Oscar Peterson Biography

A highly accomplished jazz pianist with a long and illustrious career spanning six decades, Oscar Peterson is considered to be one of the greatest pianists of all times. He was an internationally renowned soloist who had also played with many of the best known musicians of his times. He was born into a musically inclined family and was encouraged by his father to learn music from a young age. He was brought up in an atmosphere heavily influenced by the jazz culture and started playing the trumpet when he was five. However, a bout of tuberculosis forced him to stop playing trumpet and he began playing the piano. This unexpected twist of fate directed him towards what would ultimately become his life’s calling. On recognizing his son’s genius his father arranged for him to attend classes with the renowned pianist Paul de Marky. Peterson started performing professionally while still in high school. He was deeply influenced by the musicians Teddy Wilson, Nat “King” Cole, and especially Art Tatum whom he considered his biggest inspiration. A chance meeting with the impresario Norman Granz led to not just a highly successful professional collaboration, but also a very profound personal connection. Over his career Peterson released over 200 recordings and was rightfully called ‘The Maharaja of the Keyboard’.