Throughout his brilliant 60 year career, pianist and composer Oscar Peterson was one of the the foremost artists continuously promoting the jazz idiom. He introduced jazz to countless listeners, young and old, all over the world, performing thousands of concerts and recording over 200 albums. Just ‘O.P.’ to fellow musicians, (who universally revered him), he anchored small groups from duets …
I Don’t Know Enough About You
As a big band / early jazz aficionado, it is all too easy to get trapped in a nostalgic time warp. Although jazzy performances by big bands and star vocalists had their heyday many decades ago, it would be inexcusable to celebrate only the original performers, while ignoring the many talented artists who continue to explore and enhance this timeless …
Bands Across the Water
Perhaps the British Invasion of pop music into North America in the 1960’s by Sir Paul, the Beatles et al. was inevitable … a reversal of events from decades earlier. Through the 1920’s and ’30’s there was a protracted flow of syncopated, jazzy, ‘popular’ music from North America into British dance halls, clubs and hotel ballrooms. This influx of popular …
From Lush to Lively
A superb jazz pianist, Oliver Jones’ career has included interpretations of many tunes from the American Songbook, Broadway, Hollywood and compositions by many other jazz artists, including his friend and contemporary, the late Oscar Peterson. Oliver is astounding as a soloist, but has played in almost every conceivable musical setting, too … as vocal accompanist, in trios, quartets and other …
West Side Story
The collaboration between musical genius/educator Leonard Bernstein, author/playwright Arthur Laurents and composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim resulted in one of the most successful musical theater productions of all time. The concept of a contemporary musical re-telling of Shakespeare’s tragic tale of Romeo and Juliet originated with Jerome Robins, (who eventually directed and choreographed the work). Like most big-budget productions there were lots …