Volatile Oscar Mind Melds With Mellow Milt For Fun Session

crowd pleasing 1962 release provides much needed 21st century stress release

Nat Hentoff's notes get directly to how this musical experiment might have easily gone awry: the unflappable, cerebral MJQ vibraphonist Milt Jackson meets Peterson's "abundant" style. Jackson never broke a sweat on stage, Peterson probably would have had he played the Arctic circle.

Yet Jackson and The Oscar Peterson Trio seem made for each other on this musically satisfying, sonically enjoyable set. I've been listening to the original pretty much since it was first released in 1962 so there's no speculation in that.

Of course the classic trio of Peterson, Ed Thigpen and Ray Brown always makes for a pleasurable listen. Adding Milt Jackson to the mix adds a cool governor to Peterson's dynamism.

The song selection includes the show tune "Wonderful Guy", the jazz classic, Nat Adderley's "Work Song", and two Milt Jackson originals, "Heartstrings" and the finale, "Reunion Blues."

The two stars work and play well with each other throughout. Only on the final tune, where both get to stretch out, does Peterson dominate as well he should. It's his record!

Hentoff sums it up well in his annotation: "This is the kind of session that did not intend to prove anything except that being yourself among compatible souls is great fun and can produce cheerfully uncomplicated jazz of a very tall order."

Packaging, presentation and pressing quality are up to the usual Verve/Acoustic Sounds series high standards. Enjoyable for all, but an especially good record to give to a friend interested in "getting into" jazz.