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Oscar Peterson Performance 1983 Live in Tokyo

Rick Beato has a youtube entitled greatest solo of all time. I went for it and Beato pulls out this Oscar Peterson trio performance at Ronni Scotts 1974. Oscar burns a hole in the floor with the longest, beautifully tuned grand I have ever seen. From both a technical  and musical standpoint, darn it if Beato isn't right! So, I pulled up the entire performance and watched it on the big system. The trio is Oscar, Neils Pederson (bass) and Joe Pass (guitar). Oscar is doubling as percussion. The entire performance is mind bending. I never realized how good Pederson and Pass were. I'd never heard them in a live performance. The Studio Records always seemed to me to be...contrived. Not forgetting about Oscar's playing, Pederson and Pass are both up there with the greats. Even if the music is not your cup of tea the technique of all three artists will amaze. There are more "I can't believe he just did that" moments in this video than I have ever seen and heard in one performance before. If you have not seen it please enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBJ1vU23X4A
128x128mijostyn
tablejockey
3,772 posts
 
Pretty much the same thing here but with another of my top guitar picks
Barney Kessel. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj93v9j2A4A

You probably know he is on the same level as Joe and other greats. But many don't know they have heard his playing in countless movie/tv soundtracks. A wrecking crew member before the "wrecking crew" First call player.

Beato is a good technical analyst.  I always get a refresh course on music theory with Rick.

A VERY good sounding live  LP is "The Good Life" Pablo 1973
Oscar Peterson
Joe Pass
Neils-Henning Orsted Pederesen

Smokin trio. One of those "you are there" recordings.
jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,361 posts
 
What wonderful musical ideas they had. Thanks for posting the link to the video.  
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn OP
8,177 posts
 
@tablejockey , The Good Life was taken from the same sessions as The Trio. I just ordered both of them and everything else recorded by that trio.

@bdp24, as a frustrated drummer myself, I hear you but Peterson is such a powerful piano payer He sets the pace and can drift for emotion and swing without interference from a drummer. So, without a drummer Oscar and the others are set free. From a technical perspective Oscar stands a good chance of being the best jazz pianist who ever lived but from a purely musical perspective I prefer Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock with honorable mentions to Chick Corea (RIP) and McCoy Tyner.
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frogman
7,356 posts
 
Great to see these greats get some love. Amazing musicians all. However, are we getting two different performances a little mixed up? Maybe I’m missing something? If so, apology and please clarify.

The 1974 trio performance at Ronnie Scott’s (Beato) does not include Joe Pass. It is Barney Kessel on guitar, (no drummer). The provided link in the OP is of a 1983 quartet performance in Tokyo. This time, Joe Pass, Martin Drew on drums, and once again one of Peterson’s very favorite bass players, Niels-Henning Pederson.

BTW, I agree, sometimes I like the drummer-less trio setting. Different and lighter vibe going without a drummer. Highlights just what amazing time players of this caliber have; which is the only way it works without a drummer.

Here is a link to the 1974 Ronnie Scott’s trio performance:

https://youtu.be/MnR6R4vXgUM

Mijo, you mention the beautiful grand piano. Listen to the first note one hears on the above video. Even on my iPad one can hear that the piano is Oscar’s instrument of choice, the Bosendorfer. Fantastic instrument with a distinctive sound and uniquely resonant and clean sounding left hand which extends roughly a half octave lower than most grands.

One more. Amazing!

https://youtu.be/-bkRhge3li4

In case anyone is wondering why the reference to Count Basie.  Don’t miss the conversation between Oscar and the Count towards the end:

https://youtu.be/2HAZP7nWo6A

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