Product Description

This riveting music documentary traces the history of piano legend Oscar Peterson, from his early days as Montreal's teenage boogie-woogie sensation through his meteoric rise to international celebrity. One highlight in this treasure trove of musical gems is the legendary Oscar Peterson Trio (bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis) who after a twenty-year hiatus, reunited in order to "prove that we still had the magic." Over 100 minutes of classic and contemporary performance, rare film footage, in-depth interviews with a cast of jazz legends and multiple Bonus Features, create a chronicle spanning five decades of Oscar Peterson's unforgettable music.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73421 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-07-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Special Edition, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 106 minutes

David Zych, JazzTimes
…a class video about a class jazz-master. Not only will you learn from it, but you will be royally entertained.

Owen McNally, The Hartford Courant
…high-quality, thought-provoking video portrait …reveals Peterson as a complex, articulate man with a passion for perfection and profound anger

Billboard- June 8, 1995
…biographical-retrospective on his ever-fluctuating style…a hearty-portion of vintage performances…story of a man dedicated to…strive for greatness. A true jazz event.

Customer Reviews

A Fine Documentary
I've watched many documentaries on musicians over the years. I've also seen some wonderful concert videos. This DVD definitely falls in the former catagory, and those looking simply for complete concert performances should search elsewhere. That said, I was impressed with how much in the way of complete performances this particular documentary showed (more than most). Oscar Peterson says more than once-and with great enthusiasm-that this classic group of his has reached a real pinnacle in terms of chemistry and challenging interaction, and it shows in the wonderful live clips of classics like "Caravan" and "Bag's Groove", that you see throughout the video. As well, the biographical material is excellent, and though not completely comprehensive, at least presents an overview of the great pianist's life and career that makes me appreciate what he's accomplished so far (even with the stroke he suffered a few years ago, I know he's still out there doing even more). Finally, the "extras" section of the DVD has some terrific stuff, including discography and quotes about the nature of Jazz improvisation and history that make me appreciate the man's intellect and passion as much as his talent.

Interesting DVD
As an avid fan of Oscar Peterson, this is a disc that you should buy.

The musical setting is at a nightclub in Chicago and is first class, A+++.

However, the detracting part of the program is the frequently interruption to the flow of the music by commentary on his life.
If you want to know about the life of an artist, buy the book!