Oscar performed this song so many times, with different basses (Brown, NHOP, Sam Jones, others). AND it is never the same. The man was absolutely fantastic and constantly inventive. There will never be another like him. His performances of this song (and also "Hymn to Freedom") revealed the incredible depth of his talent. Just listen to the many performances of "You Look Good to Me" on You Tube, and also check out the recorded performances that are available on disk and not on You Tube. Oscar was influenced by Tatum, but went so much further.
Wow. Just stumbled on this version. It’s a wonderful tune slower. But this is unbelievable. I really don’t know of anyone that compares. His playing is jaw dropping.
We are so lucky to have these RU-vid videos! This is the 4th version of this number I have seen - and they are all great, and each is totally different - these are masters, I never tire listening to them. Oscar ruled all his trios and quartets by his energy and style. He said it was sometimes difficult to leave room for the other players and they sometimes show signs of trying too hard to match his style and variation - but when it works, it is stunning.. I followed NHOP for thirty years - and met him - he was a genius and often great with Oscar (but see NHOP playing Petit Samba as a solo and see the difference...).
I have just taken your advice Mike and listened to NHOP playing Petit Samba. Wow, that was just wonderful, what an absolute master. Dear music lovers, take Mike Ball's advice and have a listen...you won't be disappointed. Thanks for the tip Mike.
I'm no expert on music, but i love listening to great music, and lets not leave out, the great Niels Pedersen, and Martin Drew, the driving force of the quartet.
I don't believe that most major bassists could play that like NHOP plays it, and some of us who are way past our prime wouldn't even attempt it. But it is certainly a LOT of fun to listen.
I LOVE these guys but I broke into laughter after about a minute. I was thinking, "Are these guys getting paid by the number of notes they can play in an hour? Piecemeal rate?" It reminded me of some of the dance gigs I played back in the sixties; we'd show up in the dark at a place we'd never been before, get set up in a room/hall that we didn't know how the acoustics would work, and play for an unfamiliar audience, and after getting very tired we seemed to just play faster so we could get home sooner. But, of course it doesn't work that way because a 3 hour gig is still a 3 hour gig whether you play fast or slow. But sometimes, even if we were tired, a group of dancers would ask the leader how much he'd charge to play an extra hour or half hour. They'd negotiate a price and we'd continue to play and a good time would be had by all. When you see the sweat on the faces of musicians it's generally because they are working hard to please their audience.
Who are the morons who knock performances like this ?????? 4 guys at the peak of their powers,( jeez,that's scary enough ) but they feed of on another like plankton feeders. Just simply wonderful,thankfully I'm still around to witness such musicality. Thanks for everything. Ian Morrison .
O mean that version 2005, Canadá, mutch more better, Oscar after stroke, 80's, right hand only, NOHP slower and mesmerizing solo and Wakenius amazing despite I love Pass.
I always start listening to Peterson hoping for a new discovery, but usually come away with the same conclusion: that his technical fluency is badly overshadowed by the monotonous sameness of his small basket of timeworn ideas -- or one should more rightly say, habits. It really flies in the face of the spirit of jazz as an improvisational medium geared toward very personal expression.
As you say, he's often repetitive and it can be monotonous at times when you keep hearing his usual bag of tricks, but the good news is there's something about certain songs that seems to inspire him to go beyond his comfort zone, and that's when some true in-the-moment creativity emerges. The tracks that come to mind that best show this are "How High The Moon", "Close Your Eyes", "Wandering", "Falling In Love With Love"(6'07" videos. Stratford Shakepearean Festival ),"Sweet Georgia Brown"(ON THE TOWN-Live at Town Tavern Club Toronto 1958), "My Heart Stood Still"(that and "Close Your Eyes" are both from the 1959 album "The Jazz Soul Of Oscar Peterson"). Gotta get the correct version of each track coz there's some videos of him playing even these songs where he's mostly just on automatic pilot mode. But checking the few examples of him playing each of those songs will soon make it obvious which are the ones with the inspired Oscar at the keyboard.
