Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson’s legendary profession is being celebrated in a Heritage Minute.
Historica Canada launched the most recent clip, timed for Black Historical past Month, in its ongoing collection that highlights influential figures from throughout the nation.
The minute-long video chronicles the seven-time Grammy winner’s rise from a working-class Montreal household to changing into a world-renowned piano virtuoso.
It touches on his encounters with greatness, akin to being dubbed “the person with 4 palms,” and acknowledges the racism he confronted at jazz gigs within the Nineteen Forties.
Peterson died of kidney failure in 2007 on the age of 82.
WATCH | Oscar Peterson Heritage Minute:
Each the English and French variations of the Heritage Minute are narrated by Black Canadian pianists. Oliver Jones performs the voice of Peterson within the English model whereas Gregory Charles handles the French.
The Heritage Minute is written by Brynn Byrne and directed by Aaron Yeger, referred to as co-writer and producer of the acclaimed 2015 movie Sleeping Large.
Historica Canada additionally produced a companion video exploring the historical past of Little Burgundy, a Black working-class neighborhood in Montreal and the jazz tradition inside it. The separate clip is narrated by Peterson’s daughter Céline Peterson, who was consulted about her father’s Heritage Minute from its inception.
Peterson mentioned her father obtained many honours all through his profession, however she believes he can be particularly pleased with seeing his story in a Heritage Minute.
“I feel this is likely one of the ones that might actually overwhelm him,” she mentioned.
“Folks all around the world are accustomed to the Heritage Minute, and it is such a monumental type of recognition.”
Peterson, who serves as producer of the Kensington Market Jazz Pageant in Toronto, mentioned the debut of her father’s Heritage Minute throughout Black Historical past Month is important.
WATCH | Turning Factors Oscar Peterson:
In 1964, Oscar Peterson would carry out the Canadiana Suite on CBC TV, altering how the jazz world considered him endlessly. 8:55
“An enormous a part of my dad’s story was racism, first at residence after which world wide,” she mentioned, stating that it was particularly outstanding early in his profession as he travelled the southern United States.
“He advised the story after I was younger about driving up on a KKK assembly once they had been going from metropolis to metropolis. Listening to him discuss it’s nonetheless haunting for me right now. Possibly even a bit extra so now than it was earlier than.”
q | Oscar Peterson’s daughter displays on her father’s legacy:
q11:13Gateway to the music of jazz piano legend Oscar Peterson
On the tenth anniversary of the dying of the nice Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, his youngest daughter, Céline Peterson, spoke to us about her father’s life and musical legacy. 11:13
Peterson’s Heritage Minute is an particularly cinematic one, which raises the query of whether or not his family members have thought of granting the rights for his story to a manufacturing firm for a characteristic movie.
“Previously, there have been some conversations however nothing that has essentially been the correct match,” his daughter mentioned.
“Having his story advised in that capability can be pure, to a sure extent. It must occur, it is only a matter of when and by whom.”
For extra tales in regards to the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success tales throughout the Black neighborhood — try Being Black in Canada, a CBC challenge Black Canadians could be pleased with. You may learn extra tales right here.
