Oscar Peterson

A web about Oscar Peterson (I made it myself)

Oscar Peterson was born in Montreal on August 15, 1925 in a hospital on Delisle Street. He was the fourth of five children in his family. His parents' names were Daniel and Kathleen. He had two sisters and two brothers; May, Daisy, Charles and Fred. Their father was a porter with the Canadian Pacific Railways, who learned to play piano on his own while in the merchant marines. Daniel taught all of his children piano until they could get to a certain level of proficiency. Oscar learned also to play trumpet, but stopped after being diagnosed with tuberculosis. During his high school years he studied with the classical pianist, Hungarian, Paul de Marky. Paul was the one who taught Oscar his most useful jazz technique, speedy fingers. He also inspired Oscar to include music in his life. Some of the musical artists that eased music into Oscar's life are: Teddy Williams, Nat (King) Cole and James P Johnson. When Oscar Peterson turned 14 his older sister Daisy requested an audition for CBC national amateur contest, which Oscar went on to win. He now had a weekly broadcasting show called "Fifteen Minutes Piano Rambling". Later, he had a show on CBC called "The Happy Gang". When Oscar was in his later High School years he asked to drop out of school, but his dad said, "You can't just be a jazz piano player. You must be the best. There is no second best," and he was.

A picture of one of Oscar's albums. (I took a picture.)

Oscar was then devoted highly to the piano, practicing from twelve to fourteen hours a day. His hard work soon spawned results as he began to work with many accomplished piano teachers. The first one of these was his sister, Daisy. At the age of eleven he studied with Louis Hooper, a classically trained Canadian veteran of the Harlem jazz scene of the 1920's. Daniel Peterson hoped that Oscar Peterson, one of his many sons, would become a classical pianist and was not supportive of his accomplishment. His mother encouraged him with open arms.

A picture of Nat (King) Cole. (I drew it.)

His influences started when he was a young boy. He always listened to Art Tatum, a blind pianist. He was also influenced by large jazz figures, such as: Nat 'King' Cole, Bill Evans, James P. Johnson, Audrey Morris, Charlie Parker, George Shearing, Harold 'Steep' Wade and Teddy Wilson. "Peterson has astounding speed that only Phineas Newborn and the late Art Tatum, one of his idols and mentors, have equaled. And he has the power of direct swing that Tatum never achieved," noted one review. For the next three years from 1943 to 1947 he was a featured soloist with the Johnny Holmes Orchestra, a Montreal dance band.

A picture of Jean Chretien. (I drew it.)

In January 1960, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen and composer Phil Nimmons created the Advanced School of Contemporary Music (ACSM) in Toronto. During the two years he taught the school, he studied with many Canadian pianists, including Brian Browne, Wray Downes and Bill King. Oscar was a busy man and was too busy to continue teaching because of his tight performing schedule. Oscar's most popular songs that he has written are Canadiana Suite and Hymn to Freedom. Mr. Peterson had arthritis since he was young. He had hip replacement surgery in the early 1990s. Then he had a stroke that immobilized the left side of his body. Prime Minister and longtime Peterson fan and friend Jean Chretien offered Peterson the position of Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, but he refused because of his physical condition. After the stroke, Peterson rehabilitated for about two years. He gradually regained mobility and some control of his left hand. In 1997 he received a Grammy for Lifetime Achievement and an International Jazz Hall of Fame Award, another indication that Peterson continued to be regarded as one of the greatest jazz musicians ever to play. Canadian politician, and amateur friend pianist of Peterson, Bob Rae said, "A one-handed Oscar was better than just about anyone with two hands." On December 23, 2007, Peterson died of renal failure at his home in Mississauga, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. He left seven children, his fourth wife Kelly, and their daughter, Celine.

Works Cited

"Biography - Oscar Peterson: A Jazz Sensation." Welcome to the LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA website | Bienvenue au site Web BIBLIOTHEQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA. 10 Mar. 2008 .

"Biography - Oscar Peterson: A Jazz Sensation." Welcome to the LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA website | Bienvenue au site Web BIBLIOTHEQUE ET ARCHIVES CANADA. 11 Feb. 2008 .

"Culture Shock: The TV Series and Beyond: The Devil's Music: 1920's Jazz." PBS. 25 Feb. 2008 .

"Oscar Peterson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Main Page - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 6 Apr. 2008 .

"Oscar Peterson Quotes." Famous Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote. 1 Feb. 2008 .

"Oscar Peterson | Bio." Oscar Peterson. 1 Feb. 2008 .

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