5 Must-Learn Oscar Peterson Licks and Runs
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
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Oscar Peterson is one of the greatest pianists of all time. Check out his records, "We Get Requests," "Live at the Concertbegouw," "Live at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival," "Blues Etude," "West Side Story," "Exclusively for my Friends," "Tracks," and more. - เพลง
I saw Oscar Peterson live in San Francisco "back in the day" (early 1980's). I was sitting up close (about 10 feet away) and could see the keyboard perfectly. I could hear his grunts and groans and see the sweat dripping off his face onto the keyboard. He was playing a tune a break-neck speed. Without missing a beat, in an incredibly long and furiously fast line of 16th and 32nd notes in his right hand, he picked up his handkerchief with his left hand and wiped his face on that side as his right worked its way all the way up to the very top of the keyboard, where the line took an amazing series of chromatic-ish surrounds before elegantly turning to head back down the keyboard. As his right hand passed the middle of the keyboard, racing toward the lower notes, he set the handkerchief down with his left hand, passed the line from right hand to left hand seamlessly, picked up the handkerchief with his right hand and wiped that side of his face and then put the handkerchief down again while his left hand bounced off the lowest notes and headed back up, this time with octaves coming up met with octaves coming down in the right hand. Everyone's eyes got big, like "OMG did you see that!? Did he just do that?" A woman in the audience lept to her feet and starting shouting over and over "The man is a genius! The man is a genius!"
You don't say... how old were you back then? I quite envy you, I really do..
@@aleixkrieger I was in my 20's. The same (very prominent) older man who took me to this performance also took me, during that same period, to meet George Shearing in his room, on his break between sets. Special times. I was fortunate, indeed.
@donschneider7953 OH LORD!! What l wouldn’t have given to see/ hear that! OH MY FRIEND; what a gift to see the GREATEST!! I’m so STOKED FOR YOU!!! As l’ve said; my DAD💔; was a jazz nut as a kid.( heard jazz & classical as an embryo)..OSCAR. JUST WAS….. !! All of these guys have my greatest respect & love: l’m a ‘pianist’ too; but to OSCAR? Yeah, l can, but when he’s playin 128th notes (!)😆, l’m still on 1/8s! But, as long as l swing it l guess!! I AM SO ENVIOUS MY FRIEND! But; somethin for you; l was 3 years old when l heard/saw my first gig with my DAD💔. DAVE BRUBECK; & EUGENE WRIGHT was my GODFATHER!!! And l’m still just ‘eekin’ out a living teaching & at the moment; l’m not well enough to play live!!! GRRRRR…. I am a professional pianist ( l think! 🤣🤣🤣),Take Care, HAVE A TOP NEW YEAR! 🎹👊🏾✨😈🌟
BRAVO! OSCAR RULES !!! 👑🎹✨👊🏾👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@@aleixkrieger I was in my late 20's or early 30's. I'm 72 now.
You should do an entire series on Gershwin - and talk about his approaches, voicings. The composer in you is evident!
Fantastic content and presentation as always.
Thank you Jeremy... Oscar was my reason for getting in to jazz too.
Fantastic video as always.
Thanks so much, Stuart! He's such an inspiration - pianistically, artistically, and as a kind and wise human. I'm glad you're enjoying the channel!
Loved this video, Jeremy!
Thank you for thon video…🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
Thank you so much For sharing the love, I will get this stuff under my belt, may God-bless you with good health and long life. Thanks again my brother in jazz.
Thank you for sharing Jeremy, can’t wait to receive the book arrival.
Thanks, Shanti! I really hope you like the book. :)
Seriously killer video! These the typa videos that are great
Yay! Glad you liked it. More coming your way. :)
Your videos are all top-notch, pro level stuff, and you keep them coming on a regular basis. Can't thank you enough!
Oh man, thanks so much, David! I'm honored. I hope you keep coming back and checking out the videos.
Thankyou Jeremy for helping us as big fans of Oscar to play like him. It's very useful for me and leads me to the next level of playing jazz piano
Awesome! Thanks for watching, Jovial.
