Oscar Peterson With Joe Pass and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen - The Trio

Japanese 20-bit K2 Super Coding remastered reissue of 1974 album, packaged in a limited edition miniature LP sleeve. Album Description

Lightening in the flesh

I have a lot of Oscar Peterson's music which is all superior to much jazz piano. This CD really "sets the house on fire". Peterson's speed and artistry on "The Trio" cannot be matched by any recorded pianist in any genre, dead or alive, except Art Tatum. Peterson's hands move like lightening with great agility across the key board. On this 1973 live date, Peterson shines unlike in many of his other recordings. He spent a good deal of his career in the shadows, musically supporting and nurturing others. Not here! He is the STAR. Pendersen and Pass are wonderful musical team mates for the one and only Oscar Peterson. December 1, 2007

2nd best Oscar Peterson CD out of 40 I've heard

Out of about 40 Oscar Peterson CD's I have, this one is second in hotness and greatness only to the 4-CD Verve-MPS box, 'Exclusively for My Friends', which is PERFECT. This 'The Trio' live set is mostly blues (hey, Chicago!). I can't believe I overlooked or just somehow didn't hear this one sooner. It sounds kind of more earthy-greasy and more in-the-moment than the 'average' Oscar Peterson recording. Great audience ambient sounds and audience feelings audible to you, so you can feel it and hear it. Recording quality is excellent, no major problems at all, piano is very clear. Any minor audio problems are overshadowed by the ambience. November 10, 2007

One of the very best

This is just a fantastic album. Joe Pass and NHOP are Oscars partners in this 1973 club recording. Oscar was probably at his virtuoso peak at this time, and this is probably the most technically proficient trio he ever had.
The recording quality isn't fantastic, and the album is only about 40 mins long, but this an essential purchase if you're an Oscar fan or if you're somebody who wants to see what all the fuss was about.
There are only five tracks, of which the first three tracks are basically blues. Blues Etude starts the album off at a stratospheric tempo. The solo Piano break near the end of this track is quite astonishing. The next two tracks are not quite as immediately breath-taking but still show the lie that "Oscar sounded like he had to learn to play the Blues". Thats a Miles quote and wonderful as Miles was, he was wrong about Oscar.
Listen to this album and you'll see why.
August 27, 2007

Oscar, the great!

Many listeners believe Oscar Peterson over plays, and, I guess, at times, he has, but here on "The Trio" that wonderful technical facility, that massive attack, is put in the service of sheer joy. With Niels Pederson and Joe Pass, Peterson positively gorges on the opening "Blues Etude." There is so much fun, crackling energy and wow-inducing fireworks during this live performance, you get the sense that Peterson is thrilled to let it all hang out for his audience. It is jazz, after all, and sometimes that means excitement. Soft passages, particularly lovely solo guitar work by the singular stylist, Pass, but the dominant theme here is rollicking celebration. November 26, 2005

A stunning album

I have been listening to this album for decades and it remains one of my favourite Oscar Peterson albums.
Primarily this is a blues based album, but its the blues played like few others could. Chicago Blues for example is 13mins of genius. This is virtuoso playing, showing that Oscar is/was a blues player without equal at the time of this recording. Miles Davis was never more wrong when he said that Oscar sounded as though he had learnt to play the blues. As previous reviewers have said Blues Etude (the opening track) will blow you away, its an amazing performance, but the remaining tracks are nearly as good, if not at the same frantic tempo! July 30, 2004

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