City Lights: The Oscar Peterson Quartet- Live In Munich, 1994
Mack Avenue, 2024
9/10
Listen to City Lights: The Oscar Peterson Quartet- Live In Munich, 1994
A live set captured at one Oscar Peterson's first concerts following a stroke during a performance the year prior that relegated his left hand useless, here he proved to his collaborators, fans, and himself that his jazz piano ways were still very much intact.
“There Will Never Be Another You” opens the set with Martin Drew’s fluid drumming and Lorne Lofsky’s swift guitar that suits Peterson’s meticulous keys, and “The Gentle Waltz” follows with sublime keys that radiate much warmth before Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen’s frisky bass enters.
Landing in the middle, “Love Ballade” allows for Peterson’s meticulous keys to tug on the heartstrings, while “City Lights” is an upbeat moment of detailed instrumentation that welcomes a lively rhythm section for the rich album highlight.
“Sating Doll” and “Nighttime” exit the listen. The former showcases the bass acrobatics amid firm keys and no lack of melody, and the latter finishes with rhythm and grace that doesn’t shy away from exploration, either.
Largely considered one of the most revered jazz pianists ever, Peterson amassed over 200 recordings and won seven GRAMMY® Awards. The selections here include 5 originals, a pair of standards, an Ørsted Pedersen samba, and an Ellington piece, and they all further cement Peterson’s position as one of the all time greats.
Travels well with: The Chick Corea Elektric Band- The Future Is Now; Terry Waldo- Treasury: Volume 1