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Exclusively for My Friends: Action, Vol. I (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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Exclusively for My Friends: Girl Talk, Vol. II (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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One of a number of memorable albums recorded by Oscar Peterson for MPS during the mid-'60s, Girl Talk was compiled from several live studio sessions taped between 1964 and 1966, with bassist Sam Jones and either Bobby Durham or Louis Hayes on drums. Peterson's romping right hand helps this normally bland show tune. The pianist's imaginative unaccompanied introduction to "I'm in the Mood for Love" adds a new dimension to this old chestnut, with the rhythm section making a belated entrance; it is rather unusual to hear the trio play on just one song for 17 minutes. The title track, an overlooked gem jointly written by Bobby Troup and Neal Hefti, finds the leader in a bluesy mood. The relaxed but jaunty treatment of "Robbin's Nest" follows a powerful medley of "I Concentrate on You" and "Moon River" to wrap up this highly recommended session.© Ken Dryden /TiVo
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Exclusively for My Friends: My Favorite Instrument, Vol. IV (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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Oscar Peterson recorded a remarkable amount of albums during his career but, surprisingly, this was his first full record of unaccompanied piano solos. Some observers consider his MPS recordings to be his best (quite a few are collected in the four-CD reissue Exclusively for My Friends, including this one). The solo album features Peterson (freed from the constraints of his trio) stretching out on nine familiar standards and really tearing into a few of them, including "Perdido," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Lulu's Back in Town," while giving "Little Girl Blue" a beautiful and lyrical treatment. A prelude to his outstanding Pablo recordings, My Favorite Instrument is one of Peterson's top albums of the 1960s.© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Exclusively for My Friends: Mellow Mood, Vol. V (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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The fifth volume of Oscar Peterson's Exclusively for My Friends series is another lively trio affair with Sam Jones and Bobby Durham, though the album title Mellow Mood is a bit deceptive. "In a Mellow Tone" plunges in full force with a bluesy performance, with the audience responding to Peterson's opening solo as Durham switches from brushes to sticks. Peterson's amusing detour into Mercer Ellington's "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and Jones' driving bass add to its appeal. His arrangement of Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream" begins quietly before he slowly turns on the turbochargers in an inspired performance. Gone is the overly dramatic introduction to "On Green Dolphin Street" heard during the earlier 1961 sessions at the London House; this interpretation is far more compelling as it doesn't seek to overwhelm the listener with the pianist's technique. The snappy take of "Summertime" is infused with a blues feeling in a brisk setting, while "Who Can I Turn To" evokes the memory of Art Tatum, though this composition was obviously never recorded by Oscar's good friend. Peterson fires up the tempo as Jones and Durham join him.© Ken Dryden /TiVo
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Exclusively for My Friends: The Way I Really Play, Vol. III (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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The third volume of Oscar Peterson's Exclusively for My Friends series, all recorded with an invited audience in the warm studio of producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, features live trio sessions with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Bobby Durham. The program opens with an unusual medley of Ray Brown's "Waltzing Is Hip" (played with gusto) and a gently swinging "Satin Doll." The influence of Art Tatum is apparent during his intricate runs within "Love Is Here to Stay," while the multifaceted original "Sandy's Blues" (dedicated to his wife) combines a dark mood with a swinging setting. The lighthearted waltzing treatment of "Alice in Wonderland" is pure joy, while another original, "Noreen's Nocturne," is simply a showstopper.© Ken Dryden /TiVo
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Exclusively for My Friends: Travelin' On, Vol. VI (Live)
Oscar Peterson
Jazz - Released January 1, 1968 | MPS
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This is yet another memorable concert by the Oscar Peterson Trio recorded in Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer's excellent studio. With bassist Sam Jones and drummer Bobby Durham, Peterson tears into the old gospel favorite "Travelin' On" with a passion second to none. Following it is a beautiful treatment of Johnny Mandel's timeless ballad "Emily," which runs for over ten minutes but never loses its impact. Durham sets the pace with his soft percussion to set up Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Corcovado" (later known as "Quiet Nights"), though Peterson devours the song whole with a breathtaking display of his formidable technique. Francy Boland's "Sax No End" was a relatively new composition, having been recorded for the first time just the previous year by the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. But one can almost hear a larger ensemble by listening to Peterson's virtuoso interpretation in an uptempo setting, assisted by Jones' agile bass and Durham's steady percussion. Peterson cools off his audience with an extended exploration of Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low," though his fresh approach makes it seem like a brand new composition. Like other releases in Oscar Peterson's Exclusively for My Friends series, Travelin' On is warmly recommended.© Ken Dryden /TiVo