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Jazz
Great Oscar
Peterson Dies at 82
December
26, 2007 - The music world suffered a great loss on Sunday night.
Jazz superstar Oscar
Peterson
died of kidney failure at his home in Ontario. He was 82. more
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Peterson who had won 8 Grammy's had played with Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King
Cole, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker among
others. The piano great was known for his speedy, yet delicate touch on
the keys. Peterson who was born in Montreal suffered a stroke in 1993
but continued his touring despite loosing some mobility in one hand. -
by Shannon Edwards |
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Jazz
Legend Oscar Peterson To Be Honored
 December
20, 2007 - The Canada Council for the Arts and the National Endowment
for the Arts - the national arts funding agency in the United
States - will join forces to pay tribute to Canadian jazz great
pianist and composer Oscar
Peterson when the International Association for Jazz Education
(IAJE) holds its annual conference in Toronto in January 2008.
The event will take place at Constitution Hall in the Metro Toronto
Convention Centre, on Friday, January 11 starting at 8 p.m.
The tribute to one of the jazz living legends will be part of
a gala concert and awards ceremony honouring the recipients of
the 2008 NEA Jazz Master Fellowship, who include bandleader Quincy
Jones, composer and arranger Tom McIntosh, trumpeter Joe Wilder,
pianist Andrew Hill, percussionist Candido Camero and jazz advocate
Gunther Schuller.
"Oscar Peterson is an outstanding musician who has made his
mark on the world stage for nearly six decades," said Canada
Council Chair Karen Kain. "We are delighted to partner with
the National Endowment for the Arts to celebrate his life and
his music, and to recognize the enormous contribution he has made
to the arts in Canada and internationally."
NEA Chairman Dana Gioia said, ""It is an honour to join
with the Canada Council for the Arts to salute one of the world-premiere
jazz pianists and composers. Our annual NEA Jazz Masters celebration
is enhanced by this special recognition to a singular artist.
One of Canada 's national treasures, Oscar Peterson is also one
of the world's great jazz masters."
Born and raised in Montreal, Oscar Peterson began playing the
piano at the age of five and made his international debut as New
York 's Carnegie Hall in 1949. He has received seven Grammy Awards
and was elected to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1978. In
1972, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and promoted
to Companion of the Order of Canada in 1984. Considered perhaps
the world's top jazz pianist, he is also known for such compositions
as Canadiana Suite. Now 82, he lives in Mississauga. - by Akbar
Nour
Diana
Krall Gives Thanks to Oscar Peterson
 August
24, 2005 - Oscar Peterson
celebrated his 80th birthday in style with a gala reception peopled
by the who's who of jazz. Diana
Krall and husband Elvis Costello flew in from New York to
be a part of the celebration, during which Krall performed and
sang Happy Birthday to her mentor. Diana named Peterson as her
inspiration in her high school yearbook, and shared with him her
complete sense of awe at seeing him perform with Ella Fitzgerald
when she was 16 years old. Krall said her life, from that day
forward, was never the same, and gushed that she was "thrilled"
to be a part of the celebration, and to be in the same room with
jazz greats such as Ray Brown, and Jeff Hamilton. At the event,
Canada Post officials unveiled a commemorative stamp which celebrates
the life of this extraordinary man. Peterson said that he will
keep playing as long as he is able, and true to his word he ended
the night by giving an impromptu performance for the appreciative
crowd. Peterson turned 80 on August 15, 2005. - by Cheryl
Philips |
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