Oscar Peterson

Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and band leader
Born 15 August 1925 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, died 23 December 2007 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

He went through a classical piano education before turning to jazz, playing mostly in Canadian night clubs in Toronto and Montreal.

Only after repeated urgings by American colleagues he was persuaded to give a JATP performance at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1949. It was a smashing success. He then worked together with Ray Brown, at first as a duo, before founding in 1952 his first trio which included in succession, the guitarists Irving Ashby, Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis.