Oscar Peterson "Original Duos Recordings 1950-1951"

[JSngry]

Funny, but when a chef gets asked how to make a certain dish, nobody ever asks them to not go into technical detail...

But ok...Peterson was what you hear is what you get. Tatum, otoh, was frequently into some weird ass shit within his spooge.

Sorry, but when it comes to talking about the technicalities of music in non-technical terms, that's the best I can do.

[JSngry]

Or try this - once you hear the details of the harmonic direction inside a lot of Tatum's flamboyance, it become apparent that the man is actually making some bold moves into places the source material did not provide for in its original form. Peterson rarely did this, at least not to the degree that Tatum. Of course, tehre are really two Tatums - the "parlor pianist" and the "serious musician". sometimes the exists simultaneously, which makes fopr a thicker soup than many palates prefer to tackle, and understandably so. But the effort is rewarded for those who make it.

Me, I like the spooge thing better, but...

[AllenLowe]

Barry Harris on Oscar Peterson: "He's not my favorite piano player."

Bill Triglia on Oscar Peterson: "He's not my favorite piano player."

strange, but when I asked both the same question in the early 1980s, they said the exact same thing. Though maybe Triglia added, as I recall "I admire his technique."

[JETman]

If Peterson was so "jive-ass", why did so many top-notch musicians play with him? I mean, Ray Brown, for instance, certainly had the stature to call his own shots and get whatever gigs he wanted, whenever he wanted. So why to did he (apparently) choose to back OP up so often? Could it have only been for the mula? FWIW, while I enjoy MANY of OP's records, I do see your points, and am not his biggest fan. But c'mon, he was certainly a top-notch act himself. Btw, I can see many people feeling the same way about Jamal, or Garner for that matter, as they do about Peterson.

[AllenLowe]

actually, Bill Evans, too, was a big admirer of Peterson - what can I say? It's a free country - and actually I have similar feelings about Jamal, though not Garner, who could really blow. Jamal can play, but has always been, to my ears, formulaic (I actually hear some of the same problems with Shearing, who is a harmonic master but who played, perhaps, too much lounge-stuff over the years).

I will add that jazz musicians are among the worst judges of other musicians - sometimes don't see the forest for the trees, musically speaking.

And Ray Brown is no surprise, as he had some similar musical oddness, in my opinion. Shoot me for this, but I always thought he played too much (and you shoulda heard one of his previous sidemen with Dizzy complaining one night in NYC in the 1970s- said basically the same thing, that Brown tried to be the whole rhythm section) - it's, to me, a little like Buddy Rich's problem - I always thought he sounded much better before he became a star and felt like he had to be the center of attention all the time.

Edited September 25, 2009 by AllenLowe

[JETman]

actually, Bill Evans, too, was a big admirer of Peterson - what can I say? It's a free country - and actually I have similar feelings about Jamal, though not Garner, who could really blow. Jamal can play, but has always been, to my ears, formulaic (I actually hear some of the same problems with Shearing, who is a harmonic master but who played, perhaps, too much lounge-stuff over the years).

I will add that jazz musicians are among the worst judges of other musicians - sometimes don't see the forest for the trees, musically speaking.

And Ray Brown is no surprise, as he had some similar musical oddness, in my opinion. Shoot me for this, but I always thought he played too much (and you shoulda heard one of his previous sidemen with Dizzy complaining one night in NYC in the 1970s- said basically the same thing, that Brown tried to be the whole rhythm section) - it's, to me, a little like Buddy Rich's problem - I always thought he sounded much better before he became a star and felt like he had to be the center of attention all the time.

Thanks for your explanation, Allen.

I agree about Shearing, and think that Garner sounds very "loungy" sometimes. As a matter of fact, he's one of the reasons why I just can't listen to many solo piano records anymore.

[AllenLowe]

if you want to get really knocked out, listen to Garner's intros - I heard one on an old VHS tape of a Steve Allen Show and it sounded just like Cecil Taylor, believe it or not -

[JETman]

if you want to get really knocked out, listen to Garner's intros - I heard one on an old VHS tape of a Steve Allen Show and it sounded just like Cecil Taylor, believe it or not -

And Martha Glaser allowed that?

[AllenLowe]

yes, even though she would not let his fellow sidemen go to the bathroom -

(refers to what Oliver Jackson once told me, which I posted elsewhere recently - Glaser made sure that only Garner had a light on him on-stage; OJ said "I couldn't even see enough to go take a pee") -

[crisp]

Amazon.com is now listing this set here for a US release on November 10 -- at the much higher price of $54.98!

[jazzbo]

I found this set description on Hip-O-Select:

SITE PRE-SALE DATE: 10/02/09

SITE SHIP DATE: 10/16/09

LIMITED EDITION QUANITITY: 6500

Verve Select uncovers an underappreciated and hardly-compiled segment of pianist Oscar Peterson’s brilliant career – his first U.S. recordings, when he simply played and improvised backed by two of the greatest standup bassists of all time.

