Customer Reviews

Exclusively for My Friends

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This four CD box set stands as the true benchmark of Oscar Petersons mammoth recording ouput. The recordings were made privately before select audiences from 1963 through until 1968. All of the selections feature Peterson in a trio with the likes of Ray Brown, Sam Jones and Ed Thigpen in support.

The material represented here consists almost entirely of jazz standards with just two Peterson originals. Peterson's playing is varied from agressive uptempo romps (Eg. "Travellin' On") to more subdued ballads (Eg. "Emily"). The music on this set is very enjoyable and does not become at all repetative in nature. The recording quality is of a good standard and consistant throughout the set.

Overall, I would highly recommend this set to any jazz listener. Peterson's technique is absolutely flawless and swings hard with the bass-drum support (Take "Tin Tin Deo" for example! ). The music documented here is quite simply essential and should form part of any representative jazz collection.

When Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer decided to record and produce Oscar Peterson on several albums in the 1960s, Peterson was given free reign to play the way he wanted to play. Brunner-Schwer (the founder of Polygram Records) managed to record what are arguably Peterson's finest recordings.

Peterson plays a hybrid of swing, bop, and rag on these exquisite recordings. With a combination of Art Tatumish ornamentations, block chord improvisations, and orchestral highs and lows, Peterson managed to be subtle and showy without ever compromising his musicianship or insulting the intelligence of listeners.

There are almost too many highlights to mention in these recordings. Yet a few stand out. Peterson glistens and swings on Gershwin & Gershwin's "SUMMERTIME". His brooding and lengthy interpretation of McHugh & Fields' "I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE" is without comparison and is perhaps the definitive Jazz piano interpretation. He displays his perfection at dynamics with the Benny Carter chestnut "WHEN LIGHTS ARE LOW" which begins with solo piano, merges into a slow soft-shoe trio, then builds to a blues-drenched crescendo. This compilation features a diverse array of standards as well as Peterson's own compositions "SANDY'S BLUES" and "NOREEN'S NOCTURNE". Disc Four grants the listener the treat of Peterson playing solo piano.

No serious Peterson fan can afford to not own his recordings from this period. No serious Jazz fan will find a more coherent and listenable compilation. The Non-Jazz fan will be converted. Worth every penny!!

If your a Peterson fan,this is the 'loin cut'.In this well-rounded collection,there are two trio formats, including the high calibre playing of SAM JONES and RAY BROWN,BOBBY DURHAM,ED THIGPEN,AND LOUIS HAYES on bass and drums respectively. All provide exceptional support throughout this collection.And in addition,Peterson presents us with a beautiful set of solo piano pieces which could well be considered the 'companion' to his other brilliant solo recording,'TRACKS'.This comes very highly reccommended, as it represents the quintessential example of piano performances in the trio and solo platforms at the very highest level from one of the greatest legends of the piano in modern jazz history. Highlights for me were 'AT LAST LONG LOVE',and'TIN TIN DEO',which are great examples of how much can be done in the 'trio platform'with good arranging,and gorgeous solo interpretations of 'I SHOULD CARE','WHO CAN I TURN TO', and 'BODY AND SOUL'.On all three Oscar starts in a rubato format,where he lays down those 'fat' sonorities which only the largest of hands can pull off,those lush and dense voicings,the prototypic signature voice of Oscar Peterson.Then some more reflective pieces'LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE',and,'I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE'(an exhaustive study of the possibilites in the approach to the re-harmonization of chords,especially in the alteration of dominant functions),'LITTLE GIRL BLUE'for it's plaintive and recflective aura,as it floats away on Debussy/Ravel-like harmonic textures.'BYE BYE BLACKBIRD',in which Oscar provides us with a virtual masterclass in the art of 'block-chord' playing.And finally,'LULU'S BACK IN TOWN',a great example of genuine stride-piano.Peterson 'digs' right through this one. EXCLUSIVELY FOR MY FRIENDS is a marvellous collection you can return to again and again over the years for your listening pleasure.The whole package is a real treat!Enjoy.Health and Happiness.

In these four incredible discs recorded in Villingen, Germany, between 1963 and 1968, Peterson truly plays the spectrum here with the standards and a few originals. With Brown, Thigpen and Jones in tow, Peterson captures the aura of true jazz emotion. Peterson stands with the great jazz pianists but this set proves this claim.

Regardless the dated recordation, the sound and clarity on these discs is excellent. Many times, older recordings become muted and tinny. This one surpasses that taboo.

In addition to the four discs, this set comes with a 32-page booklet containing historical photographs, original-cover photographs, and a detailed discography. The value of this set is truly outstanding.

I highly recommend this set for purchase.

This album (4 CDs) has several of the masterworks of Oscar Peterson who is (without any doubt) the greatest jazz piano virtuose ever.

Since I was a child I listen Oscar Peterson albums and I can guarantee you that it is a very nice emotional experience.

As a pianist I know that it will be very difficult for the world to produce another pianist with the dexterity and sensibility of Oscar Peterson.

I was owing him this review.

Absolutely phenomenal.

I wore these records out when they first were issued in the Sixties. It is wonderful to have them available in CD form. They represent Peterson at his best--superb rhythm sections, completely involving performances by Oscar, and what has to be one of the best sounding live recordings ever made of a jazz musician. Just like being there. I see they have also been released on SACD. Hard to believe these recordings could sound any better. In my opinion this set contains some of the greatest jazz piano ever recorded. Peterson could be flashy and glib, but not here. Just deep swinging jazz, with great blues playing underlying nearly every selection.

As the man said, this is the best recording he ever did. This, from one of the finest pianists in the entire history of jazz. There's an enourmous quantity of high quality music on the 3 CD set and the recording quality is high class. These recordings were done at the peak of Oscar and this band's powers. A supreme trio - a supreme listening experience.

This review is very short: Exclusively for My Friends, is simply the best piano jazz record you can buy. I do not think that in the next two hundred years we are going to hear a piano player like Oscar Peterson.

Oftentimes, one needs to be a little bit suspicious about products that rate nothing but five star reviews. But that's not the case here. Oscar Peterson (OP) has recorded some of the seminal works of piano jazz and this four disc set (collecting together six albums worth of material) easily ranks as among the best stuff he ever produced. I've been listening to Night Train and Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book for years and loved them, so I can't give you a real good reason why I waited so long to buy this set. And literally, when I started listening to these, they spent two continuous weeks in my CD player. (I only took them out when I wanted to listen to the Ellington recording for comparison.) You get OP in various trios and solo as well, and you get swing, and bop and traditional, all in varying doses as represented by classic and (at the time) soon-to-be classic jazz songs. I could go into all kinds of detail about the songs and the performances, but honestly, I wouldn't know where to begin or end. Suffice to say, because this 4-CD set satisfies in many different ways on a number of different levels, there is no reason to wait around for encouragement or sales or anything like that. Buy this set, sit back, relax, and enjoy the jazz.

The are some great musical artists that have drawn me into different kinds of music (e.g., the Beatles, Leontyne Price, Mary Chapin Carpenter). After many years of listening to music, I finally got into jazz through Oscar Peterson's great playing. Although I listen to other jazz artists, Peterson is still the most satisfying. These recordings have some of his best playing, with great sidemen. If you love jazz piano, this is set is well worth the price.