist Oscar Peterson and vibraphonist Milt Jackson was so logical that it is surprising it did not occur five years earlier…

Despite stints with Orchestras and duos Peterson loved the trio format best. Touring the world in the early Sixties with Ray Brown on Double Bass and Ed Thigpen on Drums the band settled in Chicago for a week long Residency, subsequently recording a four LP set of their performances. The two recordings here are considered the cream of the crop consisting of compositions from right across the 20th century along with two of Peterson's own, masterful creations. Originally released on Verve Records in 1961.

Since playing the Great American Songbook oft times reveals the depth of a musician's ability to read charts, one might assume that is what's happening here. Thankfully, Oscar Peterson never needed no stinkin' fake book, as he learned the tunes and played them, by ear, with effortless acumen. A 19-song collection of chestnuts, this CD includes many well worn standards, swing to bop interpretations and a good stack of Duke Ellington numbers. Right-hand man Ray Brown is on the bass, but it is Barney Kessel, not OP's regular guitarist Herb Ellis on the date. There are more definitive compilations, and many others certain to come after Peterson's passing in 2007.

Oscar Peterson - Remastered Anniversary Edition: Reissue of the nine celebrated MPS studio albums, recorded in Germany in the 1970s. Accompanying Oscar Peterson's 80th birthday on August 15, 2005. For the first time reissued with original cover artwork and original liner notes. Featuring new liner notes by Dr. Richard Palmer, co-author of the Oscar Peterson autobiography My Jazz Odyssey. New 192kHz/24-bit remastering, supervised by original album producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer.

Oscar Peterson has continued to fill concert halls - for good reason - following his return after a serious stroke in 1993. This 2003 concert, recorded in Vienna, shows a packed house enthusiastically applauding the veteran pianist and his quartet, which includes old friends Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass, drummer Martin Drew, and the relative youngster of the group, guitarist Ulf Wakenius. In spite of the damage the stroke did to Peterson's once powerful left hand, he has hardly lost his ability to swing hard; he simply relies more heavily on his right hand and the strong support of his group. The 11 songs from this concert are dominated by Peterson's originals, including old favorites like his gospel-inflected "Hymn to Freedom" and "Wheatland" (from his Canadiana Suite) and new works like the tender ballad "When Summer Comes"…

Two classic albums on one CD, 2012 new digital remaster with full original album art in booklet. Oscar Peterson's 1962 album, Oscar Peterson Plays: West Side Story, features the pianist and his trio with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, reinterpreting compositions from the classic 1961 film version of the Broadway musical. This is a highly engaging album that showcases Peterson's trio at their finest, with some truly inventive takes on such songs as "Somewhere," "Tonight," and "Maria." Oscar Peterson's 1959 album, Play Porgy & Bess, features the pianist and his trio (with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen) explore ten of the stronger themes from George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess. It is true that Peterson's version of "Summertime" will not make one forget the classic rendition by Miles Davis with Gil Evans but, as is true with all of these performances, Peterson makes the melodies sound like his own. "It Ain't Necessarily So" and "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin"' are among the more memorable selections.

Part of his five sessions that featured duets with different trumpeters, pianist Oscar Peterson's matchup with trumpeter Roy Eldridge has its strong moments. Eldridge did not quite have the range of his earlier years, but his competitive streak had not mellowed with age. Peterson pushes Eldridge to his limit and the music is generally quite exciting. Highlights include "Little Jazz," "Sunday," and "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea."

This matchup between pianist Oscar Peterson, bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and drummer Louis Hayes directly precedes Peterson's recordings for Pablo. The pianist is in typically brilliant form on the LP, performing six standards (including "Soft Winds" and "On the Trail") along with his own "Wheatland." From the results here, it couldn't have been too surprising that Peterson would want to record frequently with Pedersen in future years.

18 original albums in one box with some of the greatest names in Jazz incl. Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and Oscar Peterson. The greatest Broadway musicals of all time - from "Porgy & Bess" to "West Side Story" - in fantastic Jazz arrangements. Also featuring hidden gems like "Do-Re-Mi" by June Christy and Bob Cooper or Blossom Dearie "Sings Comden & Green".

This double album matches and mixes together four masterful musicians: pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Niels Pedersen and harmonica great Toots Thielemans. Together they perform O.P.'s "City Lights" and ten veteran standards with creativity, wit and solid swing. There are a few miraculous moments as one would expect from musicians of this caliber and the results are generally quite memorable.