I’ve been fortunate to see live performances from some legendary jazz masters, such as John Coltrane’s band mates McCoy Tyner and the late, great Elvin Jones. Unfortunately, I never got to see Oscar Peterson live. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter because my house is filled with hours upon hours of his great music. This will be the soundtrack here today as I recover from Christmas, clean the house and pack up the old toys for donation.
Jazz Pianists Pay Tribute to Peterson
NEW YORK (AP) — Oscar Peterson’s dazzling keyboard technique, commanding sense of swing and mastery of different piano styles could leave even his most accomplished peers awe-struck. His death brought forth tributes from jazz pianists spanning the generations.
Herbie Hancock, another jazz piano legend, said Peterson’s influence could be found “in the generations that came after him.”
“Oscar Peterson redefined swing for modern jazz pianists for the latter half of the 20th century up until today,” Hancock, 67, wrote in an e-mail. “I consider him the major influence that formed my roots in jazz piano playing. He mastered the balance between technique, hard blues grooving, and tenderness. … No one will ever be able to take his place.”
Powerline’s Scott Johnson has a great post remembering Peterson.
J.D. CONSIDINE has a nice tribute, King of the keys made jazz a pleasure