Oscar peterson:
the autobiography
"A Jazz Odyssey' is far from artful (though never less than readable), but I can think of no other jazz autobiography that has made the mysteries of music-making so readily accessible to the lay reader. Even those who dislike Oscar Peterson's playing will find his book informative - surely a near-unprecedented achievement. The result is a memorable contribution to the literature of jazz, and one can only hope that other musicians interested in telling their stories, whether on paper or into a tape recorder, will take it as a model."
- Terry Teachout for Commentary
'I can't truthfully recall my first meeting with the piano,' begins Oscar Peterson's 'Jazz Odyssey', his long-awaited autobiography, which tells the full story of the world's most famous jazz pianist.
Edited by Richard Palmer, it covers Peterson's childhood in Montreal, his meetings with giants such as Art Tatum, and his rapid rise to international stardom after appearing on 'Jazz at the Philharmonic'.
As might be expected from such a great communicator, this is a beautifully written, candid account of a stellar career, with Peterson's down-to-earth attitude providing insights into his colleagues, his many recordings, his philosophy, and his long love affair with the piano.
"The title of this autobiography says it all: the life of renowned jazz pianist Peterson (b. 1925) has truly been an odyssey. Born in Montreal to parents of West Indian descent, he first made a name for himself as a teenager in the Johnny Holmes Orchestra, Canada's top big band, before leaving for New York City to record for RCA. During the 1950s, he became known as a gifted accompanist for Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic tours as well as for Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holliday, among others. These encounters with the famous, along with his struggles with racism from a Canadian perspective, are all shared with great sincerity. Overseen by Palmer, the author of Oscar Peterson (o.p.), the narrative as a whole flows nicely."
- Ronald S. Russ for Library Journal