Great video! Thanks!
You’re so welcome! Happy new year!
Wooooo! That intro on Someone To Watch Over Me. One of my fav. standards.
So gooooooood!
FUNTASTIC
You explain this stuff so well! Straight to the point with a sprinkle of theory. THANK YOU!
I really appreciate it, Hayden. Thank *you*!
Love this video ! Thanks for breaking it down.. you’ve earned a new sub!
Awesome! Thanks and welcome!
Thanks so much for this! Huge Oscar fan .... been digging into more of his records lately and it's so fun to spot these lines!
Awesome! His detractors like to say he only plays licks...but if I could "only play licks" like he could, I'd be a happy man! :)
Your book is the best jazz piano book I've ever read and I've read a lot. These videos are fantastic
I wasn't familiar with clustering and I feel foolish for not thinking that way. It's a very helpful concept.
Whoa, this is so awesome to read. Thank you, Patrick!!
@@patricktehan3590 Great! Yep - it's a great practice tool for me in classical and in jazz.
Jeremy thanks for taking the time to write those runs out. Can’t wait to get home to try them out.
My pleasure! I hope you enjoyed playing through them!
man i like your book so much, i practice from it every day...these videos add lots of value...many thanks!
Wade, your comment warmed my heart! Thank you so much! If there's anything in the book in particular you'd like clarification on with a video, I'm happy to help out! Just let me know!
That was Awesome
Thanks, Kevin! I'm glad you liked it. :)
Jeremy you are a great pianist and have the gift of of knowing how to teach. Got your book.
Thank you, Frederico! It means a lot! Enjoy the book!
Thanks again! Your story at the very beginning is my story too with Oscar :)
yeah, he's so great on so many levels. I feel like each encounter I have with him I hear another level of depth and sophistication in his playing. I keep appreciating him on new levels.
There are oh so few "tutorial" or analytical videos that are truly instructional, and that have real message. This is one. I truly enjoyed and appreciated this video. Thank you ever so much for demystifying Oscar's licks.
Please do NOT underrate yourself dear Sir- there's nothing wrong with you as an excellent pianist. Clear, crisp, and clean. How's that for a triple alliteration.? 😄
Warm greetings from France.
That’s very kind. Thanks for watching. Oscar is such an inspiration to so many, certainly including me!
@JeremySiskind Thank you for your reply.
Yes, Peterson was a God like figure in jazz piano, just like Gheorghi Cziffra (Hungarian 20th century Liszt-like pianist, who could improvise insanely). There's one every century.
Dude- I’m ashamed to admit that I had kind of forgotten about Oscar (or at least hadn’t thought of him for awhile) until last night before I went to bed, when I strangely found myself longing to hear him again, vividly picturing the three albums of his that started MY OWN jazz-piano journey. (One was an out-of-print compilation, and all three were on cassettes that, sadly, got thrown out with hundreds of others.) I’m currently in the middle of an existential crisis (part of which involves deciding whether or not to stay “in music”), and I just woke up with “panic buzzing” and thought maybe some TH-cam would help relax me... only to discover this video in my “feed.” I’m probably losing my mind, but it feels like synchronicity, a feeling enhanced by your saying that Maestro Peterson is one of the reasons you got into jazz in the first place. Thank you for this gift, my friend! :)
Wow! I'm glad that this arrived at just the right time. Whenever I meet musicians who have also listened to some of the same keystone Oscar albums that I've listened to, there's always a huge feeling of kinship! So welcome to the family! :)
This is a really moving testimony. Thank you for sharing. I'm in the same place. 🎶❤️
Best Jazz Piano channel on youtube!
Another suggestion if you don't mind:) Do one on playing the blues, I remember seeing somewhere a poster or something where you were going to talk about "what most pianists don't know about the blues" or something. Sounds really interesting! Playing blues is so fundamental, yet it is deceptively difficult, in a way the notes might be easy, but the feeling and so on, quite difficult. Would be interesting to hear your take on it!
Hope this channel grows more!
