RIP Oscar Peterson

Oh Man.

Oscar Peterson, whose early talent and speedy fingers made him one of the world’s best known jazz pianists, died at age 82.

His death was confirmed by Hazel McCallion, mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, the Toronto suburb where Peterson lived. McCallion told The Associated Press that he died of kidney failure. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said he died Sunday.

“He’s been going downhill in the last few months, slowing up,” McCallion said, calling Peterson a “very close friend.”

During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s.

Peterson was arguably the finest jazz pianist who ever lived. Only Basie and Nat King Cole were in the same league as him, so far as I’m concerned. And if Basie deferred to Peterson, then who in the world am I to argue?

If you really want to dig into his music, I recommend any of the recordings he made with Dizzy Gillespie and his trio work. You really can’t go wrong picking up anything with “The Oscar Peterson Trio” on the label.

The shame of it is that there really aren’t any great number of musicians taking up the mantle of folks like Peterson and playing straight-ahead jazz. Most jazz musicians these days are playing “smooth jazz”, which I don’t see much as jazz at all. Peterson was a true artist and he’ll definitely be missed.

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Category: In Memoriam, Music