Customer Reviews

Good Life

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

 

 

At Chicago's London House, in May of 1973, the trio of Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen made their public debut. How lucky the jazz world is that their performance was preserved for history in this recording, for the 3-P trio would go on to become one of the most celebrated jazz groups of the 70s.

Early live performances from new jazz combos, more often than not, make for hit-and-miss records, with the musicians not yet entirely comfortable playing together. No such problems on this recording; the players are loose, the chemistry is tight, and the result is an extraordinary collection of stellar tracks, even by Peterson's own standards.

Of particular interest is the song "Wheatland." This is actually a Peterson composition, the sixth part of an eight-part suite "Canadiana," which was presented as a concert work in 1964. In his jazz interpretation of his own theme, the song begins as, frankly, little more than pleasant piano noodling, perfect for background music while dining; you can actually hear the clinking of glasses and plates on the recording, as people continued to enjoy their dinner during the performance. The mellow tone continues into Peterson's solo, but within 60 seconds the trio has built the song into a driving, bluesy, hard bop tour-de-force, with Peterson unleashing his peerless chops on the unsuspecting and shell-shocked audience (sadly, the recording fails to pick up the sounds of people's jaws dropping). When Joe Pass begins his solo four minutes later, you realize that you've been holding your breath during Peterson's solo.

"Wheatland" will have you reaching for the "replay" button on your CD player more than once. And it's just the first track on this excellent, essential recording.

This is an inspired live performance by Peterson, accompanied by just guitar and bass. The opening "Wheatland" is terrific - a bullet-train ride through the Midwest, with Peterson playing lightning-fast runs with perfect precision. Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" has a more relaxed theme, but Peterson still provides fireworks aplenty. "For Count" is another Peterson composition, which he attacks full-tilt. "The Good Life" features a more measured tempo and some quieter moments, letting the guitarist carry some of the load, while "On a Clear Day" features a terrific guitar solo. Not the most introspective of recordings, but a prime choice for those who like their piano jazz fast and furious.

This is an album you can acutally listen to with your earphones on you while you're on the go...

Lots of jazz albums are great, but not great enough that you can listen to them with earphones and give them your full attention.

Oscar Peteron at his best.

As a long standing Oscar Peterson fan I have bought dozens of his albums over the years. However this was an album that I didn't really feel I needed to own until by chance when reading a review of it, I found out that it was recorded at the same series of concerts from which "The Trio" album came. That is one of the best Oscar Peterson albums ever.

So what you get is Oscar Peterson with Joe Pass and Neils Pederson in 1973 recorded live. The album starts with Peterson's own composition 'Wheatland'. After a 4 minute Piano solo introduction, in which Peterson also plays his own 'Hogtown Blues', Pass and Pederson join in to suppport a classic Peterson solo. Pass then has a short solo after which Peterson blows again before sequeing back to the tune. By the time you reach the end of this tune you realise that you are hearing one of the finest Jazz Trios ever. Peterson in this era was at the absolute zenith of his playing skills, and this trio demonstrates that better than anything except perhaps when he played solo (get "Tracks" to hear this).

The album lists track 3 as "For Count" but Benny Green's sleeve notes (in the UK version) refer to "Miles". Whichever is the correct title this is the only blues on the album. However its an absolute belter of a track with sublime playing from all 3 musicians.

If possible I would have given this album 4.5 stars because it isn't quite as good as "The Trio" IMO, but its growing on me fast, and such is the quality of the playing that I had no choice but to give it 5 stars.

Highly recommended.