DianaKrallfans.com

Posted: **24 Dec 2007, 20:07**

Very sad news...

http://multimedia.thestar.com/images/44/e8/4281e49744e1bcffb07e6018c3cc.jpeg

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/288525

December 24, 2007
The Canadian Press

Jazz legend Oscar Peterson, widely counted among the most accomplished pianists in the world for his seemingly magical hands, has died at age 82, the CBC reports.

CBC said Peterson died at home in Mississauga, Ont., of kidney failure on Sunday night.

Peterson's storied 50-year career took him from the jazz clubs of 1950s Montreal to the bright lights of New York's Carnegie Hall and beyond.

He collected eight Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award in 1997, hundreds of prizes from the jazz community, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement and was a Companion of the Order of Canada.

In 2005 Canada Post marked his contribution to music with a 50-cent stamp.

The keyboard titan, who recorded almost 200 albums, played alongside the greats of the jazz world: Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald.

Posted: **24 Dec 2007, 21:46**

Really very sad news.

I know a little bit about Oscar Peterson but I know enough to say he was a great musician. Yesterday when I was listening a jazz album I listen a beautiful Oscar's song:

This Can't Be Love - Oscar Peterson & Ben Webster

http://app.radio.musica.uol.com.br/radi ... 01564-7_07<@>Ben_Webster_Meets_Oscar_Peterson<@>This_Cant_Be_Love<@>Oscar_Peterson/Ben_Webster<@>0000<@>Oscar_Peterson/Ben_Webster

Posted: **24 Dec 2007, 22:16**

Information provided by narrow daylight:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article ... 1HrnzB_i2w

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/arch ... c5881.html

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2 ... oscar.html

Posted: **24 Dec 2007, 22:38**

Diana's Lexus commercial --

http://www.splendad.com/ads/show/978-Le ... r-Peterson

Posted: **25 Dec 2007, 03:56**

May Oscar Peterson rest in peace. I am only just getting to know him, thanks to his friend, Diana Krall. I rue, on a certain level, that, as was the case with John Lennon, I am only just starting to get to know him at the time of his passing. But I am blessed to be getting to know him even so. And though the moment was not mine, it gives me contentment and happiness, vicariously, that Mr. Peterson and Ms. Krall shared the unique pleasure of his getting to hold her infant boys last summer during her concert tour, as she discussed so movingly in the November Jazziz article we discussed here. For that and so many reasons, I am confident that he passed on knowing he was manifold a blessed and fortunate man.

That most important peace being said, if I may I'd like to thank you, Bud, for sharing the link for the lovely Lexus commercial. I had *seen it at the gym on the TV, but hadn't until now *heard it. Extraordinary. Diana Krall is an extraordinary individual. That's all I have to say at this moment about her. Thanks again.

-CS

Posted: **25 Dec 2007, 04:05**

By RICHARD SEVERO
Published: December 24, 2007
Oscar Peterson, whose dazzling piano playing made him one of the most popular jazz artists in history, died Sunday night at his home in Mississauga, Ontario, outside Toronto. He was 82.

The cause was kidney failure, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Mr. Peterson had performed publicly for a time even after a stroke he suffered in 1993 had compromised movement in his left hand.

Mr. Peterson was one of the greatest virtuosos in jazz, with a technique that was always meticulous and ornate and sometimes overwhelming. But rather than expand the boundaries of jazz, he used his gifts in the service of moderation and reliability and in gratifying his devoted audiences, whether playing in a trio or solo. His technical accomplishments were always evident, almost transparently so. Even at his peak, there was very little tension in his playing.

...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/arts/ ... zDuj/44/LQ

Posted: **25 Dec 2007, 04:46**

Just caught this on MSN.ca.

Eternal rest grant unto Oscar, O Lord, and let Perpetual Light shine upon him. May he rest in peace, Amen. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Speaking from the perspective of a Diana Krall fan, and knowing what a dream it was of hers to meet Oscar Peterson, I'm so glad she was able to realise that dream. More than that, as we all know; she got to become a part of his life, and share in making music together in his own home.

Posted: **25 Dec 2007, 13:28**

Oh on...

Posted: **26 Dec 2007, 04:34**

[from scielle- moved post]

This is so sad... I wish I had gone home to Mississauga for the Holidays - then perhaps I could bring a bouquet to his doorstep...
Oscar put Montreal and Canada on the musical map in a big way - he'll be so sadly missed.

Perhaps it's timely to re-post this feature from last month's Jazziz.
God bless you OP.

http://www.shorefire.com/media/Jazziz.N ... _90125.pdf

This CBC news report from yesterday has Diana on the phone from Nanaimo

http://www.cbc.ca/MRL/clips/rm-hi/vandu ... x071224.rm

And from LA Times -

Singer and pianist Diana Krall, like Peterson a Canadian, was similarly affected, generations later, by Peterson.

