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Jazz Review

By Lee Jeske

The Oscar Peterson Trio - which began in the mid-50’s with Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar and with Ed Thigpen replacing Ellis in 1959, lasted until 1965 - was one of the most popular jazz groups of all time.

This week and next, the Blue Note is host of a reunion of the original trio, augemented by drummer Bobby Durham. Tuesday’s opening show was a lesson in voluminous swing virtuosity, the jazz quartet as big band.

Forget those small piano groups that intuit themselves into cerebral knots: Peterson, Brown, Ellis and Durham romped and stomped and blew the house down. Peterson is an amazing pianist, whose primary problem is how to restrain his abilities. Here he hardly bothered - with Brown’s authoritative thump, Ellis, tart Texas twang and Durham’s whooshing percussion providing a sturdy trellis, Peterson sprouted gasp-inducing vines of improvisation.

No matter how fast he played - and on the closer, "Sushi", he pulled out whatever stops were left for a supersonic explosion of stride and boogie-woogie - everything swung from a deep, blues-based groove.

But what made the set so successful was the way the four men jelled as a unit, perhaps more so than any band Peterson’s led since Brown left in ‘65.

Ellis complemented Peterson’s ferocious virtuosity with breezy solos and Brown and Durham provided cohesive fills that were much more than redundant window dressing for the pianistic pyrotechnics.

It’ll cost 50 bucks to hear them, but they pack a lot of music into 75 minutes.

The Oscar Peterson Trio plus Bobby Durham is at the Blue Note, 131 W. Third St., 212-475-8592, ‘til March 18 (except Monday). Sets at 9 and 11:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday: 10 p.m.

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