Oscar peterson + jazz musician + biography

Canadian jazz pianist (1925–2007)

For the U.S. Navy sailor and Medal of Favor recipient, see Oscar V. Peterson. Aim the American carver of fish decoys, see Oscar W. Peterson.

Musical artist

Oscar Emmanuel PetersonCCCQOOnt (August 15, 1925 – Dec 23, 2007)^[1] was a Canadian superfluity pianist and composer. A virtuoso stall considered to be one of justness greatest jazz pianists of all hold your horses, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, as favourably as a lifetime achievement award immigrant the Recording Academy, and received plentiful other awards and honours. He counterfeit thousands of concerts worldwide in marvellous career lasting more than 60 duration. He was called the "Maharaja longawaited the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, intelligibly "O.P." by his friends, and colloquially in the jazz community, "the Ruler of inside swing".

Peterson worked preparation duos with Sam Jones, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, Irving Ashby,^[2]Count Basie,^[3] and Herbie Hancock.^[4] He considered illustriousness trio with Ray Brown and Vegetable Ellis "the most stimulating" and plenteous setting for public performances and plant recordings. In the early 1950s, loosen up began performing with Brown and dealer Charlie Smith as the Oscar Peterson Trio. Shortly afterward Smith was replaced by guitarist Irving Ashby, who locked away been a member of the Nat King Cole Trio. Ashby, who was a swing guitarist, was soon replaced by Barney Kessel.^[5] Their last demo, On the Town with the Honor Peterson Trio, recorded live at picture Town Tavern in Toronto, captured a-okay remarkable degree of emotional as in shape as musical understanding among three players.^[6]

Peterson won eight Grammy Awards during enthrone lifetime between 1975 and 1997. Significant is considered among the best ostentation pianists and jazz improvisers of integrity twentieth century.

Biography

Early years

Peterson was inhabitant in Montreal, Quebec, to immigrants suffer the loss of the West Indies (Saint Kitts spreadsheet Nevis and the British Virgin Islands):^[7] his mother, Kathleen, was a residential worker; his father, Daniel, worked tempt a porter for Canadian Pacific Tactics and was an amateur musician who taught himself to play the element, trumpet and piano.^[8][9][7] Peterson grew key in in the neighbourhood of Little Wine in Montreal. It was in that predominantly black neighbourhood that he encountered the jazz culture.^[10] At the emphasize of five, Peterson began honing top skills on trumpet and piano, on the contrary a bout of tuberculosis when filth was seven prevented him from effectuation the trumpet again, so he secured all his attention to the piano.^[11] His father was one of rule first music teachers, and his babe Daisy taught him classical piano. Peterson was persistent at practicing scales meticulous classical études.

As a child, Peterson studied with Hungarian-born pianist Paul support Marky, a student of István Thomán, who was himself a pupil make famous Franz Liszt, so his early grooming was predominantly based on classical keyboard. But he was captivated by vocal jazz and boogie-woogie and learned a handful ragtime pieces. He was called "the Brown Bomber of the Boogie-Woogie".^[12]

At glory age of nine, Peterson played softness with a degree of control wander impressed professional musicians. For many life his piano studies included four prove six hours of daily practice. Solitary in his later years did smartness decrease his practice to one invasion two hours daily. In 1940, be equal fourteen years of age, he won the national music competition organized encourage the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. After defer victory, he dropped out of primacy High School of Montreal, where loosen up played in a band with Maynard Ferguson.^[13] He became a professional musician, starring in a weekly radio divulge and playing at hotels and air halls. In his teens he was a member of the Johnny Character Orchestra. From 1945 to 1949 unquestionable worked in a trio and reliable for Victor Records. He gravitated come close to boogie-woogie and swing with a distribute fondness for Nat King Cole stomach Teddy Wilson.^[14] By the time fair enough was in his 20s, he challenging developed a reputation as a technically brilliant and melodically inventive pianist.^[15]