"He was the reason I became a jazz pianist," she told The Times. "In my high school yearbook it says that my goal is to become a jazz pianist like Oscar Peterson. I didn't know then we'd become such close friends over the years. We were together at his house in October, playing and singing songs together. Now it's almost impossible for me to think of him in the past tense."

Also, this cumbersome link from CTV should lead you to an interview with pianist/ producer/ photographer Bill King who speaks quite beautifully of that 80th birthday party in 2005, and who DK had tears in her eyes playing for Oscar...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate/ ... &ads=false

Posted: **26 Dec 2007, 04:36**

[from scielle - moved post]

The following was posted today by Oscar's wife and daughter on the on the official Oscar Peterson website.
http://oscarpeterson.com/news/

IN MEMORIAM
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson
August 25 1925 - December 23 2007

A Message from Kelly & Celine Peterson:

We would like to thank everyone who has sent their condolences, and the hundreds of you who sent e-mail messages. We appreciate it very much. There will be a public memorial service in the near future, and we will provide all the details right here once everything has been decided. For anyone who would like to make donations, we ask you to please make them to World Vision or Christian Children's Fund in honour of Oscar Peterson.Â Thank you once again for all your love and support. May God Bless his Soul!

In 2004 The Late Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen suggested that Oscar write lyrics to "When Summer Comes". In 2005 when Niels passed away, Oscar persued this and asked Elvis Costello to write lyrics. On Oscar's 80th Birthday event, Diana Krall sang the lyrics that Elvis wrote. Oscar loved the lyrics, and we thought it would be fitting to have them here for others to enjoy.

When Summer Comes
Music by Oscar Peterson
Lyrics by Elvis Costello
Originally Performed by Diana Krall

The land was white
While the winter moon as absent from the night
And the blackness only pierced by far off stars
But as every day still succeeds the darkest moments we have known
When season turn
Springtime colours will return
And as the first pale flowers of the lengthening hours
Seem to brighten the twilight and that melancholy cloak
Then a fresh perfume just seems to burst from each bloomÂ
Until the green shoots through each day
As it arrives in every shade of hope
When Summer Comes
There will be a dream of peace
And a breath that I've held so long that I can barely release
Then perhaps I may even find a room somewhere
Just a place I can still speak to you

A brief video of Diana's performance that day is still available via the Universal Music Canada website -

http://umusicmedia.ca/videos/view.php?id=315

.

Posted: **26 Dec 2007, 04:56**

I moved the posts that were in As Long As I Live to here. To be honest, I wasn't sure where to put the initial post when I first heard the sad news. As Long As I Live is certainly appropriate, since Oscar Peterson was clearly a big influence on Diana and they grew to be close over the years. However, it seems keeping the information to one thread is less confusing...

Posted: **26 Dec 2007, 17:17**

Fair enouh - I put it in the DK section as it is very much a Diana-related topic, especially given the message posted by Kelly and Celine...

Posted: **26 Dec 2007, 18:43**

Out of touch with the news for a few days. Didn't read about Oscar's passing until this morning. Sorry to hear about it. Our Oscar collection is shamefully small (Night Train, Live at The Blue Note), so I'll spin a mini tribute until I can get to a record store. Any suggestions?

Posted: **27 Dec 2007, 14:03**

I just heard sad news... rest in peace Mr. Peterson

Posted: **07 Jan 2008, 02:47**

There's a free tribute concert for Oscar on Toronto (Roy Thompson Hall) on Jan the 12th. Some suspect Diana might be there to perform (she played at the funeral), though I haven't heard anything official. Jeff Hamilton is playing. Also confirmed are Nancy Wilson, soprano Measha Brueggergosman, Monty Alexander, Governor General Michaelle Jean, and former premier of Ontario Bob Rae.
The concert will be broadcast live on CBC Radio 1 at 4pm EST, and CBC Radio 2 at 8pm EST (Jan. 12th). You can stream from the CBC website. And for anyone in the Toronto area - it's a no-ticket event; first-come, first-serve. Roy Thompson Hall seats ~2000 I believe. Doors open at 3pm.

Posted: **10 Jan 2008, 23:41**

Thanks Scielle ; here are some handy links -

http://www.roythomson.com/eventInfo.cfm ... nth=2008,1

http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/R2feature-Oscar.html#oscar

DianaKrallfans.com

Oscar Peterson dies at 82

Oscar Peterson dies at 82

First things first ...

From the New York Times