Customer Reviews

Motions & Emotions

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This is one of the slickest, most cosmopolitan Jazz albums ever. There is a lush orchestra arranged by Claus Ogerman, that leaves enough room for Peterson's improvisations and manages to actually compliment his dynamic style. Ogerman was originally from Munich, before he started to work as an arranger for stars like Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim and recently Diana Krall. In 1969 he arranged this album for Oscar Peterson called, which originally came out on MPS, a label located in Villingen, a small town in the German backwoods of the Black Forrest.

I've loved this record for many years...Oscar Peterson's virtuosity coupled with Claus Ogerman's sublime & melancholy string lines make for a stunning combination. Seek out any record that features Ogerman & you'll be rewarded.
The previous reviewer's description of this music as "cosmopolitan" is a pretty good summation. Wonderfully dated!
I always loved the cover art as well...it took me a really long time to realize that if you turn the cover upside down, it's a picture of a singed stack of paper...brilliant!

I've owned this CD for well over a decade now and I still get a huge buzz out of playing it. I'm really pleased to see it's been remastered and reissued. Accompanied by his rhythm group of Sam Jones on bass and Bobby Durham on drums and recorded in 1969, pianist Oscar Peterson with his famous chamber music style, tackles some of the most popular tunes of the day, from Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave", to Lennon & McCartney's "Yesterday" & "Eleanor Rigby", to Bacharach & David's "This Guy's In Love With You". The debate about the fusion of jazz and pop had long already begun by the time this album was recorded but Peterson - and I quote from the inner sleeve notes - "demonstrate[s] with exceptional authority how superfluous and idiotic it is to draw musical boundaries and put up toll gates." Make no mistake, the music might be popular but this is jazz.

Peterson's virtuosity and command of the piano is astounding and his improvisations on tunes that are already well known end up magnifying his gift when one would (pessimistically, perhaps) expect it to be compromised by its 'pop' surroundings. The recording's crowning glory is the magnificent orchestration arranged and conducted by Claus Ogerman and while I'm sure Durham uses the bass drum, his touch is so slight (though it could also be the way the album was mixed), it's barely audible. The result is a light and airy sound that is a real joy to experience.

If you are a fan of jazz piano, at least one recording by Peterson in your collection is a definite must. I highly recommend this one as a starting point. It's such huge fun!

I had this on LP for many years, then upgraded in the begining of the '90's with the CD version from 1990, which had very much the same marvellous sound with perfect balance between piano and orchestra.

A few years ago I jumped high when I saw that ALL 15 albums Peterson made for MPS were coming out in remastered versions with complete original sleeves (wich was not the case with the 1990 version, where only the frontcover of the album were more or less original). I happened to sell off most the two or three CD's I had from this series before "upgrading". I regret I did this when it comes to two of the titels: "Motions & Emotions" and "My Favourite Instrument, since the sound is different AND inferior!

The "original" CD from 1990 is perfect in balance while the remastered CD puts the strings of the orchestra right up front and the piano pretty much in the background (what a shame!). This was a CD I often listened to before, but every time since upgrading, I keep getting annoyed of quite not hearing the piano as I was used to hear it.

Time to "backgrade" to the CD from 1990 wich makes much more justice to the sound that was initially intended by the super-team from MPS.

Daniel

This a bar none, one of the best and most relaxing cd's I have heard in a long time. The title Motions & Emotions truly describes the affect that this cd will have on you

I got into this LP WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY back in June of 1971...........
I was in College at the time. A friend stopped by with a hand full of LPs. We did that back then.
carry our LPS (wax) around from place to place sharing our NEW finds with one another

Wave by Antino Carlos Jobim i have heard through the years from many wonderful musicians.
It being one of my Jobim favorites of all time.

Oscar takes the WAVE and puts you on top of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ever so slowly cresting
You ebb and flow beautifully through the orchestration . Oscar takes you for a ride of a life time
and you will want more.
The arrangement is OUT of THIS WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still have my WAX LP, and i occasionally listen to this Masterful piece.
NOW, i have it on DISC and it will travel with me for ever..........
I miss you dearly Oscar.......