Yes! Blues is on my list - maybe blues scale moreso than blues form.
Love you much
Thanks, humble mai!
My Friend, You are just Great! My teacher is hans kwakkernaat, he played with Peter bernstein, Eef Albers, Bob Mintzer etc. still Playing and studying he cannot do that for me that's my Job Now I will learn something from him that he doesn't know i am studying to make him dazzle?? no he won't he will only raise his left eyebrow a bot next week..Why?? didn't expect from me to learn such only through you I could get those things so fast I thank you at the bottem of My Heart! Thank You teacher!!! I am Green Jazz Apple on youtube
I love it! I hope he raises his left eyebrow to the sky! Thanks for watching and for the nice comment!
I can not thank you enough! I will definitely use these in my solos!
Oscar was so clever, wasn't he!
Now gotta transpose them haha
Btw: I've noticed a lot of spam comments on your channel, I think there is a way to block them
Awesome! I love Oscar so much and you did such a good job giving a rundown for each of the licks. You make it look so easy.
Thanks, Charles! It doesn't feel easy, I'll tell you that much. I transcribed "Someone to Watch Over Me" in high school and I'm just now feeling like I'm getting the timing. Maybe in another couple of decades I'll be able to really play it like him...
1:38 Brad Mehldau has a nearly identitical lick except he adds the seventh to that shape making it four notes.
2:01 Ha, good analogy.
3:49 I see that disonnance as him doing the ol' bebop trick of treating the whole iim7-V7 as either just iim7 or just V7.
:-) Really cool tutorial!
Thanks so much, Brenda!
Is it possible I could study with you watching videos such as this, maybe on a DVD that I can hook up into my computer and study, I like this method seeing and hearing you demo lessons on this level would make it really worthwhile for me.
Super! Очень классный урок! Thanks from Russia!
Thanks much! Stay warm out there!
OSCAR IS GOD! NUFF SAID! (He was classically trained too🎹 👊🏾✨) He actually played trumpet too, but tuberculosis stopped that. His fave was Art Tatum; ( naturally😆!) but OSCAR IS KING TO ME!!!! My DAD💔 jazz nut, thousands of records, ( over 17,000!). All OSCARS 1st pressings too!!! As an embryo , l first heard jazz, classical…. I’m an a pianist, & so blessed to have grown up to be a musician too. 😈✨🎹👍🏾
Yep, he's definitely a favorite. Every focuses on the technique, but I focus on the joy he puts into his playing!
@@JeremySiskind Jeremy ! First time l’ve seen this! Yep, you’re ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I’m suffering from ‘brain fog, so l’m practicing ‘John Cages 4’33’! 😆.) lts driving me nuts, coz l dunno wot program he was on, but OSCAR was asked to play in the styles of ART, BILL EVANS (my number 2 major (!!!!) influencer , chalk & cheese! ). I must admit to you that l’m into the older jazz guys. With amount of records l’ve so lucky to have; it’ll still take years of listening to music with my best friend, MY DAD: lbs ‘went home’ just on 4 years ago, & admitted he was a west coast purist. ! SO SORRY TO RAMBLE ON! NOT interested in trad, or ‘3rd stream’😳 . ( l am educated ; just using OZZIE slang! ) Back to John Cage. ( l’d love to know your take on it! If you can. ); l’m going now… let your 👀 rest! 🎹👍🏾😈✨
Please make more tutorial about jazz piano of Oscar Peterson...thanks
I love Oscar! I don’t have any ideas in particular in mind but I’m always happy to talk about his approach.
This is fantastic! You are a dream! I am every bit as much of a Peterson lover as you and your fans are, and I think you've picked some great licks and runs here. Thank you for the service you are doing in getting these analyzed and presented for the benefit of Peterson fans everywhere. And by the way, you've got great chops yourself!
Thanks so much, Flint! It's my pleasure - I'm loving meeting so many others who love Oscar's music. it brings a lot of joy to my heart!
