The tribute release Resonance Big Band Play Tribute to Oscar Peterson with pianist Marian Petrescu goes beyond a tribute release, capturing the essence, style and brilliance that was Oscar Peterson’s signature.
Tribute to Oscar Peterson: Dancing the waltz is Hip; The impossible; blue girl; Down here on the ground; Medley: Ode to Liberty, The Body of John Brown; Sally tomato; Knitting; green sleeves; beguine bossa; West Side Story medley; A little jazz exercise
Staff: Marian Petrescu: Piano; Andrea Öbert: Guitar; David Stone: Bass; Joe LaBarbera – drums; Bob Sheppard – reed, flute; Steve Wilkerson – reed, flute; Brian Scanion – reed, flute; Keith Fiddmont – reed, flute; Tom Peterson – reed, flute; Willie Murillo: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Larry Lunetta: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Bob Summers – trumpet, flugelhorn; Larry Hall: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Andy Martin: Trombone; Bob McChesney – trombone; Wendell Kelly – trombone; Bill Reichenbach: Trombone; Bill Reichenbach: Tuba; Pierre Paul: Cabasa (Sally’s Tomato); String Quartet (Little Girl Blue, Greensleeves): Peter Kent, Giovanna Clayton, Belinda Broughton, Jessica Van Velzen
Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute to Oscar Peterson was released on the Resonance Records label, a division of the Rising Jazz Stars Foundation, a nonprofit corporation created to discover upcoming jazz stars from around the world. The saying “finding a diamond in the rough” seems to be the perfect reference for how Resonance Records president George Klabin found pianist Marian Petrescu. Jazz fans never seem to get enough of a good thing, and with the internet and websites like YouTube, there always seems to be someone adding a new video of a select performance by some of jazz’s legends. In this case, George Klabin was surfing the web looking for new performance posts by legend Oscar Peterson when he came across a performance by Marian Petrescu playing the Oscar Peterson song. Indiana. George couldn’t believe his ears, as this unknown pianist was mastering the Oscar technique to perfection. So from this simple electronic introduction, the relationship began to take shape. After the death of George’s close and long-time friend Oscar Peterson in 2007, the idea of doing a tribute release seemed like the perfect way to keep his music alive, and George had his pianist in mind, so he sought out and found Marian Petrescu.
Backed by a Big Band Sound of a Who’s Who of musicians, as well as contributions from three of the best jazz arrangers in the business, Bill Cunliffe, Kuno Schmid and Claus Ogerman, the release of Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute to Oscar Peterson came true. .
With a wide range of songs to select from from the Oscar Peterson catalogue, the final selection for release is a compilation of some Oscar classics, some lesser-known Oscar songs, and some songs by other artists Oscar is known to have performed. with the result being a captivating and compelling launch.
the opening track Dancing the waltz is modern It leaves nothing to the imagination as this soulful song introduces the listener to Marian Petrescu’s magical fingers as the Big Band’s brass and string sections follow along. Track The impossible brings out the insightful side of Marian as she plays every note to the fullest in this thoughtful, rich and beautiful song. blue girl It is an intimate song that requires a special touch of the keys to capture the essence and the body of work that the writers Rogers and Hart had intended, and from the hand of piano virtuosos such as Oscar, and in this case Marian, achieves what was intended. . results perfectly.
The clues Down here on the groundand the potpourri: hymn to freedom yjOhn Brown’s body impart a different phrasing and presentation than other recordings, but always with a nod to the genius of Oscar Peterson.
Other clues include sally’s tomatoa beautifully arranged soulful song; Knitting, featuring the Big Band at its finest with the brass section shimmering and framing Marian’s keyboard work while keeping its lush, rich textures intact; track green sleeves, which I personally like a lot because of its soulful and soulful sections, is going to become one of my favorite arrangements on release; the exciting cover of bossa beguine It will take your breath away as you roll down this rolling track; tea West Side Story Medley It will make you snap your fingers and dance in the halls, parks and streets; and the release closes with the sly Oscar Peterson song A little jazz exercisewhich is more than a little exercise, it was a full workout, but Marian was more than up to the challenge.
Websites where you can get Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute to Oscar Peterson are Amazon, Resonance Records, Jazz Store, CD Universe, and Barnes and Noble.