Ray Brown Trio

A wonderful collector's edition of jazz pianists' records in almost all styles from the first ragtimes to modern jazz.

Oscar Peterson's trio with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis lasted from 1953 to 1959 and is well documented on records, but the appearance in 2003 of this previously unreleased 1958 concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver is welcome news to the pianist's fans. Buoyed by a receptive audience and always in the mood to play to the best of their abilities, the musicians outdo themselves throughout the set. ~ AllMusic

Pianist Oscar Peterson had a reunion with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown at a well-publicized get-together at New York's Blue Note in March 1990. The trio (his regular group of the late '50s) was augmented by Peterson's late-'60s drummer Bobby Durham for spirited performances. Rather than using their complex arrangements of the past, the pianist and his alumni simply jammed through the performances and the results are quite rewarding. On the first of four CDs released by Telarc, the quartet performs "Honeysuckle Rose," a ballad medley, three of the pianist's originals and "Sweet Georgia Brown." As this and the other CDs in the series show, the magic was still there.

The superb concert offered here presents one of the best trios Oscar Peterson ever had, with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen.
The trio plays superbly on this London TV program, in front of a live audience, and Peterson displays his amazing technique in such fast tunes as the fantastic "Place St. Henri" - one of his four original compositions performed at this concert.

Of the many "reunions" of the now truly legendary Oscar Peterson Trio (feat. Herb Ellis and Ray Brown), this is certainly the best. Recorded at New York's "Blue Note" Jazz Club, the Trio (ably supported by drummer Bobby Durham) was clearly enjoying itself when it dug into old classics (You Look Good To Me, Reunion Blues) or newer tunes by Peterson himself (Nighttime, Song to Elitha). Peterson in his pre-stroke days weaves his usual spell, dazzling everybody with amazing displays of his technique, as in the rousing "Reunion Blues". ~ Jazzloft