This Mosaic Records collection is the first comprehensive study of Oscar Peterson's earliest trio recordings, the setting for which he was best known, throughout his reign. The collection includes 127 tunes, including five alternate masters that have never appeared on any record, in any format. The earliest recording dates from November 25, 1951 and the last is from December 7, 1953. In the interest of being complete, we amassed a collection that exceeds even the one held in the Universal Music vaults; with some original masters missing entirely, we went to collectors for vintage 78s, second generation tapes, even rare LPs and EPs, performing sonic miracles when necessary to achieve a quality that meets our Mosaic standards.
Coming up in the era he did, he fell somewhere in between the swing players and the be-boppers, and the two strains wove together into something he never felt any reason to abandon. He and Ray Brown had developed an almost brotherly relationship thanks to the JATP tours they did together, and in Barney Kessel he found another player whose solos could wipe the floor, the walls, and the ceiling. With the JATP tours combined with these Clef and Mercury recordings the trio found the time and opportunity to hone their craft together and become a tight unit. Norman Granz' vision of the "Songbook" album, was perfected by the trio and the series of "Oscar Peterson Meets…" have long been unavailable and are finally in one package.
- Oscar Peterson: piano, vocal;
- Barney Kessel: guitar;
- Ray Brown: bass.
Alvin Stoller, drums, is added to this trio on "The Astaire Blues," "Tea for Two," "Slow Down," Oh, Lady Be Good," "Body and Soul," "Stompin' at the Savoy," "Rough Ridin,'" "Just One of Those Things," "Too Marvelous for Words," "But Not for Me."
Irving Ashby, guitar, replaces Barney Kessel on "You Go to My Head," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "There's a Small Hotel," "You Turned the Tables on Me," "These Foolish Things," "I Can't Get Started," "Blue Moon," "East of the Sun."
(Disc 1)
1. Turtle Neck
2. It's Easy to Remember
3. Pooper
4. Love for Sale
5. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
6. You Go to My Head
7. They Can't Take That Away from Me
8. There's a Small Hotel
9. You Turned the Tables on Me
10. These Foolish Things
11. I Can't Get Started
12. Blue Moon
13. East of the Sun
14. Astaire Blues - Oscar Peterson Quartet
(Disc 2)
1. Tea for Two - Oscar Peterson Quartet
2. Slow Down - Oscar Peterson Quartet
3. Oh, Lady Be Good - Oscar Peterson Quartet
4. Body and Soul - Oscar Peterson Quartet
5. Stompin' at the Savoy - Oscar Peterson Quartet
6. Rough Ridin' - Oscar Peterson Quartet
7. Just One of Those Things - Oscar Peterson Quartet
8. Too Marvelous for Words - Oscar Peterson Quartet
9. But Not for Me - Oscar Peterson Quartet
(Disc 3)
1. That Makes a Difference to Me
2. Autumn in New York
3. Pettiford's Tune (Little Boy)
4. You Go to My Head
5. Thou Swell
6. Willow Weep for Me
7. Minor Blues
8. Pick Yourself Up
9. Long Ago and Far Away
10. Love Walked In
11. I Got Rhythm
12. Fine Romance
13. Foggy Day
14. Strike Up the Band!
15. Man I Love
16. Let's Do It
17. It Ain't Necessarily So
18. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
19. I've Got a Crush on You
20. Night and Day
21. Isn't This a Lovely Day
22. What Is This Thing Called Love?
23. Willow Weep for Me [Alt TK-4]
(Disc 4)
1. Oh, Lady Be Good
2. 'S Wonderful
3. Anything Goes
4. I've Got You Under My Skin
5. Facinsatin' Rhythm
6. Cheek to Cheeck
7. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
8. In a Mellow Tone
9. I Love You
10. Somebody Loves Me
11. I Was Doin' All Right
12. In the Still of the Night
13. Every Time We Say Goodbye
14. Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'
15. Begin the Beguine
16. So Near and Yet So Far
17. Blue Skies
18. Take the "A" Train
19. Sophisticated Lady
20. Cotton Tail
21. Prelude to a Kiss
22. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
23. Rockin' in Rhythm
(Disc 5)
1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
3. John Hardy's Wife
4. Always
5. Easter Parade
6. Alexander's Ragtime Band
7. Song Is Ended
8. Say It Isn't So
9. Remember
10. If I Had You
11. How Deep Is the Ocean
12. I'm Glad There Is You
13. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
14. One for My Baby
15. I Hear Music
16. Autumn in New York
17. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
18. Spring Is Here
19. Things We Did Last Summer
20. Streets Boogie
21. Booker T. Blues
(Disc 6)
1. Pompton Turnpike [LP TK]
2. Cherokee
3. Soft Winds [LP TK]
4. Carioca
5. Continental
6. Tea for Two
7. I Know That You Know
8. Hallelujah
9. Yesterdays
10. You Are Too Beautiful
11. Isn't It Romantic
12. Sheik of Araby
13. There'll Be Some Changes Made
14. Pompton Turnpike [78 TK]
15. Soft Winds [78 TK]
16. Continental [Alt TK-1]
(Disc 7)
1. Without a Song
2. Sometimes I'm Happy
3. Time on My Hands
4. More Than You Know
5. This Can't Be Love
6. Blue Moon
7. Lady Is a Tramp
8. It Might as Well Be Spring
9. Bewitched
10. Way You Look Tonight
11. Ol' Man River
12. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
13. Song Is You
14. Lovely to Look At
15. Johnny One Note
16. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
17. Bill
18. Look for the Silver Lining
19. Surrey with the Fringe on Top
20. Lover