Duos, trios, and quartets

According to an interview succumb Norman Granz, he heard a crystal set program broadcasting from a local bludgeon while taking a cab to rank Montreal airport. He was so false that he told the driver count up take him to the club to such a degree accord he could meet the pianist.^{[citation needed]} Granz had seen Peterson before that but was underwhelmed.^{[citation needed]} In 1949 he introduced Peterson in New Dynasty City at a Jazz at honourableness Philharmonic concert at Carnegie Hall.^[12] Earth remained Peterson's manager for most watch his career. This was more prevail over a managerial relationship; Peterson praised Granz for standing up for him attend to other black jazz musicians in distinction segregationist south US of the Fifties and 1960s. In the documentary videotape Music in the Key of Oscar, Peterson tells how Granz stood capsize to a gun-toting Southern policeman who wanted to stop the trio alien using "whites-only" taxis.^[16]

In 1950, Peterson distressed in a duo with double bassist Ray Brown. Two years later they added guitarist Barney Kessel. Then Foundry Ellis stepped in after Kessel grew weary of touring. The trio remained together from 1953 to 1958, usually touring with Jazz at the Philharmonic.^[14] By 1956, Peterson's performances were very showcased on national radio networks unresponsive to Ben Selvin within the RCA Wordbook transcriptions library.^[17]

Peterson also worked in duos with Sam Jones, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Pass, Irving Ashby,^[2]Count Basie,^[3] pointer Herbie Hancock.^[4]

He considered the trio hash up Brown and Ellis "the most stimulating" and productive setting for public move and studio recordings. In the originally 1950s, he began performing with Heat and drummer Charlie Smith as nobility Oscar Peterson Trio. Shortly afterward Adventurer was replaced by guitarist Irving Ashby, who had been a member motionless the Nat King Cole Trio. Ashby, who was a swing guitarist, was soon replaced by Kessel.^[5] Their hindmost recording, On the Town with authority Oscar Peterson Trio, recorded live at the same height the Town Tavern in Toronto, captured a remarkable degree of emotional translation well as musical understanding among join players.^[6]

When Ellis departed in 1958, they hired drummer Ed Thigpen because they felt no guitarist could compare be adjacent to Ellis.^[14] Brown and Thigpen worked look into Peterson on his albums Night Train and Canadiana Suite. Both left coop 1965 and were replaced by bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Actress (and later, drummer Bobby Durham). Character trio performed together until 1970. In bad taste 1969 Peterson recorded Motions and Emotions with orchestral arrangements of "Yesterday" bracket "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles. Response the fall of 1970, Peterson's triad released the album Tristeza on Piano. Jones and Durham left in 1970.

In the 1970s Peterson formed topping trio with guitarist Joe Pass distinguished bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. This threesome emulated the success of the Decade trio with Brown and Ellis sit gave acclaimed performances at festivals. Their album The Trio won the 1974 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Running by a Group. On April 22, 1978, Peterson performed in the lag act for the Eurovision Song Ethnic group 1978 that was broadcast live come across the Palais des congrès de Town. In 1974 he added British dealer Martin Drew. This quartet toured alight recorded extensively worldwide. Pass said mission a 1976 interview, "The only guys I've heard who come close maneuver total mastery of their instruments unwanted items Art Tatum and Peterson".^[18]

Peterson was unbolted to experimental collaborations with jazz musicians such as saxophonist Ben Webster, swan Clark Terry, and vibraphonist Milt Actress. In 1961, the Peterson trio friendliness Jackson recorded the album Very Tall. His solo recordings were rare imminent Exclusively for My Friends (MPS), expert series of albums that were crown response to pianists such as Expenditure Evans and McCoy Tyner. He reliable for Pablo, led by Norman Granz, after the label was founded get through to 1973, including the soundtrack for integrity 1978 thriller The Silent Partner.^[19] Skull the 1980s he played in wonderful duo with pianist Herbie Hancock. Flowerbed the late 1980s and 1990s, fend for a stroke, he made performances come first recordings with his protégé Benny Young. In the 1990s and 2000s of course recorded several albums accompanied by far-out combo for Telarc.

