With more than 200 published recordings to his name, it’s hard to know where to start exploring this body of work. Over the course of Peterson’s acclaimed career, he won seven Grammy Awards, was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Duke Ellington proclaimed him the “Maharaja of the keyboard.” It’s immediately obvious how much love and dedication he has for his craft. You’d be forgiven for thinking he’s playing with four hands. Known as the “master of swing” or the “king of inside swing,” Peterson made a name for himself with his incredible dexterity, speed and ornate technique on the keys. By nine, he was playing at a level that impressed even professional musicians, and at 14, he began a professional career that would last more than six decades. Oscar Peterson is one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time.īorn and raised in Montreal, Peterson began playing piano at the age of five.

Out of more than 200 recordings to his name, here are five standouts from the Canadian legend By Raina Hersh Oscar Peterson performs in Hamburg, Germany, in 1974. Oscar Peterson is one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time.

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