A concert named Oscar@90 is going to take place tonight in Toronto honoring the 90th birthday of famous Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson and the release of a tribute compilation Oscar, With Love.
Initiator of the release bringing 36 of Peterson’s compositions, among which are previously unreleased pieces, was his wife Kelly: “The piano technician who had been looking after Oscar’s Bösendorfer Imperial Grand once said the piano was fine but needed to be played. That is how I got the idea to release an album with Oscar’s compositions recorded on his own piano, in our home.”
The album also contains compositions written in Peterson’s honor by pianists who recorded it: Monty Alexander, Lance Anderson, Kenny Barron, Robi Botos, Bill Charlap, Gerald Clayton, Chick Corea, Benny Green, Hiromi, Oliver Jones, Justin Kauflin, Michel Legrand, Ramsey Lewis, Audrey Morris, Makoto Ozone and Renee Rosnes.
Tonight’s concert will also be played on the above mentioned Bösendorfer that was moved for the occasion to the Koerner Hall of the Royal Conservatory, where the concert is taking place.
Oscar Peterson died in 2007 at the age of 82. Throughout his more then 6 decades long career he has released more then 200 records, won 8 Grammy Awards and played thousands of concerts worldwide.
You can watch the concert through a live stream at this link and in the meantime, watch making of Oscar, With Love