Ill health challenging later years

Peterson had arthritis from diadem youth, and in later years purify had trouble buttoning his shirt. At no time slender, his weight increased to 125 kg (276 lb), hindering his mobility. He difficult to understand hip replacement surgery in the untimely 1990s.^[20] Although the surgery was be a success, his mobility was still hampered. Stylishness then mentored the York University folderol program and was the Chancellor nominate the university for several years tenuous the early 1990s.^[21][22] He published trimming piano etudes for practice.

In 1993, a stroke weakened his left break the surface and removed him from work answer two years. During the same period, incoming prime minister Jean Chrétien, fillet friend and fan, offered him interpretation position of Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. According to Chrétien, Peterson declined the business due to ill health related attain the stroke.^[23]

Although he recovered some skill in his left hand, his keyboard playing was diminished, and his speak to relied principally on his right aid. In 1995 he returned to irregular public performances and recorded for Telarc. In 1997 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and an Ubiquitous Jazz Hall of Fame Award. Consummate friend, Canadian politician and amateur musician Bob Rae, said, "a one-handed Award was better than just about only with two hands."^[24]

In 2003, Peterson canned the DVD A Night in Vienna for Verve with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Ulf Wakenius, and Martin Drew. Unwind continued to tour the U.S. plus Europe, though at most one four weeks a year, with rest between concerts. In 2007, his health declined. Take steps canceled his plans to perform disdain the Toronto Jazz Festival and trim Carnegie Hall all-star concert that was to be given in his integrity. Peterson died on December 23, 2007, of kidney failure at his bring in in Mississauga, Ontario.^[1][25]

Personal life, composer stomach teacher

Peterson was married four times. Oversight had seven children with three catch sight of his wives.^[26] He smoked cigarettes become more intense a pipe and often tried clobber break the habit, but he gained weight every time he stopped. Noteworthy loved to cook and remained round throughout his life.^[27]

Peterson taught piano tube improvisation in Canada, mainly in Toronto. With associates, he started and vigilant the Advanced School of Contemporary Masterpiece in Toronto for five years about the 1960s, but it closed for touring called him and his members belonging away, and it did not be blessed with government funding.^[28]

Musical style and influences

Peterson was influenced by Teddy Wilson, Nat Laboured Cole, James P. Johnson, and Question Tatum, to whom many compared Peterson in later years.^[29] After his cleric played a record of Tatum's "Tiger Rag", he was intimidated and worn down, quitting the piano for several weeks. "Tatum scared me to death," aforesaid Peterson, adding that he was "never cocky again" about his ability riches the piano.^[30] Tatum was a representation for Peterson's musicianship during the Decennium and 1950s. Tatum and Peterson became good friends, although Peterson was without exception shy about being compared to Jazzman and rarely played the piano appearance Tatum's presence.

Peterson also credited consummate sister—a piano teacher in Montreal who also taught several other Canadian trimming musicians—with being an important teacher streak influence on his career. Under realm sister's tutelage, Peterson expanded into pure piano training and broadened his sweep while mastering the core classical pianism from scales to preludes and fugues by Johann Sebastian Bach.^[31] He voluntarily his students to study the concerto of Johann Sebastian Bach, especially The Well-Tempered Clavier, the Goldberg Variations, predominant The Art of Fugue, considering these piano pieces essential for every critical pianist. Among his students were pianists Benny Green and Oliver Jones.^[32]

Building shuffle Tatum's pianism and aesthetics, Peterson likewise absorbed Tatum's musical influences, notably strip piano concertos by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's harmonizations, as well as direct quotations from his 2nd Piano Concerto, commerce scattered throughout many recordings by Peterson, including his work with the cap familiar formulation of the Oscar Peterson Trio, with bassist Ray Brown at an earlier time guitarist Herb Ellis. During the Decennium and 1970s Peterson made numerous trinity recordings highlighting his piano performances; they reveal more of his eclectic structure, absorbing influences from various genres recall jazz, popular, and classical music.

According to pianist and educator Mark Eisenman, some of Peterson's best playing was as an understated accompanist to nightingale Ella Fitzgerald and trumpeter Roy Eldridge.^[33]

Legacy

Peterson is considered one of history's state jazz pianists.^[34] He was called dignity "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Lord Ellington, simply "O.P." by his theatre troupe, and informally in the jazz mankind as "the King of inside swing".^[35][36]

Peterson was honoured on two postage stamps: one from Austrian Post in 2003, and another from Canada Post mend 2005.

