Pianist/composer/bandleader Oscar Peterson, one of the most popular jazz artists in history, died on Sunday, December 23, 2007, at his home in Mississauga , Ontario , outside Toronto . He was 82. Peterson recorded with most of the jazz greats over the years. He played alongside giants like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz and Nat King Cole. Peterson was born on …

Michel Petrucciani’s music should be listened to and listened to. It must be understood, and that’s not the word either, rather felt through the heart. "Listen to that," is all that can be said about his compositions, at least by those who really hear it. Michel attempted to reconcile the idea of capturing a moment of feeling and his supposition that all music contains a harmony of colors expressing his artistic nature. His method of composition captured the necessities of both philosophies. …

When I was twenty-one, I fell in love with a sound. That sound, a romantic harmonic-engaging rhythm that swept across the United States like the plague in 1962, still lingers near my heart. I close my eyes and remember driving up the coast from Los Angeles in my boyfriend's fire-engine red, classic '52 Jag, wind blowing my hair, sun against my face and Jobim's songs playing against the sound of the surf. That was in 1968, and the bossa nova (new wrinkle, new wave) movement was in its heyday. It …

When Mark Murphy hit the jazz scene back in 1956, it was immediately obvious that he had what no one else had going for them: a very hip and remarkable way of interpreting a song, and a range and timing he optimized with every note, mesmerizing his listeners. Although Murphy confesses it took time to find his niche, many will disagree. Once you became turned on to Murphy’s remarkable style, you bought every single recording you could lay your hands on. Those who didn’t, now find t …

Keter Betts is not only a great bass player; he is a pretty fine philosopher. Of course, when you have six decades of influential jazz performances under your belt, you learn a thing or two along the way. "There are six billion people in the world and ironically there are no two fingerprints alike," said Keter. "You are one in 6 billion," he continued. "Take what you are, and who you are, and make a difference in the world." Keter has lived by that philosophy and is a firm believer that your …