Oscar Peterson 1925 - 2007

December 24, 2007 10:53 AM

Oscar Peterson passed away last night.

He died at his home in Mississauga, Ontario from kidney failure and other complications following a stroke several years ago. A massive legend and influence, it's an understatement to say he will be missed.

posted by bluedaniel (80 comments total)

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posted by sunshinesky at 10:56 AM on December 24, 2007

I just came here to post the same thing. It's a shame. He was one of the greats.
posted by PercussivePaul at 10:57 AM on December 24, 2007

Oh no.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:57 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by DreamerFi at 11:00 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by the_very_hungry_caterpillar at 11:00 AM on December 24, 2007

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I'm crying a bit inside.
posted by sfts2 at 11:01 AM on December 24, 2007

Now he's dead.
posted by Meatbomb at 11:01 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 11:08 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by motty at 11:10 AM on December 24, 2007

Getz, Coltrane and Peterson.
Cole, Peterson (with Brown and Smith) and Hawkins.

... alas, no YouTube-ry for my favorite collaboration, Peterson and DeFranco.

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posted by grabbingsand at 11:12 AM on December 24, 2007

He's always alive as long as we have memorex.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 11:20 AM on December 24, 2007

What news on Christmas Eve! Here's Oscar Peterson's take on Jingle Bells. What a great musician.
posted by Kattullus at 11:23 AM on December 24, 2007

From the website: "I am very happy to say I am back. Let me assure you that I will try my best to keep up with providing you with new Journal entries, and updates on what I am doing. I am looking forward to it. I would like to bring to your attention the "contact me" form." Kinda creepy now.
posted by cjorgensen at 11:25 AM on December 24, 2007

He deserves a *much* better post than just a simple link to his site for his obituary thread. For those who don't know him, the group he started with Herb Ellis and Ray Brown from 1953-58 is widely considered to be among the great piano jazz trios, with each member pushing the others to new heights. (And FWIW, this record he did with Anita O'Day in 1957 is one of my all-time fave vocal jazz albums.) Just an amazingly talented guy.

He was Canadian, so the CBC has A rare heart-to-heart with an older Oscar Peterson and lots of other audio and video clips.
posted by mediareport at 11:25 AM on December 24, 2007

That is sad news.
posted by rdr at 11:26 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by BitterOldPunk at 11:28 AM on December 24, 2007

.wwuah.wwuah.wwwuuahhhhh.
posted by tehloki at 11:30 AM on December 24, 2007 [2 favorites]

Mediareport, I agree (and I posted the thread), but at this writing not much else is known, we're just getting the info on the wires (and calls) now.

The comments alone (such as yours) will fill the thread with plenty more, isn't that what MeFi is for?
posted by bluedaniel at 11:36 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by dawson at 11:36 AM on December 24, 2007

Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass' recording of Porgy & Bess was a big part of my childhood.

Thanks, Oscar. Play on. Say hi to Joe, and to my mom.

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posted by rtha at 11:39 AM on December 24, 2007

He had an amazing technical capability, and he played beautiful music.

I am sad.


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posted by eye of newt at 11:39 AM on December 24, 2007

Aw.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:43 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by Daddio at 11:53 AM on December 24, 2007

Good review of one of his best live records. Another great live record. Another still.
posted by mediareport at 11:54 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by beagle at 11:55 AM on December 24, 2007

A true innovator and remarkable composer. It was good knowing that one of the greats was still alive and doing his thing for as long as he did. There are fewer and fewer original great jazz people left.

So long, Oscar. Thanks for leaving us with so much fantastic music. Canada and the rest of the world will mourn.
posted by ashbury at 11:57 AM on December 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

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posted by dbiedny at 11:58 AM on December 24, 2007

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posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:00 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by scody at 12:01 PM on December 24, 2007

I was trying to craft a post about this at work, but then we all got sent home early.

I'm really more sad than I'd like to be on Christmas Eve.

I shared this video in an old thread where we were having a pissing match about musicianship, but here it is again because it's fitting: Goodbye.

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posted by emelenjr at 12:04 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by eclectist at 12:06 PM on December 24, 2007

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[on a personal note, I spent the past weekend buying many, many cds of the Oscar Peterson Trio's most acclaimed sessions, ripping them and so on as a Christmas gift for an elderly friend who is 1) a big Oscar Peterson enthusiast and 2) dying of lung cancer. Oh man. ]
posted by Auden at 12:08 PM on December 24, 2007

Oh, man. That's really too bad. He was the man.
posted by chococat at 12:08 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by miss lynnster at 12:09 PM on December 24, 2007

♪
posted by Smart Dalek at 12:15 PM on December 24, 2007

"Massive legend" is definitely an apt description. All the greats are passing on .....

Rest in peace.
posted by blucevalo at 12:22 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by mike3k at 12:27 PM on December 24, 2007

Live in Italy 1961, with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (Parts 4 and 5 w/Roy Eldridge and Herb Ellis)
posted by LinusMines at 12:50 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by dbarefoot at 12:55 PM on December 24, 2007

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I remember several years ago, when Oscar was awarded the Order of Canada, CBC Radio 1 had a seven part radio series that covered his entire life. It came on during the summertime and I would spend the hour and a half each program took, just driving around Thunder Bay, forcing myself to take new random routes, often involving back roads. Nothing beats his early recordings done live of boogie woogie standards from the early 1940s.
posted by myopicman at 12:57 PM on December 24, 2007

I had posted stuff about Peterson shortly after hearing of his death. http://goodshit.phlap.net

butif this is too self-promoting (honest it isn't. traffic no issue for me), then see Peterson and Sweet Georgia Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i69kIt3yvnU&feature=related
posted by Postroad at 1:05 PM on December 24, 2007

It doesn't seem right to leave a simple dot, so I'll just say rest in peace, dear sir.
posted by sleepy pete at 1:22 PM on December 24, 2007

"Oscar Peterson is a mother fucking piano player!" [Ray Charles, in Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues - Piano Blues (2003)].

