OSCAR PETERSON TRIO

AT BAKER’S KEYBOARD LOUNGE: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS

Verve Records

Oscar Peterson, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums.

Being a native of Detroit, Michigan and a long-time supporter of Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, one of two jazz clubs in the United States that has stayed open consistently for over nine decades, I was eager to hear these historic, lost, live recordings by the brilliant, piano genius, Oscar Peterson.

The trio opens with “Autumn Leaves.”  Oscar Peterson’s fingers fly over the keys like the wings of an eagle, fluttering powerfully, moving swiftly, but with grace.

This is followed by a very classically flavored arrangement of “Django.”   It soon transitions into a slow swing, propelled by Ed Thigpen’s powerful drums and the rich, walking bass of Ray Brown. With the snap of a finger, Oscar Peterson transforms this arrangement into a bluesy funk tune.

The trio’s rendition of “Confirmation” swings so hard and so fast, it’s like watching Muhammad Ali’s hands at the height of his career.  The speed and agility of Peterson and his bandmates challenge my fingers to snap fast enough.  With the musical speed of lightning, his hands strike the keys again and again, his fingers race each other up and down the eighty-eight keys.

The song, “Whisper Not,” settles them down to a sexy, semi-slow tempo, but always with a ‘kick.’ This is a simmering ‘swing’ characteristic that Peterson puts into everything he plays.  It’s like that special, secret spice grandma used in her seasonings. The one that makes us wish we had the recipe.

Off and running, next comes “Billy Boy” that’s full of joy and humor.

“Ill Wind” is a favorite song of mine. To hear Peterson’s arrangement of this pretty ballad was quite a treat.  He takes us on a ride through a European classical music introduction, into a more modern jazz vernacular, then settles down into a shuffle groove that reminds me of the 1940s and Billie Holiday. The dramatic roll of Thigpen’s drums ends this creative arrangement with a bang.

On the familiar “Chicago” tune, I enjoy the Ray Brown bass solo, as well as the infectious drum rhythms that Thigpen instills in the tune. When Peterson double-times the piece over the shuffle drums, I can’t pat my foot fast enough to keep up.

This is an album of historic value and a collector’s dream.  Every song is performed with clarity and creativity beyond the average imagination.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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