Oscar Peterson – Action

Oscar Peterson – Action

Action is the first volume of Oscar Peterson's acclaimed Exclusively For My Friends series, originally released on the German MPS Records label in 1968. Recorded in the intimate surroundings of Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer's private studio in Villingen, West Germany, it captures Peterson with his celebrated trio of Ray Brown on double bass and Ed Thigpen on drums.

The Exclusively For My Friends recordings occupy an especially important place in Peterson's discography. Brunner-Schwer had developed a close friendship with the pianist and invited him to record in his home studio, where small audiences created a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Peterson was still under contract to Verve when these performances were recorded, meaning they could not be released until 1968, when they became among the first releases on the newly established MPS label.

The album gets off to a lively start with Cole Porter's “At Long Last Love”, followed by Billy Taylor's “Easy Walker”, an extended performance that demonstrates the remarkable interplay between Peterson, Brown and Thigpen. The trio's ability to swing without sacrificing subtlety is one of the defining characteristics of the entire album, with Peterson's virtuosity balanced by the rhythmic sensitivity of his long-standing collaborators.

One of the major highlights is “Tin Tin Deo”, the Latin-inflected Gillespie/Pozo classic, where Peterson launches into some exhilarating improvisation while Brown and Thigpen provide an exceptionally fluid rhythmic foundation. On the second side, the Gershwin standards “I've Got A Crush On You” and “A Foggy Day” reveal Peterson's more lyrical side, moving effortlessly between delicate phrasing and dazzling technique.

The closing “Like Someone In Love” stretches beyond eleven minutes and is a superb showcase for Peterson's improvisational imagination. His rapid, intricate runs reflect the influence of his great inspiration Art Tatum, while the performance also gives Ed Thigpen room to shine. It is an ideal finale to a record that manages to be technically astonishing without ever losing its relaxed, intimate character.

For collectors of Oscar Peterson vinyl, MPS jazz, German jazz pressings, piano trio recordings and classic 1960s jazz, Action is an essential record. It is also the starting point for the celebrated Exclusively For My Friends sequence, widely regarded as one of the defining bodies of Peterson's later small-group work. The combination of Peterson, Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen, together with Brunner-Schwer's intimate recording environment, makes this a particularly desirable jazz LP.

Tracklist

Side A

1. At Long Last Love – 4:56
2. Easy Walker – 9:36
3. Tin Tin Daeo – 5:34

Side B

1. I've Got A Crush On You – 5:15
2. Foggy Day – 4:35
3. Like Someone In Love – 11:18