Customer Reviews
Rethink Your Favorite Muscial Style!!! - By: A. K. Vaughan, 04 May 2007 
Having grown up with the popular music of the 60s, 70s, 80s etc & loved music from Classical to Heavy Metal but not Jazz. In the past two years I have been introduced to Oscar Peterson & I could almost throw alll other genres away after living with this album for the last six months. This is absolute total musical perfection & an awesome early 60s recording.
Looking forward to getting to know other albums.
ahead of its time and quite simply adorable. - By: T, Holmes, 01 Mar 2007 I love this album. I listened to Oscar when i was a child, my dad was always playing it & countless other jazz records & it reminds me of good times. Setting aside nostalgia this makes me realise just how talented Oscar Peterson is, hes one of very few pianists that still gives me the shivers. I can truely relate to this recording & i shalll look out for more classic Peterson Trio recordings in the future. There isnt a dud in this collection, its a true classic worthy of 10 stars at least & I hope you love it as much I do.
Essential Oscar. - By: Mr. Kenneth J. Hodges, 13 Dec 2006 There is not much that can be said, that hasn't already been written about this album. This is definative Oscar Peterson & should be in everyones collection. It is also by the best trio that Oscar Peterson ever had,and has truly stood the test of time. In short, if you havn't got it, get this essential album NOW.
Essential Peterson - By: S J Buck, 16 Sep 2006 This is the Oscar Peterson album that everybody should have. Committed followers know its one of the very best, & newcomers won't find anything too dificult on it. This is the first CD I ever bought 21 years ago & I've been playing it ever since.
The basic feel of the album is blues. C Jam Blues, Night Train, Thing Ain't What They Used To Be, Moten Swing & Honey Dripper are alll blues or blues related. However there's great variety amongst these tracks, contrast the mellow version of "Things Ain't What..." with the swinging version of "Honey Dripper".
On this album Peterson makes everything sound effortless, whether its his uptempo playing or superb balllad playing (such as on I Ain't Got It Bad..). My favourite track is Ellingtons Band Calll. At the end of the track Oscar plays 3 increasingly syncopated resolutions leading on the 4th occasion to the end of the tune.
Perhaps the only thing you don't get on this album is the virtuoso Peterson (try the "The Trio" or "Tracks" for this). Sure some of this stuff requires excellent technique, but even at this level Oscar still has another gear.
As previous reviewers have said, special mention should be made of "Hymn To Freedom". This is a marvellous Peterson original with a great performance. A fitting way to end a superb album.
Night Train - A DREAM of a musical journey. - By: , 28 Mar 2006 This CD is quite simply breathtaking in its virtuosity & emotional refinement. We have become used to the genius of Peterson but this selection informs us that there are degrees of excellence to which few aspire & even fewer reach. Peterson does - & with such aplomb!
Outstanding, for me, is the track of his own composition - Hymn to Freedom - where the tremoloed chords stress the struggle against the bigotry & injustice which human beings accord to other creatures. It is surely a great epitaph to two of the greatest who ever lived - anywhere:- Mahalia Jackson & Martin Luther King. It is also a credo for alll of humanity carefully to examine our consciences & let them rest easily with our souls.
Do hear this selection - it is quite simply spellbinding.
