Oscar Peterson Carne

There are at least five Oscar Petersons on display on this comprehensive box set representing his work with the legendary Norman Granz and celebrating his 80th birthday on Aug. 15th, 2005. CDs 1-5 feature Oscars' work interpreting the Great American Songbook where he and Granz "tried to draw more people into jazz." CD 6 contains his first session with Granz as he accompanies Billie Holiday on 16 sides that show his talent as an accompanist. CDs 7-8 capture Oscars' collaboration with 4 tenor sax men: Lester Young, Ben Webster, Stan Getz and Dizzy Gillespie, plus a rare session with Flip Phillips. CDs 9-10 feature the entire 1954 issue from the Jazz At The Philharmonic, including Oscar playing with Lester Young, Bill Harris and Ray Brown.

This double album matches and mixes together four masterful musicians: pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Niels Pedersen and harmonica great Toots Thielemans. Together they perform O.P.'s "City Lights" and ten veteran standards with creativity, wit and solid swing. There are a few miraculous moments as one would expect from musicians of this caliber and the results are generally quite memorable.