Peterson,Oscar Early Years 1945-50 CD

Oscar Peterson was one of the most brilliant and distinctive modern jazz pianists to come to the fore in the post-war era, as adventurous small-group music and virtuoso soloists established new strands of jazz in the wake of the demise of the big swing bands as post-war austerity took hold and public tastes evolved. Initially making his mark in his native Canada, he made his first records for RCA in Montreal, but soon captured the attention of jazz impresario Norman Granz and within a few years was recording under his auspices for Clef/Mercury in New York. This great-value 47-track 2-CD collection specifically addresses those early years, and comprises studio recordings in trio, quartet and duo settings with a variety of line-ups, performing well-known Great American Songbook standards which were the staple repertoire of jazz improvisers in that era along with original compositions. The recordings come from ten different recording sessions, and feature trio and quartet recordings with bassists Bert Brown, Albert King & Austin Roberts, drummers Frank Gariepy, Roland Verdon, Russ Dufort, Mark Wilkinson & Clarence Jones, and guitarists Armand Sampson & Ben Johnson, plus recordings as a duo with bass players Ray Brown and Major Holley. It's an entertaining showcase for the already highly developed talent of one of the great piano stylists of the genre, and offers an insight into how his music evolved during the key formative years of his career.

1. I Got Rhythm 2. Louise 3. My Blue Heaven 4. The Sheik of Araby 5. Flying Home 6. C Jam Blues 7. If I Could Be with You 8. Humoresque 9. Blue Moon 10. In a Little Spanish Town 11. Time on My Hands 12. China Boy 13. Runnin' Wild 14. Sweet Lorraine 15. Honeydripper 16. East of the Sun 17. Indiana 18. Margie 19. I Surrender Dear 20. Ghost of a Chance 21. Oscar's Boogie 22. Smiles 23. Stairway to the Stars 24. Poor Butterfly 25. Oop Bop Sh'bam 26. Sweet Georgia Brown 27. Sleepy Time Gal 28. Rockin' in Rhythm 29. Fine and Dandy 30. My Heart Stood Still 31. Somebody Loves Me 32. At Sundown 33. Debut 34. They Didn't Believe Me 35. Lover Come Back to Me 36. Where or When 37. Three O'Clock in the Morning 38. All the Things You Are 39. Oscar's Blues 40. Tenderly 41. Little White Lies 42. Nameless 43. Get Happy 44. Jumpin' with Symphony Sid 45. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 46. Deep Purple 47. Robbins' Nest