"Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard." ~ Count Basie ~

This is one of the Songbook series that Oscar Peterson recorded in 1950s under the production of Norman Granz of Verve Records. And if you love the standards from the Great American Songbook, this CD "Oscar Peterson Plays The Cole Porter Songbook" will delight your auditory sense to the fullest. Listening to Peterson play his favorite instrument effortlessly together with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen as they perform a dozen of Cole Porter staples is "just one of those things" that truly adds joy to any listener's musical adventure.

I share Count Basie's sentiment when he said that "Peterson plays the best ivory box he has ever heard." Some of the finest jazz pianists today singled him out as a great influence to their technique. One of them is the recently declared Grammy Award winner, Herbie Hancock, who once said and I quote: "Oscar Peterson is the greatest living influence on jazz pianists today." This Songbook album is one of the true representations why Peterson was hailed as one of the greatest virtuosos of jazz piano. He deserved the accolade.

Although I have selected a few of my top favorites, "I Concentrate On You," "Every Time We Say Goodbye," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "In The Still of the Night," Easy To Love" and "I Love Paris," all the performances are equally interesting and flawlessly rendered. You'll enjoy the CD in its entirety. "It's delightful and it's de-lovely!"

Wholeheartedly recommended!

P.S. For more of the Songbook series, please check these out - Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Songbook, Plays the Harold Arlen Song Book and The Song Is You: Best of the Verve Songbooks.

I purchased this CD after hearing a story about Oscar Peterson on NPR. I first listened on my way home from work the day before Christmas. Perhaps I was reminiscing about my childhood because of the holiday, but this CD brought back great memories of my parents and grandparents, who were huge Cole Porter fans. My grandmother sang Cole Porter songs as we washed and dried the dinner dishes each night, so every time I listen to this CD I am compelled to wash dishes! In all seriousness, this is a great CD of standards that everyone will recognize. My only complaint is the short length of the recording (about 1/2 hour total). It is a great introduction to Mr. Peterson's work, and you will find yourself wanting more.

This album, these performances, are simply must-own. The music is jazz, but the audience is anyone, everyone. My mother-in-law, who is not a jazz fan (her normal listening fare is, ahem, Neil Diamond), heard this at my home and instantly wished to have a copy of it. That is most unlike her. Fortunately I had two copies of this CD--yes, it's something to do with wanting to have a pristine copy always--and I gave it right then. Oscar Peterson makes converts. And his Gershwin album is a lovely complement to this one, though this is the desert-island absolute fave.

This re-release by Verve preserves, in my opinion, one of the best trio performances. 'In the Still of the Night',
Peterson's subtle single melody nuances and left hand chords are complimented by Ray Brown's wonderful bass. Ed Thigpen maintains the tempo with his stylish brush technique. The rest of the CD is hampered only slightly by the 'volme' inconsistencies from one number to the next, created by the studio. This is a great CD.

OSCAR PETERSON's 1959 piano tribute to COLE PORTER is a joy even if it's only 33 minutes long.We could have take an another half hour of this music.What makes it so enjoyable is the variety of moods it delivers.There was actually another PORTER songbook recorded in mono,but for a reason i ignore,they did not coupled it with this one to make it last longer.A message to VERVE:did they lost the masters of the RICHARD RODGERS songbook,and if not,what are they waiting for?