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In 1993, Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson – a jazz superstar called the Maharaja of the piano by Duke Ellington – suffered a stroke that called into question his ability to keep playing. But by the summer of 1994, he formed a new band, strode back onto European stages, and mounted a resounding comeback. Recorded in Munich on July 13, City Lights captures the fourth show of that triumphant tour. Joined by bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, drummer Martin Drew, and guitarist Lorne Lofsky, Peterson hits the keyboard like nothing ever happened. Well, not really – students of both piano and Peterson will note that his mighty left hand concentrates on chords, rather than the speedy runs that gave his music such a lift. He compensates by making his right hand work overtime, letting the melodies flow and improvisations spark while still keeping the rhythm a-twirl. His bandmates respond in kind – Pedersen grooves and solos with true inspiration, and Lofsky emits leads that make one wonder why he’s not a bigger part of conversations about great guitar players. But Peterson is the star of the show, of course, not only as a player (check out his stunning work on the standard “You Look Good to Me”) but also as a composer, including the witty, catchy “Kelly’s Blues,” the finger-busting “Nighttime,” and the appropriately sparkling title track. Peterson scholars may argue that City Lights is not the disk to start with for newcomers, but the latter will not notice any diminution of his gifts, and instead marvel at the world-class talents of one of the piano’s favorite sons.
