Search - Oscar Peterson :: London House Sessions

Oscar at his very best !

A. P. Van Kampen | krommenie, Netherlands | 09/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are lookimng for Oscar at his very best, well you found it !

Although Verve didn't put these 5cd's in a good metal box ore something (it should be) this is the second legendary Peterson Trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen at it's very best.

The sound could be better (there was a public eating while these great music was recorded) but when you are used to that you'll hear Oscar, Ray and Ed at Olympic level.

Sometimes I'm happy and Tricotism are the very best, long tracks and Oscar is inventing, inventing and inventing.

He told me: We were totaly free during these sessions and we liked the London House, although the recording conditions were poor.

Get this box-set while you can, because it is out of print now (a shame)and when you want The Trio at the peak of it's powers, you should have this.

100 stars !!!!



Arnold van Kampen , jazzcritic in the Netherlands."

Oscar Peterson Bonanza

Jakob Conway-Blake | Aarhus C Denmark | 05/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who loves the music of Oscar Peterson or bebop and swing, will greatly enjoy this 5 CD set. Oscar is blazing as always and he's perfectly backed by Ray Brown (b) and Ed Thigpen (d). If you've got classic OP albums like "The Trio" and "The Sound of the Trio" - and others - you'll discover that they contain some of the same tracks found on this issue. However, there's 30 previously unissued tracks and the CDs comes in a really cool binder in a classic Verve design. No matter if you're a great fan of OP or just like to listen to bebop and swing, this collection will be of great pleasure to you and I guarantee that you can't keep your foot still for one moment. The OP Trio in this constellation and time, is one of the hardest swinging and tightest jazz trios ever, and the London House Sessions is very much the pinnacle of equilibristic yet very sensitive playing of the OP Trio. I can't recommend this 5 CD set enough. There's sensitive and beautiful ballads, bluesy mid-tempo arrangements of well-known standards and up-tempo turbo performances breaking the speed limit with radiating runs by OP. Ray Brown is playing at his best, keeping perfect time, anchoring the band, playing those minimalist yet very lyrical basslines, and sometimes exploding into a cannonball solo or run with OP. Ed Thigpen, is the master of brushes and his sensitive playing style and constant awareness of what's happening in the band makes his performance outrageously incredible. Oscar Peterson is, as always, in a happy mood combining his superior technique with lots of slower paced bluesy fills, that has become his trademark, and small teasing hints of other tunes here and there. The sheer force of his talent is omnipresent on these recordings and to say the least it's breathtaking. OP plays both ballads and fast paced tunes in superhuman tempos, equally with a delicate vigour and inventiveness that naturally makes you think of Art Tatum. The influence is clear, but Oscar is Oscar and thank god for that! This music is some of the best Jazz ever recorded and as this collection is pretty hard to find anywhere, you shouldn't think twice about it if you ever stumble over this 5 CD set. Just buy it!"