SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OSCAR PETERSON – CON ALMA: THE OSCAR PETERSON TRIO – LIVE IN LUGANO, 1964

OSCAR PETERSON
CON ALMA: THE OSCAR PETERSON TRIO – LIVE IN LUGANO, 1964
TWO LIONS RECORDS

In 1964, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Ed Thigpen performed in Lugano. This incarnation of The Oscar Peterson Trio is widely acclaimed as his classic trio, having collaborated on Night Train and We Get Requests. By 1964 they were operating at their creative and performative peak. Recorded on May 26, 1964, at Teatro Apollo, Lugano, Switzerland, Con Alma: The Oscar Peterson Trio – Live In Lugano, 1964 is a previously unreleased album from Peterson’s vaults.

Opening with “Waltz For Debby”, the trio sets the stage for their set on a softer note that feels incredibly light on its feet. The song shifts from a traditional waltz with a time change as they enter the solo section where Peterson slowly builds a rhythmic solo that grows with each pass through the song’s structure. The following song, “My One And Only Love” further plays with the dynamic of soft and lyrical melodicism contrasting with solos that absolutely shred across a serene musical landscape in a way that is so incredibly distinctive of Peterson.

Con Alma continues forward on a much livelier note with “Blues For My Landlady”, an 11-min track that sees Peterson spend the first two minutes performing without his band – save the hi-hat count from Thigpen – with his left hand acting as the bass as a means of providing harmonic and rhythmic context to his soloing right hand. The performance is striking but truly comes alive with the addition of the band. Furthermore, their performance of the title track, “Con Alma” is simply stunning as the band moves through a highly rhythmic and moody song built upon a percussive ostinato and a bowed bassline.

There is no denying the virtuosity that was Peterson. His touch to the piano was beyond both elegant and technical. If Con Alma is to stand for anything, allow for it to pay tribute to the brilliance of Peterson’s performance, one which seamlessly flips between highly emotive, moving passages to blistering solos of sheer technical ecstasy. Additionally, the undeniable chemistry between him, Brown, and Thigpen is remarkable, making Con Alma: The Oscar Peterson Trio – Live In Lugano, 1964 an unearthed gem worthy of the extensive Peterson catalogue.

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