The Oscar Peterson Trio - Night Train (1963) [Hi-Res]

Master jazz pianist Oscar Peterson had his longest-running trio with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, and Night Train may be their finest moment. The repertoire here is comprised mostly of standards, although the choices seem deliberate. In treatments of jazz chestnuts like "C-Jam Blues" and "Georgia on My Mind," the trio works inside these well-known songs, painting over familiar colors and reworking traditional melodies while staying true to the spirit of each tune. The chemistry between Thigpen, Brown, and Peterson is unassailable. Peterson in particular is at the top of his game here, running the whole history of jazz through his dexterous, nimble fingers with an in-the-pocket ease not always apparent on his earlier recordings. Night Train was produced by Norman Granz, who had already sold Verve Records to MGM, but continued to record his favorite artists, of whom Peterson was one. The production is superb, and translates especially well via remastering. The Verve reissue features additional tracks, including alternate takes, rehearsals, full versions of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Volare," and an incomplete take of Charlie Parker's "Now's the Time." New packaging, expanded liner notes, and photographs make the 1997 CD version of Night Train a keeper.

Tracklist:
01. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Night Train (04:51)
02. The Oscar Peterson Trio - C Jam Blues (03:25)
03. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Georgia On My Mind (03:46)
04. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Bag's Groove (05:42)
05. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Moten Swing (02:55)
06. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Easy Does It (02:45)
07. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Honey Dripper (02:24)
08. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Things Ain't What They Used To Be (04:38)
09. The Oscar Peterson Trio - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good (05:08)
10. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Band Call (03:55)
11. The Oscar Peterson Trio - Hymn To Freedom (05:36)