So having asked the forum for Bill Evans recommendations and got such a great response at the expense of my wallet I thought I’d do the same for Oscar Peterson. Now I do have quite a few already but since his catalogue is so vast there are bound to be a few I’m missing out on. Many thanks for clearing the coffers in advance.
I like “We get requests”.
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Hundreds to chose from.
Of this lot ‘We Get Requests’ ‘Night Train’ & ‘The Trio’ are good places to start.
G
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I’ve got that one and it’s probably my favourite OP.
Got all 3 of those and you’ve listed in order of my personal taste.
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Night Train, definitely. Newer (re)masterings have toned down Ed Thigpen’s rivet cymbal which dominated earlier releases, so this might not be one to track down on original pressings.
I’ve also got Live at the Blue Note on Telarc from 1990 which I loce.
The Penguin Guide to Jazz also recommends both the above, plus My Favourite Instrument, which I don’t know.
Mark
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The Trio: Live from Chicago - in my view, is a must have if it is not in your collection.
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Got that one as well.
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Al of the “Plays…” series are excellent.
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Just listened to this last night for the first time. Excellent performance and recording.
All the above plus I’ve always liked music from his ‘Pablo Period’, in particular the duets he did with trumpeters, like Jon Faddis and bassists.
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Love Webster’s breathy tones on this, which I have as well.
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Just been listening to the Jon Faddis CD. Unusual in they’re a duet without bass and drums. Not heard the first yet. Ta!
Adeypoos,
I have the best part of a hundred Oscar Peterson LP’s and CD’s and there are a few that I always go back to. Apart from Night Train my first ever Oscar vinyl (I was about 9 at the time), my second was a live record “Oscar Peterson in Russia” and also “Tristeza on Piano”. Only saw him play live once at the Barbican, but a memory I will always treasure.
Regards
Nic
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Another one that is a bit different and worth checking out is The Original Score from The Silent Partner. Great line up with Benny Carter on alto sax, Clark Terry on trumpet, Zoot Sims on tenor sax, Milt Jackson on vibes, John Heard on bass, Grady Tate on drums and of course Oscar on piano. All tunes composed by OP
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Thanks Nic. Haven’t listened to the ones you’ve mentioned, so I’ll check them out.
Surprised no one has recommended this box set…
Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends
AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow
Oscar Peterson has stated that he feels his MPS recordings are his finest. That is quite a statement considering the huge amount of records that the pianist has produced through the past 50 years. This four-CD set reissues the music from six of his MPS LPs: Action, Girl Talk, The Way I Really Play, My Favorite Instrument, Mellow Mood, and Travelin’ On. While some of the performances feature the 1963 trio he had with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, most of the music dates from 1967-1968 and matches Peterson with bassist Sam Jones and either Louis Hayes or Bobby Durham on drums. A special treat is Peterson’s first unaccompanied solo album, which fills up the final CD. Peterson’s many fans know what to expect in this set, while other listeners need to discover him to realize what all of the fuss was about. Quite simply, Oscar Peterson has long been one of the greatest pianists the world has ever known; this reissue offers plenty of proof.
Enjoy
Dave
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Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve got this box set already and it is a great collection.