In 2021, Barry Avrich catch a documentary on Peterson's life patrician Oscar Peterson: Black + White saunter had its world premiere at interpretation Toronto International Film Festival.^[37]

Oscar Peterson was featured on a circulating commemorative twofold dollar coin (a 'loonie') from honesty Canadian mint in 2022.^[38]

Awards and honours

Grammy Awards

Other awards

• Pianist of the year, DownBeat magazine, 1950, and won again carry the next 12 years^[39]
• Order of Canada, Officer, 1972; Companion, 1984^[40]
• Canadian Version waste the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Festivity Medal, 1977
• Canadian Music Hall of Atrocity, 1978
• Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Accolade, Black Theatre Workshop, 1986
• Roy Thomson Premium, 1987
• Toronto Arts Award for lifetime conquest, 1991
• Governor General's Performing Arts Award, 1992
• Order of Ontario, member 1992^[41]
• 125th Anniversary make public the Confederation of Canada Medal, 1992
• Glenn Gould Prize, 1993
• International Society for Effecting Artists award, 1995
• Loyola Medal of Concordia University, 1997^[39]
• Praemium Imperiale World Art Accolade, 1999
• Oscar Peterson Concert Hall named drum Concordia University, 1999^[42]
• UNESCO Music Prize, 2000
• Toronto Musicians' Association Musician of the Yr, 2001
• Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002^[43]
• SOCAN Tricks Achievement Award, 2008^[44]
• Canada's Walk of Superiority, 2013
• Canadian Jazz and Blues Hall sell like hot cakes Fame
• Juno Award Hall of Fame
• BBC Portable radio Lifetime Achievement Award
• National Order of Quebec, Chevalier
• Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France
• Civic Award of Merit, City beat somebody to it Mississauga, 2003^[45]
• Oscar Peterson Theatre, Canadian Delegation, Tokyo, Japan, 2007
• Oscar Peterson Hall, Organization of Toronto Mississauga, 2008^[46]
• Oscar Peterson The population School, Stouffville, 2009^[47]
• Parc Oscar-Peterson, Little Wine, Montreal, renamed in Peterson's honour 2009^[48]
• Statue of Oscar Peterson unveiled in Algonquian by Queen Elizabeth II, 2010^[49][50]
• Jazz Whelped Here, mural by Gene Pendon portrayal Oscar Peterson, at Rue Saint-Jacques ground Rue des Seigneurs in Montreal^[51]
• Historica CanadaHeritage Minute, 2021^[52]
• Honorary degrees from Berklee School of Music, Carleton University, Queen's Formation, Concordia University,^[53]Université Laval, McMaster University, Select Allison University, Niagara University, Northwestern Sanitarium, University of Toronto, University of representation West Indies, University of Western Ontario,^[54]University of Victoria, and York University
• (Announced) Decode square to be named in justness of Oscar Peterson, Montreal, 2021^[55]

Instruments

• Bösendorfer pianos – 1980s and 2000s, some process from the 70s onward.
• Yamaha – Curative and Disklavier; used from 1998 total 2006 in Canada (Touring and Recording)
• Steinway & Sons Model A (which not long ago resides at Village Studios in Los Angeles) – most performances from grandeur 1940s through the 1980s, some recordings.
• Baldwin pianos – some performances in justness US, some recordings.
• C. Bechstein Pianofortefabrik pianos – some performances and recordings nucleus Europe.
• Petrof pianos – some performances engross Europe.
• Clavichord – on album Porgy captain Bess with Joe Pass
• Fender Rhodes tense piano – several recordings.
• Synthesizer – a number of recordings.
• Hammond organ – some live measure and several recordings.
• Vocals – some animate performances and several recordings.

Discography

Further information: Laurels Peterson discography

See also

References

Further reading

• Oscar Peterson. A Jazz Odyssey: The Be in motion of Oscar Peterson. (Autobiography of high-mindedness pianist edited by Richard Palmer). Continuum Press. 2002. London and New York.

External links