On the Town with the Oscar Peterson Trio

Artist: Oscar Peterson
Total time: 76:50
Label: Verve
Availability: Sold out
Item #: 20416393

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List Price: $14.98
Member Price: $14.38

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Review

This reissue of Oscar Peterson's live Toronto recording in the Desert Island Discs series at Verve brings to light the question that jazz audiences were debating at the time. With Peterson's legerdemain rhythmic possibilities, his knotting, shimmering waves of notes, his insanely huge harmonic structures, and his dense clusters played in every solo, half the jazz populace wondered if all the swinging noodling might be a skillful medicine show while the other half considered it genius. No matter. One thing that everyone agreed on: No matter how busy his busy got -- and this album illustrates the rule since it's in a live setting -- Peterson always, always swung, particularly with Herb Ellis on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. The set opens with "Sweet Georgia Brown" and it's all bets off as to what Peterson will do next. He skitters from one melodic possibility to the next while Ellis creates a dynamic flow of fresh ideas to keep the music full and bright. There are blues here, and they are gutbucket blues. They come from Ellis' guitar during this late '50s period more than at any other time in his life. But they come from Brown and Peterson too, and that's where the argument loses the wind in its sails: Everything this trio played was rooted in a blues so pervasive, so swinging, so hot, it could not be anything but truly fine jazz. Peterson's musical appetite matched his physical stature, and it is reflected in the selections here, which all seem to segue into one another: "Should I," "When the Lights Are Low," "Pennies From Heaven," "Moonlight in Vermont," and others through to "Love Is Here to Stay." All are reinvented and reinterpreted through the science of harmonic invention and rhythmic interval unique to this Oscar Peterson Trio. And while the plates and glasses rattle and tinkle, the jazz continues to burn, full of joy and light and just a hint of smoke. In 1958 this was a night to remember; in the 21st Century it's a disc to memorize in the depths of the heart. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

Arguably, Oscar Peterson's finest group was the unit that matched his virtuoso playing with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown during 1953-58. On The Town features this group at the peak of its powers in 1958. The original seven songs (which include a speedy Sweet Georgia Brown, Easy Listenin' Blues and The Champ) are joined by five previously unreleased numbers (including Joy Spring and Gal In Calico) that keep the high quality of the live set. Peterson is consistently challenged by Ellis and Brown, and the lack of a drummer makes the music quite death-defying in spots.

-Scott Yanow

Extended Article

Two of Oscar Peterson Trio's greatest recorded live performances took place in the leader's native Canada. The first was the classic Stratford (Ontario) Shakespearean Festival concert. The second was On the Town With the Oscar Peterson Trio, at the Town Tavern - in what became Peterson's adopted city, Toronto.

The repertoire includes a half-dozen pieces that are jazz classics three of them among the most-recorded songs in all of popular music. And Peterson has his greatest accompaniment here - Herb Ellis and Ray Brown were at the peak of their unprecedented symchronicity, the result of tireless rehearsing in order to perfect rhythmic patterns in support of their leader.

Sweet Georgia Brown; Should I?; When Lights Are Low; Easy Listenin' Blues; Pennies From Heaven; The Champ; Moonlight In Vermont; Baby, Baby All the Time; I Like to Recognize the Tune; Joy Spring; Gal in Calico; Love Is Here to Stay.

Oscar Peterson, Piano; Herb Ellis, Guitar; Ray Brown, Bass.

Tracks + Soundclips

On the Town with the Oscar Peterson Trio
	1. Sweet Georgia Brown	7:47
	2. Should I?	5:04
	3. When Lights Are Low	5:57
	4. Easy Listening Blues	6:48
	5. Pennies from Heaven	7:22
	6. Champ	5:25
	7. Moonlight in Vermont	6:05
	8. Baby, Baby All the Time [*]	6:49
	9. I Like to Recognize the Tune [*]	4:17
	10. Joy Spring [*]	9:01
	11. Gal in Calico [*]	5:16
	12. Love Is Here to Stay [*]	7:42