@@JeremySiskind I have many, many Peterson albums, maybe all of them. At least enough to track the progression of his career, the progression of his voicings and the progression of his favorite licks and tricks throughout his career. He had a more bluesy orientation at times in his career. He had that reaching/composing period with Canadiana Suite and others. He had that short season when he was experimenting with different time signatures. Among my favorite cuts are Sandy's Blues, (Prestige) and Chicago Blues (Pablo). Other than that I also love West Side Story and My Fair Lady, and one of my all time favorite Peterson cuts is, "Put on a Happy Face." One time I made a promise to myself to transcribe the whole thing before I die, and I may just do that - unless you beat me to the punch! Don't you agree that live track of Put on a Happy FAce is just utterly over the top fantastic? It never mattered to me much which sidemen he was using or which guitarist he was playing with. I"m not wild about him with Clark Terry or other horn players actually. And I'm not wild about him with vocalists, unless it's Ella. And the JATP stuff with Lester Young and those guys is too confining for Oscar in my opinion. When I listen to those Norman Granz things, I'm only enduring the other greats in anticipation of Oscar's solo which makes the whole ensemble happen. Sometimes I get a kick out of Peterson, when he is comping behind a soloist, is still playing so busy, it sounds like Peterson soloing, just a little less. Haha. A tenor player in my band got mad at me one time for comping too busy behind him. (I adjusted my comping after that, but I always noted that Peterson got away with it! Haha). Maybe you could help me with this- I'm looking for an incredible, over the top, solo after bloody solo version he did of Lady Be Good, possible with Joe Pass, maybe Barney Kessel. It's part of a live show with other great songs and solos, but this particular Lady Be Good is outa sight! Do you know where I could find it? I can't find it on TH-cam. Thanks, your friend, Flint Long
@@flintlong2937 There's too much to respond to in one message, but this all made me really happy! If I had to choose a favorite, I love the drumless trio stuff with Herb and Ray, especially Live at the Concertgebouw (which is not generally thought of as one of the favorites). There's just a manic energy to some of those tracks which is almost tantric. Although Oscar plays great with drummers, especially Ed Thigpen, having him (and Herb) be the drummers is a little bit more fun in my opinion. I love some of the records where he is more melodic and less technical, and "We Get Requests" holds a special place in my heart for that reason. But...who can choose a favorite? I hope you get around to your transcription project!
@@JeremySiskind I hate to bug you, but are you familiar with Oscar's two singing albums? He said that Nat Cole advised him to stick with piano, but I think Oscar had quite a nice vocal sound. I agree with you that drumless with Neils[ Pederson or Ray and a guitarist is really great too. I believe that Oscar had a lot of stride in his playing. One of your five licks is the Kitten on the Keys kinda ragtime lick that he would always revert to. In the time in piano history when he was coming up, Fats Waller was a recent phenomenon, and of course, Tatum. So I believe that he had a good deal of stride in his mind and heart, and what about that Bb boogie woogie thing? Wow. He had a special place for regular old boogie woogie too. And gospel. I mean, when you take his playing apart, as it obvious you have, you find so many influences , including classical that it is just amazing He has been my idol for jazz for decades. Thanks again for all you're doing. And I'll leave you alone now haha..
@@flintlong2937 I've heard him sing but I heard a different story - I heard that he could sing almost exactly like Nat Cole, but he decided not to do it out of respect for Nat. 🤷♂️ I'm not sure if it's true, but i think it is really interesting that Nat is perhaps Oscar's biggest influence!
Very exciting stuff Jeremy! First OP album I discovered was “Put on a Happy Face” and it floored me. Been a fan ever since. I also just purchased your book. Woo hoo!
Thanks so much, Gene! Enjoy! :)
Thank you for the licks!
Check out OP's My One And Only Love, it has a similar intro
Nice - the one off of "We Get Requests"?
@@JeremySiskind I work on his transcriptions to try to incorporate a little of it and some of it is so impossible. My One And Only Love, even if you can play it fast enough, it's almost impossible to replicate his light touch. I sound frantic trying to cram it all in. It's good for my ego to hear a pianist as great as you say that you have to use use two hands on some of them.
