OSCAR PETERSON TRIO - The Complete Tokyo Concert 1964
Domino Records 891227
CD One
Oscar Peterson ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Ed Thigpen ( drs )
Recorded Sankei Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 2nd June 1964
CD Two
Tracks 1 to 5
Personnel &recording date as CD One
Tracks 6 to 13
Personnel as CD One
Recorded Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, 29th May 1965
Oscar Peterson has a massive amount of recordings under his name as well as those as sideman, his career is covered from his early beginnings in Canada to his final recordings in the USA. The trio on this album is probably represented more than most and is possibly his best known, for it’s quality as well as its quantity.
On his arrival in the USA from Canada he recorded with just a bass player more often than not that would be Ray Brown, he then added the guitar with Irving Ashby, Barney Kessel and finally Herb Ellis before switching to the trio on this album.
The majority of these two CDs are recordings from the 1964 Tokyo concert and the programme consists of numbers he has previously recorded over the years but this does not detract from the performances.
“At Long Last Love” and “Tangerine” are taken at that easy tempo which the trio were so good at and not at the frantic tempo that the trio often lapsed into.
Both “I Remember Clifford” and “Maidens of Cadiz” commence as ballads but as is often usual Oscar soon ups the tempo sometimes at the expense of the mood of the piece.
“Bag’s Groove” opens with a fascinating bass solo by Ray Brown which develops into a fine solo by Oscar which has single note runs and develops into one of the best tracks on the album.
The opening of “Like Someone in Love” unaccompanied piano before Ray Browns bass entry, this is Oscar at his most reflective.
CD Two’s first five tracks are the balance of the Tokyo concert and opens with a fast paced “Tonight” from “West Side Story” and is all over in the blink of an eye. The most interesting track of these tracks is Oscar’s own composition “Hymn To Freedom” which has a gospel feel to it but ths is Oscar at his best.
The balance of the tracks were recorded in Copenhagen at the Tivoli Gardens a year later with the same personnel. These tracks main interest is that are three of Oscar’s own compositions, “Smudge”, “Lovers Promenade” and “Children’s Tune”, of the three “Smudge” is the swinger whilst “Lover’s Promenade” is pretty tune with Oscar make use of block chords.
The standout track is the John Lewis composition “Django” which rivals the John Lewis solo on the original Modern Jazz Quartet recording.
There plenty of interesting piano playing on these two discs but it’s for you depends on how much of the Peterson catalogue you have but it’s a certainly a worthwhile purchase.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
Domino Records 891227
CD One
Oscar Peterson ( pno ) Ray Brown ( bass ) Ed Thigpen ( drs )
Recorded Sankei Hall, Tokyo, Japan, 2nd June 1964
CD Two
Tracks 1 to 5
Personnel &recording date as CD One
Tracks 6 to 13
Personnel as CD One
Recorded Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, 29th May 1965
Oscar Peterson has a massive amount of recordings under his name as well as those as sideman, his career is covered from his early beginnings in Canada to his final recordings in the USA. The trio on this album is probably represented more than most and is possibly his best known, for it’s quality as well as its quantity.
On his arrival in the USA from Canada he recorded with just a bass player more often than not that would be Ray Brown, he then added the guitar with Irving Ashby, Barney Kessel and finally Herb Ellis before switching to the trio on this album.
The majority of these two CDs are recordings from the 1964 Tokyo concert and the programme consists of numbers he has previously recorded over the years but this does not detract from the performances.
“At Long Last Love” and “Tangerine” are taken at that easy tempo which the trio were so good at and not at the frantic tempo that the trio often lapsed into.
Both “I Remember Clifford” and “Maidens of Cadiz” commence as ballads but as is often usual Oscar soon ups the tempo sometimes at the expense of the mood of the piece.
“Bag’s Groove” opens with a fascinating bass solo by Ray Brown which develops into a fine solo by Oscar which has single note runs and develops into one of the best tracks on the album.
The opening of “Like Someone in Love” unaccompanied piano before Ray Browns bass entry, this is Oscar at his most reflective.
CD Two’s first five tracks are the balance of the Tokyo concert and opens with a fast paced “Tonight” from “West Side Story” and is all over in the blink of an eye. The most interesting track of these tracks is Oscar’s own composition “Hymn To Freedom” which has a gospel feel to it but ths is Oscar at his best.
The balance of the tracks were recorded in Copenhagen at the Tivoli Gardens a year later with the same personnel. These tracks main interest is that are three of Oscar’s own compositions, “Smudge”, “Lovers Promenade” and “Children’s Tune”, of the three “Smudge” is the swinger whilst “Lover’s Promenade” is pretty tune with Oscar make use of block chords.
The standout track is the John Lewis composition “Django” which rivals the John Lewis solo on the original Modern Jazz Quartet recording.
There plenty of interesting piano playing on these two discs but it’s for you depends on how much of the Peterson catalogue you have but it’s a certainly a worthwhile purchase.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
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