A Jazz Odyssey
In the early 1980s my late and great friend and mentor, Norman Granz, commenced attempting to encourage me into documenting some of my thoughts, feelings and experiences throughout my life in music. Little did I know or dream of how monumental a task this could turn out to be until I began attempting to write what was to become A Jazz Odyssey. It became an on and off commitment for the next seventeen years of my life.
During that time, needless to say, various articles and critiques had been written on me and my musical endeavors in the Jazz world. It was also during this time that a gentleman by the name of Richard Palmer wrote a published work simply titled Oscar Peterson.
There were two authors that struck me as being the most insightful in critiquing and chronicling my musical efforts and career. One was the late Benny Green of London, and the other, Richard Palmer.
After having completed several chapters of my book, I had numerous discussions with Norman Granz about who I could ask to join me in the difficult task of putting together my varied experiences and feelings in the world of Jazz, while being unbiased and literarily critical of the setup of my autobiography. We both concurred on the choice of Richard Palmer of London, England, should he be available to aid me in bringing this autobiography to fruition. After numerous calls and correspondence back and forth and finally concluding with a visit with Richard in my home in Mississauga, I immediately experienced a respect and confidence in his honesty and unbiased skills in handling this project from a critical standpoint.
The most important aspect of Richard's input was to not interfere in a harmful way with my recounting of my various experiences and opinions, while yet and still retaining the very delicate position of being a critical editor. It is in this respect that I feel that I owe him more than I could ever describe here. He not only truthfully and realistically debated and questioned some of my verbal procedures, but more importantly, he did this without at any time destroying my verbal intent. I owe Richard Palmer a huge debt for bringing A Jazz Odyssey from an initial suggestion to a literary realization. I thank him for what will always be an unpaid debt of appreciation.
©2002 Oscar Peterson
During that time, needless to say, various articles and critiques had been written on me and my musical endeavors in the Jazz world. It was also during this time that a gentleman by the name of Richard Palmer wrote a published work simply titled Oscar Peterson.
There were two authors that struck me as being the most insightful in critiquing and chronicling my musical efforts and career. One was the late Benny Green of London, and the other, Richard Palmer.
After having completed several chapters of my book, I had numerous discussions with Norman Granz about who I could ask to join me in the difficult task of putting together my varied experiences and feelings in the world of Jazz, while being unbiased and literarily critical of the setup of my autobiography. We both concurred on the choice of Richard Palmer of London, England, should he be available to aid me in bringing this autobiography to fruition. After numerous calls and correspondence back and forth and finally concluding with a visit with Richard in my home in Mississauga, I immediately experienced a respect and confidence in his honesty and unbiased skills in handling this project from a critical standpoint.
The most important aspect of Richard's input was to not interfere in a harmful way with my recounting of my various experiences and opinions, while yet and still retaining the very delicate position of being a critical editor. It is in this respect that I feel that I owe him more than I could ever describe here. He not only truthfully and realistically debated and questioned some of my verbal procedures, but more importantly, he did this without at any time destroying my verbal intent. I owe Richard Palmer a huge debt for bringing A Jazz Odyssey from an initial suggestion to a literary realization. I thank him for what will always be an unpaid debt of appreciation.
©2002 Oscar Peterson
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