It’s hard to believe these days, but once upon a time a musical artist could achieve worldwide fame simply for his musical prowess. There was no “image” or light shows, weird dressing or attitude, just simply being the master of one’s craft was enough. I doubt anyone even knew what Oscar Peterson’s voice sounded like, although he did have a few vocal sessions later in his career that rivalled Nat “King” Cole. This two disc, 47-track set shows the gradual evolution of piano giant Oscar Peterson. It’s not necessary the chronical of his musical growth, as he essentially hit the ground running with jaw dropping chops. Instead, it reflects how Peterson eventually formed his signature sound, the piano-bass-guitar trio that became his patented sound.
Things start off in a 1945 Montreal sesson with Peterson with bassist Bert Brown and drummer Frank Gariepy. The chops are already their on a torrid “I Got Rhythm”. With the addition of guitarist Armand Samson and Roland Verdon Replacing Graiepy, the team sizzles on “C Jam Blues” and Peterson tapping into his inner Art Tatum on “Humoresque”. A standard piano-drum/bass trio with Russ Dufort and Brown have Peterson get R&B ish on “Honeydripper” and race to the finish line on “Runnin’ Wild”.
Peterson seems to go through drummers the way Liz Taylor went through husbands, trying out Mark Wilkinson in ’47 for a mellow “Ghost Of A Chance” and then trying out Clarence Jones later that year for a gorgeous “Stairway to the Stars” and a swinging “Rockin’ In Rhythm”. He finally eschews the drums altogether, doing some nice duets, first with Ray Brown on “Lover Come Back To Me” and “All The Things You Are” and then with Major Holley for “Deep Purple”. The first bonafide trio has Peterson with guitarist Ben Johnson and bassist Austin Roberts for “Somebody Loves Me” and “Fine and Dandy”, so the album ends with the right idea and almost the right personal for the perfect team. The journey is a fun one, like joining a master chef trying out the various flavors.