After
Oscar Peterson suffered a severe stroke in the spring of 1993, it was feared that he would never again play on a professional level, but two years of intense therapy resulted in the masterful pianist returning to what sounds, on this Telarc CD, like near-prime form. For the all-star date,
The More I See You,
Peterson tears into seven standards and two blues and outswings all potential competitors. Altoist
Benny Carter at 87 sounds like he is 47 (if
Carter had retired back in 1940 he would still be a legend), and flugelhornist
Clark Terry (here 74) proves to be not only (along with the remarkable 90-year-old
Doc Cheatham) the finest trumpeter over 70 but one of the top brassmen of any age. The cool-toned guitarist
Lorne Lofsky and drummer
Lewis Nash are also strong assets while bassist
Ray Brown (a year younger than
Peterson at a mere 68) displays his typical limitless energy on appealing tunes such as "In a Mellow Tone," "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," and a medium/up-tempo version of "For All We Know." The musicians all play up to their usual high level, making this a joyous comeback album for the great
Oscar Peterson. ~ Scott Yanow