Infinite MonkeysDamn, I can't believe I missed this. One of the greatest pianists (and not just jazz pianists) of the 20th century died Sunday. Oscar Peterson was 82. And although Peterson did not play especially well in his last years, the result of a stroke in 1993, his talent always managed to shine through. Leave it to Terry Teachout to write a most fitting tribute:
Peterson, who died on Sunday, was one of a handful of jazz musicians to have cultivated a virtuoso technique comparable to that of the greatest classical instrumentalists. In part for this reason, he never got along well with jazz critics, most of whom were (and are) too musically ignorant to appreciate the near-unique nature of his achievement. ... when he was good, no one was better.
There are dozens of great Peterson albums on Verve and Pablo. One of my favorites is "Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson," which I'm listening to now. May he groove in peace.
Posted by H.L. Monkey at December 27, 2007 10:45 PM | TrackBack