Jazz musician Oscar Peterson plays

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Robert Richardson

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Reflected in the polished lid of his piano, jazz musician Oscar Peterson plays a number for Night on The Town, an hour-long musical tour of Toronto night spots to be telecast on CTV, c. March 1964. Originally Published April 3, 1964 HERB NOTT & CO. LTD.
For more than 100 years, photographers and photo librarians have preserved an extraordinary collection of 20th-century news photography for The Globe and Mail. Every Monday, The Globe features one of these images. This month, we’re celebrating jazz.
The Canadian jazz giant Oscar Peterson had good reason to be satisfied in 1964. The year saw the release of his best-known work, Canadiana Suite, a “musical portrait of the Canada I love,” he said, with eight patriotic pieces each inspired by a different region of the country. The Grammy-nominated album begins with Ballad to the East, journeying westward with melodious stops on a conceptual railway journey at Laurentide Waltz, Place St. Henri, Hogtown Blues, Blues of the Prairies, Wheatland, March Past and Land of the Misty Giants. Such a cross-country journey by rail would take five days. With trio-mates Ray Brown (on double bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums), Mr. Peterson made it in 35 minutes – first-class, naturally. Brad Wheeler

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