(Screenshot: oscarwithlove.com)

BY KELLY ROCHE
A new recording commemorating the 90th birthday of jazz piano legend and beloved Mississauga resident Oscar Peterson is launching next week.
Oscar, With Love, debuts December 11, featuring never-before-released compositions by Peterson, all of which were performed and recorded in Peterson’s home studio on his treasured Bösendorfer Imperial piano.
“We truly had a world-renowned artist living in our city,” said realtor James Hodgins who just sold Peterson’s long-time Hammond Rd. home in Sherwood Forest.
The four-bedroom, six-bathroom house was listed in the million dollar range.
“There’s so much history there, it’s incredible,” Hodgins added.
Peterson died at 82 on December 23, 2007.
Widow Kelly Peterson is the executive producer of the album.
“Oscar cherished his piano. It is impossible for me to think of him without it,” Kelly Peterson said in a statement.
The compositions were retrieved from Peterson’s library, and most of the music on the recording was written by Peterson, or for him, by some of his closest musical friends.
Jazz greats, such as Chick Corea, Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, Benny Green, Oliver Jones, and Makoto Ozone are part of the project.
A sold-out concert is taking place December 11 at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Koerner Hall in Toronto to celebrate Peterson’s legacy.
Robi Botos, Gerald Clayton, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap, and more artists are reuniting with Peterson’s piano to play the songs they’ve recorded.
Vinyl or CD sets can be pre-ordered here.
@qewsouthpost