2012 reissue - "Called 'The Maharaja of the Keyboard' by Duke Ellington, the Canadian-born Oscar Peterson was one of the shining stars of the jazz piano, and one of its most widely recorded, becoming a household name by the mid-'50s. It can be said that Peterson was inspired by the Art Tatum school, but it can also be said that he used this as a jumping off point for his own truly unique style, characterized by incredible virtuosity on his instrument and tidal waves of notes. These rare recordings are taken from two sessions recorded by Peterson at the beginning of his career. The bulk of the music comes from an August 1950 session featuring fellow pianist Ray Brown, while the second session comes from a 1952 session featuring Peterson playing in a quartet format, featuring Ray Brown on bass, Barney Kessel on guitar, and Alvin Stoller on drums. Of the twelve tracks found here, half are, perhaps surprisingly for such a young pianist, dedicated to originals (Salute to Garner, What Is It, Minor Blues and Slow Down), while the other half are dedicated to jazz standards like Caravan, I Get A Kick Out Of You, How High The Moon and What's New."
