Atavachron It is no surprise that some in the jazz intelligentsia consider this period to be Oscar Peterson's best. Though debatable, I can't find flaw with that assessment. The fact that Peterson was in his mid forties only supports this notion, as more evidence indicates the creative and intellectual sweet spot for the brain occurs in midlife.

Tristeza ("sadness") is essentially Brazilian blues and describes the melancholy but life-loving culture of Brazil where there may be little relief from life's difficulties but still much joy and revelry, even in the poorest favelas. Accordingly, this record not only reflects that as only Peterson could, but is a rich and shining display of where his style had led him. This trio's feet hit the ground running for the title, bossa nova on high with O.P.'s fluidity and signature glissandos filling the space, followed well by Peterson-penned 'Nightingale' as a cool samba. A sweet re-imagining of Gershwin's 'Porgy' with a little Georgia on the mind, some gentle bossa nova for 'Triste', mid-bop of 'You Stepped Out of a Dream' with Sam Jones' bass walking overtime, romantic 'Watch What Happens' and the bright & brilliant wanderings of 'Fly Me to the Moon' spotlighting Peterson's taste for Tyner as well as Monk.

Good stuff, well worth your money, and not a bad starter for this Canuck legend.

darkprinceofjazz Here is a nice Oscar Peterson Trio Album, Augmented by the "All Star Big Band", Oscars technical abilities are astounding, it would be hard to find a better Pianist in jazz history for pure technical ability, maybe not as creative or as original a Monk or Bud Powell, Peterson's bread and butter influence has got to be Art Tatum, who many an old timer will tell you was the greatest pianist of them all, This big band recording is fantastic, with arrangements by the great Ernie Wilkins, there is plenty of the standard piano trio groovin' but the big band comes in to punctuate the trio, many standards are featured, Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca" gets a brisk no non sense reading, Clifford Brown's "Daahoud" as well, Cannonball Adderley and James Moody get a few tasty solos into the mix, and by the way, this Vinyl copy has some very nice production as well, very nice sound stage, and very little distortion on the horn bursts, crisp bass, and Oscar's Piano is up front in the mix, a very nice, and rare big band recording from Oscar Peterson.