Customer Reviews

Trio

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Not to be confused with his album of the same title on the Verve record label, this recording captures a live performance from 1973 made by the Oscar Peterson trio consisting of Joe Pass on guitar and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pederson on bass. The set (played at the London House in Chicago) showcases Peterson's extraordinary technique and talent for the blues. The first track, "Blues Etude", presents a romping version of the standard twelve-bar form that highlights Peterson's ambidextrous technical facility and excellent stride ability. The next two tunes on the album include a lengthy but soulful take of "Chicago Blues" and an inspired version of "Easy Listening Blues." "Come Sunday" presents guitar virtuoso Joe Pass's reflective touch to the classic Ellington standard. Played unaccompanied, the track also reveals Pass's seminal solo concept. "Secret Love" serves as a buoyant closer to a classic performance in the annals of jazz.

Though often overlooked by most jazz listeners, "The Trio" is certainly one Oscar Peterson's best albums, due in no small part to the support of sidemen Pederson and Pass. This album is essential to the record collection of both connoisseur and casual listener alike. Highly recommended.

I have a lot of Oscar Peterson's music which is all superior to much jazz piano. This CD really "sets the house on fire". Peterson's speed and artistry on "The Trio" cannot be matched by any recorded pianist in any genre, dead or alive, except Art Tatum. Peterson's hands move like lightening with great agility across the key board. On this 1973 live date, Peterson shines unlike in many of his other recordings. He spent a good deal of his career in the shadows, musically supporting and nurturing others. Not here! He is the STAR. Pendersen and Pass are wonderful musical team mates for the one and only Oscar Peterson.

Many listeners believe Oscar Peterson over plays, and, I guess, at times, he has, but here on "The Trio" that wonderful technical facility, that massive attack, is put in the service of sheer joy. With Niels Pederson and Joe Pass, Peterson positively gorges on the opening "Blues Etude." There is so much fun, crackling energy and wow-inducing fireworks during this live performance, you get the sense that Peterson is thrilled to let it all hang out for his audience. It is jazz, after all, and sometimes that means excitement. Soft passages, particularly lovely solo guitar work by the singular stylist, Pass, but the dominant theme here is rollicking celebration.

People criticise Oscar Peterson. They say he is predictable. They say he over-plays. They say he is not 'a real jazz pianist'.

Peterson has been my favourite musican for quite some time now, and I have listened to a hell of a lot of his music, effectively gaining an insight into his whole career through the 50+ albums I've bought. The reason I got into him began with this album, which was played to me shortly after his death. Recently my opinion started to change. Listening to all the other fantastic jazz musicians out there, I began seeing where people where coming from. Oscar does at times seem a bit one-dimensional and reliant on going through the motions of playing his selection of runs and licks. Maybe he does belong in a lower category than the likes of John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Miles Davis?

However, a ew days ago I listened to 'The Trio' again...and now my opinion has firmly changed. Listen to Blues Etude. Listen to Chicago Blues. Listen to Easy Listening Blues. Oscar Peterson is the greatest man ever to sit at the piano. His performance on the whole album (and these three tracks expecially) is undoubtedly the most incredible jazz I have ever heard. He owns that keyboard. And he owns his title of the greatest jazz pianist ever to have lived.

Buy this album. Oscar Peterson will blow...you...away.

I have been listening to this album for decades and it remains one of my favourite Oscar Peterson albums.
Primarily this is a blues based album, but its the blues played like few others could. Chicago Blues for example is 13mins of genius. This is virtuoso playing, showing that Oscar is/was a blues player without equal at the time of this recording. Miles Davis was never more wrong when he said that Oscar sounded as though he had learnt to play the blues. As previous reviewers have said Blues Etude (the opening track) will blow you away, its an amazing performance, but the remaining tracks are nearly as good, if not at the same frantic tempo!

I'm a huge Oscar Peterson fan, as well as his collaborations with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pederson on bass. This performance will get your blood flowing and your feet tapping. "The Trio" is one of the two best of Peterson's albums in my opinion. I listen to it over and over without tiring of their energy and technical skills. A must for your Peterson and/or Pederson collection. "The Trio" is jazz at its finest.

Oscar Peterson long considered this album to be among his finest achievements.It is not difficult to see,or rather hear why.
There are not enough superlatives in a library full of dictionaries to adequately described Peterson s playing on "Blues Etude".The vitality and speed of his execution can easily obscure the meticulous clarity of his technique and the intertwining roots of jazz piano history which continually manifest themselves.
The magnificent "Chicago Blues" and "Easy Listening Blues" are soaked in the emotions,passions and folklore of this musical and social culture and they also make a mockery of so much music which masquerades as "the blues".
Pass plays an oblique tribute to the blues with an erudite and sensitive rendition of "Come Sunday".This piece was composed by Duke Ellingtonas part of his monumental "Black,Brown and Beige Suite" in which he portrays early black history in America.
The trio sign off with a bright and sparkling exposition of "Secret Love",once again Pass alludes to the blues with his riffs and hints of earthiness.
Pass and Pedersen are superb and this group went on to reach ever greater heights.Despite the collective brilliance of the trio on this night in Chicago,this is,beyond ANY doubt,Peterson s album.

This is just a fantastic album. Joe Pass and NHOP are Oscars partners in this 1973 club recording. Oscar was probably at his virtuoso peak at this time, and this is probably the most technically proficient trio he ever had.
The recording quality isn't fantastic, and the album is only about 40 mins long, but this an essential purchase if you're an Oscar fan or if you're somebody who wants to see what all the fuss was about.
There are only five tracks, of which the first three tracks are basically blues. Blues Etude starts the album off at a stratospheric tempo. The solo Piano break near the end of this track is quite astonishing. The next two tracks are not quite as immediately breath-taking but still show the lie that "Oscar sounded like he had to learn to play the Blues". Thats a Miles quote and wonderful as Miles was, he was wrong about Oscar.
Listen to this album and you'll see why.

Got turned on to this recording recently by a friend. Very "blues-y" selections, and Oscar's piano solo on "Blues Etude" will blow you away! A "must have" for fans of Oscar Peterson!

The first track, "Blues Etude" is just amazing--I've never heard anything else quite like it. Oscar is roaring (literally), playing with tremendous power, speed, and passion. The rest of the album is good, but anti-climactic. By the way, the I don't know which record the sample tracks listed above (as of this date) are actually on, but they are not the tracks found on "The Trio."