Summary of "Oscar Peterson & Andre Previn"

Session overview

An extended, relaxed on-stage conversation and mini-recital between two giants — Oscar Peterson and André Previn — blending live piano performances with stories, technical talk, and good-humored banter. The mood is warm and frequently funny; the audience applauds runs and riffs as the pair swap impressions and memories.

This session mixes short performances and improvisations with reminiscence, technical demonstration, and comic asides. The emphasis is on solo piano freedom, the dangers of imitation, and the legacy of earlier masters.

Main thread

Why Oscar has been playing more solo piano lately
- Solo playing gives freedom to take harmonic and rhythmic “left turns” that are hard to communicate to a trio.
- Oscar explains the “left-hand hangup” many jazz pianists develop from relying on bass, drums, or guitar.
- André jokes about being glad he’s a conductor — a lighthearted counterpoint.
The danger of over-imitating
- They debate how influence can become a trap when a player copies too much (with Art Tatum as a central example).
- The ideal is to absorb influences and find one’s own voice rather than merely imitate virtuosos.

Highlights, anecdotes, and jokes

Oscar’s Art Tatum revelation: a vivid story about his father playing Tatum’s “Tiger Rag” when Oscar was a teen; the record devastated him so deeply he “gave up the piano for two months” and had crying fits — a candid reaction to encountering genius.
Multiple Art Tatum anecdotes: party showdowns where Tatum would “wipe out” other pianists and bassists; Vladimir Horowitz being awed and attempting Tatum-like encore variations; a comic film clip reduced to two bars — all underscoring Tatum’s near-mythical status.
Other influences discussed:
- Nat (King) Cole’s impeccable time and use of “stabilizer” figures.
- Teddy Wilson’s mastery of right-hand voicings.
- Bud Powell’s ferocious bebop lines (noted as not strictly a soloist’s model).
- Count Basie’s ability to quiet and enthrall a room, with a joking aside about how Basie could “waste” an earlier set by following and outplaying it.
Movies and TV misrepresenting musicians: a recurring gag (e.g., Young Man With a Horn / Kirk Douglas), with Oscar lampooning clichéd film portrayals and joking about which actors might play jazz musicians in a biopic.
The tedium and danger of studio and TV work: many camera takes (Oscar mentions 17 takes) can freeze spontaneity and push musicians toward safe, boring lines.
A wistful note about younger players: Oscar misses the old after-hours joy of playing “for fun” after club gigs and worries that some younger musicians skip the musical backlog needed for deeper growth.

Musical moments

Short piano passages and improvisations are interspersed with the talk; the audience applauds runs.
Notable pieces and demonstrations:
- An original piece named “Wheatland.”
- A small blues movement referred to as “Hug to Blues.”
- Demonstrations of left-hand walking techniques.
- Lyrical tension-and-release shown in tunes such as “Tenderly.”
André frequently prompts Oscar to play; Oscar often answers with a moving solo line or quick imitation.

Key reactions and atmosphere

The mood is warm, frequently funny, and punctuated by frequent laughter and applause.
Interplay is friendly and admiring: the two trade jabs, reminiscences, and technical observations.
The talk balances technical topics (handings, walking bass, voicings) with nostalgia and concern for authenticity and musical happiness.

People in the program

On stage:
- Oscar Peterson
- André Previn
Strongly featured in conversation or anecdotes:
- Art Tatum
- Nat (King) Cole
- Duke Ellington
- Teddy Wilson
- Bud Powell
- Count Basie
- Ray Brown
- Red Callender
- Vladimir Horowitz
- Tommy/Jimmy Dorsey (film context)
- Kirk Douglas (mentioned re: Young Man With a Horn)
- Billie Holiday
- Steve Allen
- Sal Mineo