Oscar Peterson - West Side Story - Analogue Productions CVRJ 8454 SA (2011) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (1.54GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | Only 2ch (741MB) DR13 (+6dB gain) | Jazz Originally released in 1962, this studio album by the Oscar Peterson Trio features 7 interpretations of songs that had featured in the film, West Side Story. All songs were composed by Leonard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim. ------------------------------------------------------------------ AudAud review: Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson was more than his country’s greatest musical export. At an early age he mastered complex techniques & developed an intense practice regimen that he followed throughout his lifetime. One of his earliest influences was Art Tatum. Consequently, this led to an appreciation of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos. This specific interest was part of his eclectic approach to musical interpretation. He became a jazz icon, nicknamed the “Maharaja of the Keyboard” by Duke Ellington. A crucial development in his career took place as Peterson was signed by Norman Granz (Verve) & subsequently participated in Jazz At The Philharmonic. There, he played with important artists of that time, including Louis Armstrong, Ray Brown, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Milt Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Joe Pass & Stan Getz. Over the next several decades, Peterson would record solo piano, duets, trios, quartets & big bands, bringing his unique musical expression to bebop, hard bop & 3rd stream jazz (combining jazz with classical music). He won 8 Grammys & earned a cadre of honorary doctorates. Peterson is renowned for his classic piano trio recordings. In 1962, he decided to record an album of music from West Side Story. This musical & Oscar-winning movie revolutionized modern music with its urban, gritty translation of Romeo & Juliet. Many jazz & pop music artists were eager to record versions of Leonard Bernstein’s brilliant score. In 1962, Peterson along with bassist Ray Brown & drummer Ed Thigpen released Oscar Peterson Trio – West Side Story on Verve Records. Now, Analogue Productions has re-mastered this album to SACD with exciting results. Seven unique adaptations of Broadway songs are transformed into rousing jazz improvisations. Peterson comes out strong on “Something’s Coming” with a frenetic, syncopated piano line against Brown’s fiery bass groove & Thigpen’s drum & cymbal accents. Then at the 00:50 mark, the song assumes a melodic interlude, before taking on another fast shift & inspired swing jam. The trio maintains the core emotion of the piece (hopeful expectancy) & takes it on a wild ride. “Somewhere” is recognized for its lyrical elegance. Peterson’s chords embrace the theme with delicacy & occasional flourish. Ray Brown’s use of “single bass” or arco bass adds a graceful touch to the arrangement. Eventually the trio settles into a slower waltz time as Peterson provides elegant shading. All the finger-snapping cool of “Jet Song” is on display, but with interesting chord variations. But Peterson adds some bluesy right-hand riffs with a lower register walking treble bass line. As the group settles into medium swing mode, Thigpen & Brown anchor the piano mastery. “Tonight” gets a crisper up tempo, but not without the dramatic elements that define this composition. Peterson creates an exuberant, hard-driving improvisation. The piano solos are fiercely rhythmic, & utilize some of the inherent cascading essentials. On “Maria” Peterson explores the latin roots, but is wildly original in the presentation. Again this trio shines on the sprightly jams, always returning to the atmospheric nuances. “I Feel Pretty” sustains the playful nature, but with dramatic accents & ¾ tempo shifts. To accentuate the trio’s intuitive grasp of this score, a 4-minute “Reprise” breezes through the material with deft instrumentation by all 3 players. Oscar Peterson Trio – West Side Story is an unqualified success in jazz interpretation of popular music. The SACD engineering is pristine. The instruments are mixed with precision & the 2ch separation is flawless. Bass & drums are not subdued in the background. The piano tonality is excellent & captures emphatic chording or moody aesthetics with appropriate vibrancy. It is a jazz classic for the ages. [I have to say I compared this SACD with my old DCC Jazz gold CD version, & could tell absolutely no difference between them. And I’m not a fan of gold CDs, feeling that many other steps in the production of a CD can influence its final sonics…Ed.] ~Robbie Gerson Tracks: 01-Something's Coming 02-Somewhere 03-Jet Song 04-Tonight 05-Maria 06-I Feel Pretty 07-Reprise Time: 34:34 Musicians: Oscar Peterson – piano Ray Brown – bass Ed Thigpen – drums Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound! Cut from the Absolute Original Analogue Master Tapes! (MWC says this should have a warning sign next to it, due to Marino's flawed choice of a 20bit DAC for the transfers from tape.) ** johnnypierogi ** http://www.filefactory.com/folder/54310eb5ba0aa9b0 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Checksum for iso: 99defeb64b47e3d37df28bef5b1d5324 *Oscar Peterson - West Side Story.iso Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: 576362aaf1c0a75629be700f70dcb0d5 *01 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Something's Coming.flac d7fc890f0405539169ffc74fefa99fbe *02 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Somewhere.flac ebd52cad6d71ba771c9b799493025b87 *03 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Jet Song.flac ce9f44dad8f01525b80195b8b4e3634f *04 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Tonight.flac d09b9486ad3c50f148144d86c0c69668 *05 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Maria.flac 92f96ccbb73bef4ad4fee231225df477 *06 - Oscar Peterson Trio - I Feel Pretty.flac 9ca54c97e44bb1ed10d62517b04c91d0 *07 - Oscar Peterson Trio - Reprise.flac