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Oscar Peterson
Photo — Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

OscarPeterson

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy, and received numerous other awards and honours. He played thousands of concerts worldwide in a career lasting more than 60 years. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, simply "O.P.

Origin
Montréal
Active since
1925

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01

Biography

Story

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson (August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007) was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. As a virtuoso who is considered to be one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Peterson released more than 200 recordings, won eight Grammy Awards, as well as a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy, and received numerous other awards and honours. He played thousands of concerts worldwide in a career lasting more than 60 years. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, simply "O.P." by his friends, and was informally known in the jazz community as "the King of inside swing". He considered his 1953-1958 trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis "the most stimulating" and productive setting for public performances and studio recordings.

  1. 01

    Released over 200 recordings.

  2. 02

    Won eight Grammy Awards.

  3. 03

    Received the Glenn Gould Prize in 1993.

  4. 04

    Companion of the Order of Canada.

  5. 05

    Iconic trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis.

Awards

  • Panthéon de la musique canadienne
  • prix du Gouverneur général pour les arts du spectacle
  • prix Glenn-Gould1993
  • Grammy du couronnement d'une carrière1997
  • Praemium Imperiale1999
  • BBC Jazz Awards
  • compagnon de l'Ordre du Canada
  • Ordre de l'Ontario
  • chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec‎1991
  • officier des Arts et des Lettres‎
  • Loyola Medal1997
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award1986
  • Grammy Award du meilleur album de jazz instrumental1974
  • Panthéon de la musique canadienne1978
  • Grammy Award du meilleur solo de jazz improvisé1977
  • Panthéon de la musique canadienne1978
  • Grammy Award du meilleur solo de jazz improvisé1978
  • Grammy Award du meilleur solo de jazz improvisé1979
  • Grammy Award du meilleur solo de jazz improvisé1990
  • Grammy du couronnement d'une carrière1996
02

Selection

Discography

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  • Plays Pretty
    1952

    Plays Pretty

  • Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin
    1953

    Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Cole Porter
    1953

    Oscar Peterson Plays Cole Porter

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Irving Berlin
    1953

    Oscar Peterson Plays Irving Berlin

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington
    1953

    Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington

  • Dale's Wail
    1954

    Dale's Wail

  • Recital by Oscar Peterson
    1954

    Recital by Oscar Peterson

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Richard Rodgers
    1954

    Oscar Peterson Plays Richard Rodgers

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Jimmy McHugh
    1955

    Oscar Peterson Plays Jimmy McHugh

  • In a Romantic Mood
    1956

    In a Romantic Mood

  • Tenderly
    1956

    Tenderly

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie
    1956

    Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie

  • Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson
    1957

    Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson

  • Soft Sands
    1957

    Soft Sands

  • An Evening With Oscar Peterson
    1957

    An Evening With Oscar Peterson

  • Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book
    1959

    Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book

  • Oscar Peterson Plays Porgy & Bess
    1959

    Oscar Peterson Plays Porgy & Bess

  • Oscar Peterson Plays the Jerome Kern Songbook
    1959

    Oscar Peterson Plays the Jerome Kern Songbook

03

FAQ

About the artist

Q01How old is Oscar Peterson?+

Oscar Peterson was born in 1925.

Q02Where is Oscar Peterson from?+

Oscar Peterson is from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Q03What genre of music does Oscar Peterson play?+

Oscar Peterson plays jazz, bebop, hard bop, third stream, blues, and funk.

Q04What are his biggest hits / albums?+

Some of his biggest albums include "Plays Pretty" (1952), "Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin" (1953), and "Tenderly" (1956).

Q05Has he won any awards?+

Oscar Peterson has won several awards, including the Glenn Gould Prize in 1993 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.