Oscar Peterson - R. I. P.

A musical giant and a great human being just passed away, after over 75 years of making music which gladdened the hearts of all that heard him.

To say his piano playing was influential is one of the biggest understatements one could make. As a pianist I can testify to his impact on my playing for the many, many years I've been listening him. I know of no other pianist that would not agree that his impact on their playing was enormous. My playing was most affected by his peerless ballad playing, and his incomparable ability to accompany other soloists, in the most tasteful and understated way. His touch, his harmonic sense, and his total command of the instrument was the standard that I aspired to and continue to do so. He, like Erroll Garner and Art Tatum, who also gained total command of the piano, are the gold-standards for all musicians to aspire to and emulate.

I remember first hearing him in the late 40s and being astonished at his virtuosity and touch. Later in the 80s I was able to meet him in person and spend a rewarding two or three hours with him in a piano emporium owned by a dear friend, David Abell, who also has passed on. He was in town on that occasion, to play at a jazz club owned by the bassist of his first great trio, Ray Brown. In our conversation, we discovered that we had a similar cultural background, and that our fathers were both immigrants from the West Indies, and had immigrated from there approximately the same year, his dad to Canada and my dad to New York. They were both amateur musicians and had started each of us in music lessons around the age of five.

From that time on, right up to his recent passing, I was able to more deeply identify with him as a person, along with continuing to being inspired by his awesome musical gifts. The outpouring of love and affection for him from around the world, as well as the universal admiration for his prowess on the piano, is a tribute to the man and his music.

Rest In Peace Oscar - musically, you left this world a much better place, and we are the richer for it.