Regarded as one of the most accomplished pianists in jazz history, Oscar Peterson displayed a level of technical mastery comparable to that of his idol Art Tatum, marked by remarkable speed, agility, and an effortless capacity to swing at any tempo. Though highly effective in small ensembles, jam sessions, and as an accompanist for vocalists, he reached his peak when delivering solo performances without support. His personal approach resisted easy categorization within a single style; developing in the mid- to late 1940s much like the distinctive voices of Erroll Garner and George Shearing, it occupied a space between swing and bop. Over the decades he drew criticism for his profuse note choices, limited stylistic evolution after the 1950s, and an unusually large recorded output, yet every note typically served a musical purpose, and his technical display never undermined the material. Like Johnny Hodges and Thelonious Monk, Peterson chose to deepen his established language rather than pursue radical shifts, an entirely valid artistic path. As Norman Granz’s preferred pianist alongside Tatum, and given the producer’s tendency to document his artists extensively, Peterson accumulated a vast discography; while not every session ranks among his essentials and a handful remain ordinary, the bulk stands as outstanding, with dozens qualifying as classics.
Peterson began formal classical training at age six and progressed rapidly. After claiming victory in a talent competition at fourteen, he quickly became a regular on a weekly Montreal radio broadcast. As a teenager he gained practical experience performing with Johnny Holmes’ Orchestra. Between 1945 and 1949 he cut thirty-two sides for Victor in Montreal; those trio dates reveal an early affection for boogie-woogie soon left behind, along with the swing manner of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole. Even then his technique already dazzled, and though bop had not yet shaped his playing, he was clearly an exceptional musician. Granz encountered him in 1949 and introduced him as an unexpected participant in a Jazz at the Philharmonic concert. The following year Peterson recorded a series of duets with either Ray Brown or Major Holley on bass, one of which, his reading of “Tenderly,” became a hit. His gifts were immediately apparent, and he achieved widespread recognition in 1952 by launching a trio with guitarist Barney Kessel and Brown. When Kessel grew weary of touring, Herb Ellis took his place the next year. From 1953 to 1958 the Peterson-Ellis-Brown unit, frequently traveling with JATP, ranked among jazz’s premier groups; their intricate yet buoyant arrangements fostered friendly rivalry, with Ellis and Brown constantly challenging the pianist, resulting in consistently thrilling performances. Ellis’s departure in 1958 led to a decision that no guitarist could adequately replace him, so after a short period with Gene Gammage the trio added drummer Ed Thigpen. Unlike its predecessor, the Peterson-Brown-Thigpen lineup, which continued until 1965, positioned the pianist as the clear leading soloist. Subsequent editions featured drummers Louis Hayes from 1965 to 1966, Bobby Durham from 1967 to 1970, and Ray Price in 1970, together with bassists Sam Jones from 1966 to 1970 and George Mraz in 1970.
In 1960 Peterson founded the Advanced School of Contemporary Music in Toronto, an endeavor that endured three years. He first committed a set of unaccompanied piano solos to disc in 1968, during a highly regarded MPS series that Granz had surprisingly overlooked. Once Granz launched the Pablo label in 1972, Peterson was frequently paired with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. He appeared on numerous all-star sessions, cut five duet albums with leading trumpeters—Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, and Jon Faddis—and joined Count Basie for several two-piano encounters. An underappreciated composer, he created and recorded the striking “Canadiana Suite” in 1964 and continued to present originals from time to time. Although celebrated chiefly as an acoustic pianist, he also documented electric-piano performances, especially of his own pieces, played organ on infrequent occasions, and even used clavichord for an unusual duet date with Joe Pass. A rare vocal outing in 1965, With Respect to Nat, demonstrated that Peterson’s singing voice closely resembled Nat King Cole’s. A two-day reunion with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown in 1990, again including Bobby Durham, yielded four CDs. A severe stroke in 1993 sidelined him for two years, yet he eventually returned to performing, albeit with reduced strength in his left hand. Even when not at full capacity, Peterson remained a master improviser and one of the finest musicians jazz has produced. Across his career he appeared on an extraordinary quantity of recordings. As a leader he recorded for Victor, Granz’s Clef and Verve imprints from 1950 to 1964, MPS, Mercury, Limelight, Pablo, and Telarc.
