We've already outlined a general history of jazz by strolling down the many highways and byways of its different styles during the first fifty years of its life; now we're going to propose another approach to this music, the most popular and creative of the 20th century, and incidentally, one that's still continuing to develop, though in a different manner. We'll be offering a chronological approach to the life and music of some great jazzmen. There are already several anthologies and compilations in this world to do with jazz and those who are part of it, but we wanted to take a different approach and go one step further if possible. We'll be following our selected artists into every corner of their life, their critical and popular successes, anything unusual or innovatory they introduced, all in their order of composition; another "extra" with us will be the sound which will be cleaned and restored. So here goes. Jazz to listen to, accept, listen to again, appreciate, think about. For these are the high points of a musical story belonging to the 20th century that's still relevant fifty years later. Andre Francis (Jazz Characters creator)

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Oscar's Boogie (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson 2'41
2. Sweet Georgia Brown (Bernie - Pinkard - Casey) Oscar Peterson 3'00
3. Fine And Dandy (Swift - James) Oscar Peterson 3'41
4. Three O'Clock In The Morning (Robledo - Teriss) Oscar Peterson Duo 3'32
5. Debut (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 2'49
6. Oscar's Blues (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 3'10
7. Nameless (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 2'54
8. Get Happy (Arlen - Koehler) Oscar Peterson Duo 2'28
9. Robbin's Nest (Thompson - Jacquet - Russell) Oscar Peterson Duo 3'13
10. Gai (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 4'26
11. Padovane (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 3'55
12. Carnegie Blues (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Duo 8'22
13. Laura (Raksin - Mercer) Oscar Peterson Duo 3'26
14. Pennies From Heaven (Johnson - Burke) Oscar Peterson 2'31
15. Body And Soul (Heyman - Sour - Eyton - Green) Oscar Peterson 3'20
16. Hungarian Dance (J. Brahms) Oscar Peterson 3'01
17. Seven Come Eleven (Goodman - Christian) Oscar Peterson 1'42
18. You Go To My Head (Coots - Gillespie) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'53
19. The Astaire Blues (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Quartet 12'01
20. Oh! Lady Be Good (Gershwin) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'48

Disc 2:

1. Cheek To Cheek (I. Berlin) Oscar Peterson Trio 5'19
2. The C Jam Blues (D. Ellington) Oscar Peterson Trio 7'17
3. Ad Lib Blues (L. Young) Lester Young With The Oscar Peterson Trio 5'51
4. Strike Up The Band (Gershwin) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'13
5. It Ain't Necessarily So (Gershwin) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'12
6. John Hardy's Wife (M. Ellington) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'20
7. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin' (D. Ellington - W. Thomas - B. Strayhorn - L. Gaines) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'40
8. Rockin' In Rhythm (D. Ellington - H. Carney) Oscar Peterson Trio 2'52
9. Bounce Blues (B. Webster) Ben Webster Quintet 4'31
10. Lollobrigida (O. Peterson) Oscar Peterson Trio 4'15
11. Love For Sale (C. Porter) Oscar Peterson Trio 3'49
12. Exactly Like You (McHugh - Fields) Dizzy Gillespie / Stan Getz Sextet 4'57
13. Angel eyes (M. Dennis - E. Brent) Oscar Peterson Trio 2'56
14. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Arlen - Mercer) Oscar Peterson Trio 4'26
15. Baby, Baby All The Time (B. Troup) The Oscar Peterson Trio 7'06
16. Topsy (Battle - Durham) Oscar Peterson Quartet 4'20
17. How About You? (B. Lane - R. Freed) Oscar Peterson Trio 5'33