Shooting Star

On December 23 Canada lost one of it's elite - the great jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. CBC Radio has been re-airing a 1994 8-part documentary celebrating Peterson's life, career and body of work. I was just on the CBC web-site and it looks like they will be adding this series to their selection of podcasts. In addition they will be airing live a tribute concert from Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall at 4 p.m. this Saturday featuring Oscar's band mates and a number of celebrity guests.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/blog/2008/01/09/oscar_peterson_simpl.html

I've managed to catch portions of most of the episodes aired so far but would love to hear it in its entirety. Thanks to cousin BJ for the heads up about it. I'd give my eye teeth to be in that hall on Saturday but I'd likely have to camp out from midnight the night before to get a seat.

I'm unable to think of another musician who dedicated himself to his craft to the extent that Mr. Peterson did. We'll miss him.