Debut is a beautifully rendered 3-CD box set that includes 49 Peterson duo recordings – everything he recorded with Ray Brown, or with Major “Mule” Holley, in the brief period before the introduction of OP’s world-renowned trio format. The set features his early singles – notably “Debut” and the hit “Tenderly” – and all of the tracks that would later be released on the Clef and Verve LPs Tenderly, Keyboard and An Evening With Oscar Peterson, plus duo recordings that were included on the LP Nostalgic Memories (an otherwise quartet album). Deep vault research uncovered a gem as well: an unreleased version of “There’s A Small Hotel.”

Debut begins with Oscar’s literal U.S. debut: a live recording from Carnegie Hall when the 24-year-old pianist performed for American audience for the first time, in September 1949, when he surprised and wowed the crowd. Oscar became Norman Granz’s go-to pianist for his Jazz At The Philharmonic tour, and Disc 1 of the set also includes his return to Carnegie Hall a year later. Newly discovered on the masters for the 1950 set is an discovered unreleased live performance of “Tea For Two.”

Debut has more: the set is housed in exquisite packaging – a 7 3/8” square book reminiscent of classic jazz EPs – that includes extensive liner notes by best-selling author David Ritz, rare photos, reproductions of restored original Clef and Mercury LP and EP cover art, detailed track annotations, a full discography (singles, EPs, 10- and 12- inch LPs), and a chronological “sessionography” with master numbers for serious collectors. Oscar Peterson’s music has also been carefully restored and remastered from the original masters, making this a must-have for music fans.

[JETman]

I found this set description on Hip-O-Select:

SITE PRE-SALE DATE: 10/02/09

SITE SHIP DATE: 10/16/09

LIMITED EDITION QUANITITY: 6500

Verve Select uncovers an underappreciated and hardly-compiled segment of pianist Oscar Peterson’s brilliant career – his first U.S. recordings, when he simply played and improvised backed by two of the greatest standup bassists of all time.

Debut is a beautifully rendered 3-CD box set that includes 49 Peterson duo recordings – everything he recorded with Ray Brown, or with Major “Mule” Holley, in the brief period before the introduction of OP’s world-renowned trio format. The set features his early singles – notably “Debut” and the hit “Tenderly” – and all of the tracks that would later be released on the Clef and Verve LPs Tenderly, Keyboard and An Evening With Oscar Peterson, plus duo recordings that were included on the LP Nostalgic Memories (an otherwise quartet album). Deep vault research uncovered a gem as well: an unreleased version of “There’s A Small Hotel.”

Debut begins with Oscar’s literal U.S. debut: a live recording from Carnegie Hall when the 24-year-old pianist performed for American audience for the first time, in September 1949, when he surprised and wowed the crowd. Oscar became Norman Granz’s go-to pianist for his Jazz At The Philharmonic tour, and Disc 1 of the set also includes his return to Carnegie Hall a year later. Newly discovered on the masters for the 1950 set is an discovered unreleased live performance of “Tea For Two.”

Debut has more: the set is housed in exquisite packaging – a 7 3/8” square book reminiscent of classic jazz EPs – that includes extensive liner notes by best-selling author David Ritz, rare photos, reproductions of restored original Clef and Mercury LP and EP cover art, detailed track annotations, a full discography (singles, EPs, 10- and 12- inch LPs), and a chronological “sessionography” with master numbers for serious collectors. Oscar Peterson’s music has also been carefully restored and remastered from the original masters, making this a must-have for music fans.

So, the 6.99 pound price on HMW was a mis-price then? Sounds like it.

[JETman]

Says "Sold Out" on the Hip-O-Select website, btw. However, Amazon and CD Universe are taking pre-orders for an 11/10/09 release.

[jazzbo]

It's one of Hip-O's imports, they just buy a small quanitiy.

[neveronfriday]

Play.com still has this up for a little over 10 Pounds.

Is that an outfit that actually honors its prices (it's obviously too low compared to other sites where you have to pay way over Euro 40 for the box)?

If yes, I'll give it a shot.

[crisp]

Four months later and HMV has canceled my order. Thought £6.99 was too good to be true! The odd thing is that it doesn't seem to be available at any other UK websites, although it's out in the US and elsewhere in Europe. Bit pricey for me at the moment, though.

[jlhoots]

$34.95 at Jazz Loft.

[crisp]

Thanks, but that would bust a little thing we have in the UK called the customs limit

[gmonahan]

Four months later and HMV has canceled my order. Thought £6.99 was too good to be true! The odd thing is that it doesn't seem to be available at any other UK websites, although it's out in the US and elsewhere in Europe. Bit pricey for me at the moment, though.

Yeah, I just got that email too. What a drag! That was going to be a great deal!

gregmo

[JETman]

Four months later and HMV has canceled my order. Thought £6.99 was too good to be true! The odd thing is that it doesn't seem to be available at any other UK websites, although it's out in the US and elsewhere in Europe. Bit pricey for me at the moment, though.

Yeah, I just got that email too. What a drag! That was going to be a great deal!

gregmo

Better than getting Pink Floyd's "Oh, By the Way" 16 cd boxed set for $23.97?