Oscar Peterson

4 1/2 STARS DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

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The legendary Oscar Peterson Trio recorded almost ten-hours of music at Chicago’s celebrated London House between July 11 and August 6, 1961. The Trio –Live from Chicago (Verve V6-8420) was the first of four LPs culled from those dates. The trio’s London House repertory is vast and showcases the group’s extraordinary versatility, performing songs ranging from traditional tunes to classic standards and show tunes. More impressive still, the variety of moods and colors present throughout these live recordings is a testimony to the trio’s wide range of experience and complete mastery of technique and feel at all tempos.

The fact that Peterson often plays a WHOLE LOT of piano, blazing through the full range of the keyboard at the blink of an eye, has led his detractors to believe that he lacked the sensitivity to successfully interpret a ballad. Listeners here, however, will recognize that Peterson’s astounding technique in no way diminishes his capacity to generate sensitive and tasteful melodic lines over a ballad. Peterson’s exquisite taste prevents him from being a slave to his technical genius. His pyrotechnics, indomitable swing feel and perennial elegance is perfectly complemented by the incomparable bass and drums tandem of Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. The delightful arrangements showcase the talents of each musician, and provide a framework for the band’s true strength as a cohesive unit of musical masters who share a chemistry that often borders on the supernatural.

PERSONNEL:

OSCAR PETERSON, piano
RAY BROWN, bass
ED THIGPEN, drums

Live at the London House, Chicago, July 27-August 6, 1961.

SIDE A:

01. I’VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE (5:39)
02. IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING (8:07)
03. CHICAGO, THAT TODDLING TOWN (8:57)

SIDE B:

01. THE NIGHT WE CALLED IT A DAY (4:47)
02. SOMETIMES I’M HAPPY (11:41)
03. WHISPER NOT (5:46)
04. BILLY BOY (1:47)