Music Review: Oscar Peterson - Unmistakable - Page 2

At any rate, while Peterson was still alive back in 2007, representatives of the company met with him to show him how their system worked. At the time they used the recorded re-performances of Peterson's idol, Art Tatum, to let him hear what their process sounded like, and "hearing his hero playing live again after all the ensuing years brought Peterson to tears." It impressed him enough that he spent the afternoon working with the team from the company and listening to some re-performances of his own playing.

After Peterson's death, his wife helped with the selection of songs for this album. Of all the material made available to the team, they selected performances from two different concerts: a mid 70s concert at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY, and a 1980s concert from Munich. They also used a performance from the CBC TV series Oscar Peterson and Friends. The actual recording contains 16 re-performances, eight in stereo and the same eight repeated in binaural stereo for earphones. It is as beautiful a recording of solo piano jazz as you are likely to hear.

The songs are all classics. The album begins with "Body and Soul" and a signature speeding romp through "Back Home Again in Indiana." It ends with the Benny Goodman theme "Goodbye." In between there is a Duke Ellington medley that starts with "Take the A Train" and includes "In a Sentimental Mood," "C Jam Blues," "Lady of the Lavender Mist," and "Satin Doll," among others. Gershwin's "The Man I Love," Anthony Newly and Leslie Bricusse's "Who Can I Turn To," Victor Young's "When I Fall in Love," and Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" round out a very strong album.

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