Oscar Peterson at 100

Today marks the centennial of the birth of Canadian jazz virtuoso pianist and composer Oscar Peterson (1925-2007). Herbie Hancock commented, Oscar Peterson redefined swing for modern jazz pianists for the latter half of the 20th century up until today. I consider him the major influence that formed my roots in jazz piano playing. He mastered (brilliantly) the balance between technique, hard blues grooving… and tenderness. C Jam Blues On this recording, Peterson …

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Nico Muhly’s “Gait”: Life in Motion

The rhythmic pattern of animal and human movement formed the inspiration for Gait, a 2012 orchestral tone poem by American composer Nico Muhly (b. 1981). Muhly studied the five speeds, or gaits, of horses, documented by the 19th century photographer Eadweard Muybridge, and then moved on to the locomotion of insects and humans. People move in distinct ways which include “a running trot” and “a lateral sequence walk.” The first steps of …

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