Oscar Peterson - Exclusively For My Friends 4CD

These four discs collect the material on six long plays of trios and solos that Oscar Peterson recorded in Villingen, Germany, between 1963 and 1968. On standards galore, Peterson never lets up in his rigorous, swinging approach. He is at his prime on these recordings, as he himself noted later. The improvisations range from extraordinary to awe-inspiring. The lyricism of Nat King Cole is in there, along with Art Tatum-esque rococoisms and Bud Powell-like attack. Which partners best complemented Peterson's girth, and bowed to it least, is always in dispute. On six tracks here, Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen lay claim against the earlier Brown-Herb Ellis unit. The set comes with a 32-page booklet containing black-and-white historical and original-cover photographs, and a detailed discography. --Peter Monaghan, Amazon.com



Oscar Peterson has stated that he feels his MPS recordings are his finest. That is quite a statement considering the huge amount of records that the pianist has produced through the past 50 years.

While some of the performances feature the 1963 trio he had with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, most of the music dates from 1967-1968 and matches Peterson with bassist Sam Jones and either Louis Hayes or Bobby Durham on drums.

A special treat is Peterson's first unaccompanied solo album, which fills up the final CD. Peterson's many fans know what to expect in this set, while other listeners need to discover him to realize what all of the fuss was about.

Quite simply, Oscar Peterson has long been one of the greatest pianists the world has ever known; this reissue offers plenty of proof.

-Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.



This 4 CD set includes the original 6 lp's:

Vol 1 - Action

Vol 2 - Girl Talk

Vol 3 - The Way I Really Play

Vol 4 - My Favorite Instrument

Vol 5 - Mellow Mood

Vol 6 - Travelin' On

Enjoy the best!