@@patricktehan3590 Yeah, his technique, his touch, his musicality, his timing...it's so difficult to truly emulate. I'm just fakin'.
@@JeremySiskind That one yes!
And by the way there is another version on Live in Cologne 1963 that has an intro very similarly arranged and played... something that sometimes reassures me and makes me feel better that OP is actually human and pre-arranges and rehearses some of his stuff, phew 😅
👍
Glad you liked it, Al!
Okay, that's pretty advanced.
One man's advanced is another man's...something else. 😉 You might like my "Jazz Piano Fundamentals" series - it teaches jazz piano for people with no previous jazz experience.
Hi Jeremy. As a big fan of Oscar, I appreciate your video on his techniques. As a student of cocktail piano, I'm always on the lookout for _fill_ material, so Peterson looks like a great place to harvest some from. A few of the techniques you did awfully fast and I couldn't follow exactly what you played. I also had trouble reading your freehand transcriptions on music paper. You say "octatonic scale" as if there's just one of them. "Octatonic" simply means a scale with 8 notes. The most famous one is probably the *Bebob scale.* I'm not familiar with the one you played. Yeah, I never got when the player doubled the melody. Seemed like a waste to me as the other hand wasn't adding any new musical content. If it was done in harmony, or if the other hand provided some textural content, now that would be something. I really like whole tone scales played in major thirds. There's a great use case for it in Summertime, for instance. Your book looks intriguing. I'll have to check it out.
Hi Dave! Thanks for the comment and checking out the video. In jazz and classical theory, the octatonic scale refers to a scale alternating half steps and whole steps. Doubling melodies in octaves changes the sound and makes it more orchestral and powerful...but choose sounds you like!
Ah, the half/whole scale. I should have recognized it. I've heard that referred to as a *dimished scale.*
Nice. Please do a similar treatment for Cedar Walton & Bill Henderson. links below.
th-cam.com/video/prGeZ0ocsnA/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=PharoahSanders-Topic
th-cam.com/video/e5v1V-JfjKo/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=mogurin31
Man, I'm not the expert on those guys. You might have to crack that nut yourself. :)
You have the same skills in both hands. How come ? For me, it is impossible to do these licks in both hands. Too much independence. How did you acquire it ?
I'm trying to be like Oscar! I practiced transposing transcriptions to all 12 keys playing in "double octaves" (with both hands doing the same thing)
Do you think that learning Oscar Peterson licks helps improving our jazz piano playing? I mean, is there a risk to eccessively sound like him whithout creating a personal "jazz piano playing" style? Maybe the best thing is to incorporate Peterson licks and runs into our playing without copying them.. i don't know
PS: sorry for the bad English im italian
Your english is fine! These questions of learning *process* are always difficult. There's not a single path. I often compare it to learning a language. It's useful to learn set phrases, but you also have to learn grammar, have conversations, and read. To me, learning licks is one useful tool but it shouldn't be your only or primary tool. That's my opinion, anyway!
@@JeremySiskind Thank you so much! I need opinions from more expert pianists and you are the perfect example of the pianist i want to be one day
Not sure what the word "Octatonic" adds to qualify the diminished scale...
Often times folks just call it the "octatonic scale." That term encompasses both scales which have alternating half/whole steps.
What kind of piano is that?
It's a Mason & Hamlin from about 1918.
@@JeremySiskind Thanks for the video by the way. Very informative!
Quite interesting but unless a player has an advanced enough mastery of technique this would be much too difficult.
Another thought.
Ethereal heights.
Ethereal heights indeed!
(Is this an anagram?)
@JeremySiskind It might be turned into one, but was not at all intended as such. I meant literally giddy heights.
Except they are actually Tatum licks
Okay, now slow that down LOL.
You've got .75x capabilities whenever you need them, right? 😉
@@JeremySiskind Yes sir 😀
Don't talk !!! Don't show off, just play slowly, you are not good teacher !!!
Thanks for the feedback!
You speak to much!!!
I couldn’t agree more!