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1. How High the Moon
2. Swinging on a Star
3. Heatwave
4. Anything Goes
5. Jam Session
6. Flamingo
7. Seven Come Eleven
8. Falling in Love with Love
9. The Continental
10. Noreen's Nocturn
11. 52nd Street Theme
12. Gypsy in My Soul |
[SYN-036]
Simply put, Oscar Peterson is a piano colossus. On a purely
technical level, few jazz artists can match his ability to
execute mind-bogglingly difficult feats of melodic wizardry,
often at hair-raising speeds. But what really keeps the jaw
dropping is his energy, the indomitable swing in every line he
plays. In 1952, he formed a trio with bassist Ray Brown and
guitarist Barney Kessel; the following year, Kessel quit and was
replaced by Herb Ellis. For over the next half-decade Peterson
would reach an improvisational peak, egged on by the exuberant
playing of Ellis and Brown. You can hear this legendary group on
several tracks here, the most dazzling being a tear through Benny
Goodman and Charlie Christian's "Seven Come Eleven." Peterson
kept working hard in a variety of settings until 1993, when a
stroke put him out of commission for two years. His left hand was
weakened permanently, but not enough to stop him from playing
again. You can still catch him on the road today, and you should.
— Mac Randall |
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