EXCLUSIVELY FOR MY FRIENDS - VOL 6 / Travelin' On

Description

On the final volume of the “Exclusively For My Friends” series, Oscar Peterson and his colleagues Sam Jones (b) and Bob Durham (dr) once again set very different highlights. The album’s exuberant and avant-garde title cannot deny its gospel roots; it contrasts with the simple but profound ballad “Emily.” With Jobim’s composition “Quiet Nights” (originally “Corcovado”), the trio demonstrates the sensitivity it is capable of in adapting Bossa Nova. This otherwise dreamy number undergoes an astonishing metamorphosis with a lightness that quickly oscillates. By choosing “Sax No End,” Peterson pays tribute to European jazz: the composition was written by Belgian big band leader Francy Boland and is literally ignited by Peterson’s driving and very muscular playing. For the finale, Benny Carter’s “When Lights Are Low”: the trio carefully and confidently performs this pensive composition for ten minutes, with Sam Jones once again playing a special role with his delicate accompanying figures.