For the first
time, famed jazz pianist Oscar Peterson's historic 1952-'54 series, Oscar
Peterson Plays, has been assembled in total, collecting 10 albums across a
five-disc, 113-song digitally remastered collection. Containing many of
Peterson's most important recordings as a leader, these albums explore the
canons of songwriters Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern,
Jimmy McHugh, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Harry Warren and Vincent Youmans—in
the setting of the Oscar Peterson Trio. Oscar Peterson Plays, which has been
digitally remastered, is available now via Verve Records/UMe.
Few piano giants in jazz history, if any, scaled the heights
of technical brilliance as Oscar Peterson (1925-2007). He was a ten-fingered
player whose speed, execution, imagination and harmonic brilliance left other
keyboardists with their mouths open. Peterson's prolific trios—with guitarists
Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown — set a longtime standard
for ensemble interaction and excellence. As his biographer Gene Lees said:
"Oscar Peterson is an astonishing example of what the human body and mind
can be self-disciplined to achieve."
Peterson was a virtuoso but he was also an extraordinarily
versatile accompanist and ensemble pianist. He recorded nearly 200 albums as a
leader, as well as with Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Nat 'King' Cole, Roy
Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, just
to name a few. Whether it was on the Jazz at the Philharmonic tours or the
multitude of studio dates for the Verve and Pablo labels, Peterson was truly
the bedrock of Norman Granz's success as the most successful impresario in jazz
history.
Granz knew that Peterson had a seemingly bottomless well of
creativity, and that he could be counted on to bring something special to each
of his composer-themed albums. Yet Peterson was assiduously faithful to the
themes of the various composers—he improvised without altering the intended
melodic lines. And while Kessel, Ellis and Brown may not take a lot of solos,
listen for the melodic content that they invest into their roles as rhythm
section players.
Disc: 1
Oscar Peterson Plays Cole Porter
1. What Is This Thing Called Love?
2. Begin The Beguine
3. I've Got You Under My Skin
4. Love For Sale
5. Let's Do It
6. I Love You
7. So Near And Yet So Far
8. Just One Of Those Things
9. In The Still Of The Night
10. Night And Day
11. Every Time We Say Goodbye
12. Anything Goes
Oscar Peterson Plays Irving Berlin
13. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
14. Isn't This A Lovely Day
15. Easter Parade
16. How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)
17. Remember
18. The Song Is Ended
19. Blue Skies
20. If I Had You
21. Cheek To Cheek
22. Alexander's Ragtime Band
23. Say It Isn't So
24. Always
Disc: 2
Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin
1. The Man I Love
2. Fascinating Rhythm
3. It Ain't Necessarily So
4. Somebody Loves Me
5. Strike Up The Band
6. I've Got A Crush On You
7. I Was Doing All Right
8. 'S Wonderful - The Oscar Peterson Trio
9. Oh Lady Be Good
10. I Got Rhythm
11. A Foggy Day
12. Love Walked In
Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington
13. John Hardy's Wife
14. Sophisticated Lady
15. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
16. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
17. In A Mellow Tone
18. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
19. Prelude To A Kiss
20. Cotton Tail
21. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
22. Take The "A" Train
23. Rockin' In Rhythm
24. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
Disc: 3
Oscar Peterson Plays Jerome Kern
1. The Way You Look Tonight
2. Pick Yourself Up
3. Yesterdays
4. I Won't Dance
5. Long Ago And Far Away
6. Lovely To Look At
7. A Fine Romance
8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
9. Ol Man River
10. Bill
11. The Song Is You
12. Can't Help Loving That Man
Oscar Peterson Plays Richard Rodgers
13. This Can't Be Love
14. It Might As Well Be Spring
15. Bewitched
16. Johnny One Note
17. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
18. The Lady Is A Tramp
19. Blue Moon
20. Thou Swell
21. Isn't It Romantic
22. Manhattan
23. Lover
Disc: 4
Oscar Peterson Plays Vincent Youmans
1. Tea For Two
2. Time On My Hands
3. I Know That You Know
4. Sometimes I'm Happy
5. Great Day
6. More Than You Know
7. Hallelujah!
8. Carioca
9. Without A Song
10. I Want To Be Happy
Oscar Peterson Plays Harry Warren
11. Nagasaki
12. Serenade In Blue
13. Lullaby Of Broadway
14. I Found A Million Dollar Baby In A Five And Ten Cent
Store
15. Would You Like To Take A Walk
16. I'll String Along With You
17. I Only Have Eyes For You
18. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
19. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
20. Chattanooga Choo Choo
21. You're My Everything
Disc: 5
Oscar Peterson Plays Harold Arlen
1. As Long As I Live
2. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
4. Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive
5. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
6. I've Got The World On A String
7. It's Only A Paper Moon
8. That Old Black Magic
9. Let's Fall In Love
10. Stormy Weather
11. Blues In The Night
12. Over the Rainbow
Oscar Peterson Plays Jimmy McHugh
13. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
14. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
15. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
16. Don't Blame Me
17. I'm In The Mood For Love
18. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
19. I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night
20. Digga Digga Do
21. You're A Sweetheart
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