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posted by ericb at 1:22 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by fourcheesemac at 1:35 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by jdfalk at 1:37 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by mi at 1:55 PM on December 24, 2007

True legend. Descansa en paz.

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posted by jazzido at 1:59 PM on December 24, 2007

Some more YouTubery:
From the National Film Board of Canada: Begone Dull Care, 1949.
Montreux Jazz Festival: Eight Bar Boogie Blues, 197?
A Gal in Gallico, 1958.
Live in Newport, 195?
posted by myopicman at 2:02 PM on December 24, 2007

A brilliant, gifted musician, AND a sweet guy, too. Thanks, OP.
posted by Artful Codger at 2:04 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by nickyskye at 2:12 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by fuse theorem at 2:20 PM on December 24, 2007

And thanks for that sweet introduction to Stephane Grapelli.

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posted by hal9k at 2:32 PM on December 24, 2007

with respect to bluedaniel it seems a shame this was such a link weak post. however i did first hear of OP's death here. Have been listing to his Christmas CD all afternoon, melancholy...
his NYT obit
Sky News
BBC
and here's a 'christmasy' tune with Itzhak Perlman
posted by dawson at 2:33 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by juv3nal at 2:45 PM on December 24, 2007

Round 2 of YouTube, though I could make a list elsewhere if need be. It's brilliant to watch the scope of his work over the decades:

Cubano Chant: check out the handdrumming call and response for the intro.
Perdido, with Ben Webster on sax.
Just Friends, with long-time double bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen.
You Look Good To Me, with double your double bassist pleasure.
More Than You Know, with Ella Fitzgerald.
Alice in Wonderland.
Caravan.
Sushi.
posted by myopicman at 2:58 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by intermod at 2:59 PM on December 24, 2007

Oh, and "hey, there's some great links in this thread".

puts Night Train on the stereo
posted by intermod at 3:15 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by ceri richard at 3:29 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by princess nell at 3:38 PM on December 24, 2007

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Nine clips from the CBC archives
Seven more CBC clips
Five clips from Radio-Canada (in French, sort of)
Biography from the Canadian Archives
Profile from the Canadian Encyclopedia
Oscar Peterson for teachers
posted by Rumple at 3:47 PM on December 24, 2007

crazy.
looking back, our server played "love you madly" about 9:30 toronto time last night. we have most of his recordings on lp and cassette and hadnt heard him in a while. my wife and i were both excited to hear him--- so beautiful.

then just now, this news. sad and ironic. descanse en la paz.
posted by oigocosas at 3:55 PM on December 24, 2007

A more thorough profile of Peterson (via Canada.com)
posted by LinusMines at 4:50 PM on December 24, 2007

with respect to bluedaniel it seems a shame this was such a link weak post.

Knock off that shit. A single-link post is fine; others can add what they want. Thanks for posting this, bluedaniel.

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posted by languagehat at 5:04 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by RussHy at 5:13 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by philfromhavelock at 5:22 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by furtive at 5:26 PM on December 24, 2007 [1 favorite]

I halfway wish I hadn't taken a break from my family festivities to check-in only to see this sad news.

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posted by Thorzdad at 5:28 PM on December 24, 2007

Best of the web!
posted by moift at 5:51 PM on December 24, 2007

languagehat , I sit corrected. I was wrong, what I was thinking didn't come out very well, I intended to say thanks to bluedaniel, that was my point about 'seeing the news here first'. Sorry to get off topic, this is about O.P. Not me. Just wanted to clarify and apologize. Carry on
posted by dawson at 7:40 PM on December 24, 2007

...., ,....

Ten fingers silenced. Loved OP, used play the Pablo recordings endlessly on my Trent Radio jaz show back in the day.
posted by salishsea at 8:23 PM on December 24, 2007

he was a gift.
posted by brandz at 8:37 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by kdern at 9:29 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by fingers_of_fire at 11:45 PM on December 24, 2007

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posted by dirtdirt at 5:40 AM on December 25, 2007

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posted by ersatz at 6:50 AM on December 25, 2007

He came and spoke to my sixth grade class once.
posted by autodidact at 7:30 AM on December 25, 2007

So sad.
posted by exogenous at 3:33 PM on December 25, 2007

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posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:46 PM on December 25, 2007

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posted by suedehead at 3:01 AM on December 27, 2007

I will broadcast a live 4-hour special in tribute to Oscar Peterson this Sunday (12/30) beginning at 6am eastern time on WBGO Jazz 88.3 in New York City (wbgo.org), with anecdotes, interviews and conversations with Oscar and of course - pa-lenty of his "eight hands."

Oscar's death effected far beyond the jazz borderline, hence some quotes found online and elsewhere will be on the platter that morning, including those that you all wrote here.
posted by bluedaniel at 4:52 PM on December 28, 2007