Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson In Russia (2 CD) (1974)

Published by Love2Share | Filed under Jazz

Amazon.com reviewer:
This is another stunning Peterson album. As the title indicates it was recorded in Russia in 1974 and the playing is great. As Benny Green says in the sleeve notes it would be fascinating to know whether the Russian audience could pick up on the little quotes that Oscar puts in his solos.

Its a mixture of solo, duo and trio tracks with Neils Pederson on bass and Jake Hanna on drums. Starting out with solo Piano, Peterson plays a number of stunning solo interpretations of which perhaps the best are ‘I Concentrate On You’ and his own composition ‘Place St. Henri’. This last track has some of phenomenal stride playing at amazing speed. Then Neils Pederson joins him and the remainder of disc 1 is Bass and Piano.

Disc 2 starts with a superb trio version of ‘Take the A Train’. There are multiple highlights on disc 2, including a great version of ‘Just Friends’ and perhaps best of all ‘Hallelujah Time’ (mis-titled on the disc as ‘Hallelujah Trail’). Some really fast Boogie Woogie is in this tune (which Oscar was specialist at early in career) leading to a classic down-home blues finish.

You really can’t wrong with this double CD. There are a few Peterson albums that I would buy ahead of this (1975 with Joe Pass Salle Pleyel for one) but not many.

Personnel:
Oscar Peterson (piano);
Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass);
Jake Hanna (drums)

Recording Date: November 17, 1974; live in Tallinn, Estonian SSR/USSR

Tracks, Disc 1:
1. I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good) (Ellington-Webster) 4:29
2. I Concentrate On You (C.Porter) 4:28
3. Place St. Henri (O.Peterson) 6:06
4. Hogtown Blues (O.Peterson) 3:06
5. On Green Dolphin Street (Kaper-Washington) 5:59
6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (Brown-Kahn) 5:44
7. Wave (A.C.Jobim) 5:17
8. On The Trail (P.Grofe) 5:01

Tracks, Disc 2:
1. Take The “A” Train (B.Strayhorn) 4:31
2. Summertime (Gershwin-Heyward) 4:51
3. Just Friends (Klenner-Lewis) 5:09
4. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (Alter-De Lange) 3:25
5. Medley: I Loves You, Porgy / Georgia On My Mind
(Gershwin-Heyward) 3:27 / (Carmichael-Gorrell) 3:45
6. Li’l Darlin’ (N.Hefti) 6:33
7. WWatch What Happens (Legrand-Demy-Gimbell) 7:59
8. Hallelujah Trail (O.Peterson) 6:35
9. Someone To Watch Over Me (G.Gershwin) 3:41