The late Oscar Peterson was technically dazzling, harmonically sophisticated and indefatigably rhythmic. His virtuosic command of the piano has never been questioned. Because of Norman Granz' enthusiasm for his work, Peterson recorded prolifically as soloist and sideman as well as the leader of his own trio. Patterned after Nat Cole's trio, this group featured bassist Ray Brown, guitarists Barney Kessel (eight of the sessions presented here) or Irving Ashby (only one from January 1952) and later, Herb Ellis and was occasionally augmented by a drummer (Alvin Stoller for one February 1952 session) for a long series of recordings that had wide popular appeal. Mosaic has collected the 1951-53 Granz studio sessions in this box set. In these seven CDs, the virtues and failings of Peterson, his sidemen and the producer, are on display.

Peterson was aware of the rhythmic and harmonic innovations of bebop while remaining loyal to the melodic embellishments that characterize Art Tatum's playing at its most ornate. Musicians who recorded with Peterson praised his work, but one wonders now if they did so because he was expertly reliable. On recordings, whether live or in the studios, his tempos never lag, he never falters, his harmonies are always correct. As atmospheric 'jazz' in the background, Peterson's playing is always entertaining. If an idiomatic score was needed for an urban film set in the '50s, this box set would be perfect.

But for all his iconic status as "Oscar," Peterson's style is inescapably rococo. And its sheer density and repetitiveness quickly becomes tedious. Although he admired Count Basie and Nat Cole immensely, he learned little from them. Listening to the Mosaic discs, one wishes (paraphrasing Miles Davis) that Peterson would occasionally lift his hands from the keyboard. Ultimately, his technical skills do little to mask the synthetic nature of his style, which mixes phrases originated by Bud Powell, Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Eddie Heywood, Billy Kyle and anonymous cocktail pianists. Had none of these players existed, we surely would hail Peterson as the king of jazz piano. But they did. And the effect, even when Peterson is playing a ballad gracefully, is constricting; after listening to a series of performances, one begins to hear Peterson imitating himself. His improvisatory limitations are especially apparent on six extended early performances (between 10 and 12 minutes) where it is possible to count his favorite phrases, generously offered.

Peterson was also a capable pop vocalist but his voice and approach are so close to Nat Cole's that the latter reportedly asked him not to sing. For his part, Cole whimsically said that he would give up playing piano in exchange. Our loss!

But the set has its own pleasures: Brown's urging, steady sonorous work, Kessel's ringing melodic improvisations. The flexibility and joy they bring to the sessions is admirable. And Granz, who produced many sessions where the allstar names play below their potential, had good taste in material and asked Peterson to improvise on the best popular themes when the 'songbook' concept was new.

John McDonough's characteristically articulate and well-researched liner notes analyze the music as well as the growth of Peterson's reputation from his 1949 arrival on the scene to jazz stardom. But while audiences adored Peterson's safely unchallenging jazz, the critics grew less sympathetic. At length, McDonough earnestly defends Peterson against his detractors rather than letting the musical evidence on the discs speak for itself. Peterson's devoted listeners will purchase this set for its comprehensive coverage and the seven previously unissued tracks, all presented with Mosaic's typical care. Others might think of the pianists Granz employed less often than the nearly-ubiquitous Peterson—John Lewis, Al Haig, Hank Jones, Teddy Wilson, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Rowles—and sigh at what might have been.

Tracks:

Disc I: Turtle Neck; It's Easy To Remember; Pooper; Love For Sale; Until The Real Thing Comes Along; You Go To My Head; They Can't Take That Away From Me; There's A Small Hotel; You Turned The Tables On Me; These Foolish Things; I Can't Get Started; Blue Moon; East Of The Sun; The Astaire Blues.

Disc II: Tea For Two; Slow Down; Oh, Lady Be Good; Body And Soul; Stompin' at The Savoy; Rough Ridin'; Just One Of Those Things; Too Marvelous For Words; But Not For Me.