Tribute

AMG Review of Tribute

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Oscar Peterson, who suffered a stroke in 1993, has since made a partial comeback. Although his left hand is weakened, the pianist's right hand is as powerful as ever, and he is able to mostly cover up his deficiencies. This live album, Tribute, makes it clear that many jazz fans and musicians are delighted to have Peterson back on the scene again. He performs "Anything Goes" in a quartet with guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Lewis Nash; joins with fellow pianist Benny Green on a couple of quintet numbers, and welcomes such top players as vibraphonist Milt Jackson, singer/pianist Shirley Horn, tenor-saxophonist Stanley Turrentine (they had never played together before), Roy Hargrove (whose tender flugelhorn solo on "My Foolish Heart" is a highlight), the Manhattan Transfer, and flugelhornist Clark Terry. Few real surprises occur (Horn's "Here's to Life" is out of place here, and Clark Terry's "Mumbles" routine goes on too long) but overall, the straight-ahead music is quite pleasing and heartfelt.