The Oscar Peterson Trio – Mellow Mood

The Oscar Peterson Trio – Mellow Mood

A superb example of Oscar Peterson's legendary trio sound, The Oscar Peterson Trio – Mellow Mood captures one of the great jazz pianists of the 20th century in an intimate, beautifully recorded setting. Originally released in 1968 on the German MPS label, the album forms the fifth volume of Peterson's celebrated Exclusively for My Friends series, recorded at the private studio of producer and engineer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer in Villingen, West Germany.

The trio on Mellow Mood features Oscar Peterson on piano, Sam Jones on double bass and Bobby Durham on drums. The combination is perfectly suited to Peterson's extraordinary technique: Jones provides a powerful, melodic foundation while Durham's responsive drumming gives the pianist plenty of room to build and develop each performance.

The album opens with “In A Mellotone,” Duke Ellington's classic composition, with Peterson immediately demonstrating the extraordinary combination of swing, blues feeling and technical brilliance that made his playing so distinctive. Rather than being a restrained interpretation, the performance gets moving with considerable energy, making the album title somewhat deceptive — this is a lively and dynamic trio session.

“Nica's Dream,” written by Horace Silver, provides another highlight. Peterson begins the piece with a more measured approach before gradually increasing the intensity, allowing the trio to move naturally from lyrical passages into increasingly energetic improvisation. It is a fine showcase for the pianist's ability to combine melodic sophistication with breathtaking technique.

Side A closes with “On Green Dolphin Street,” the well-known jazz standard associated with the 1947 film Green Dolphin Street. Peterson's interpretation is particularly compelling, with the trio creating a rhythmic setting that allows the piano and bass to interact throughout the performance. Sam Jones also gets an opportunity to shine with a featured bass passage.

Side B opens with a brisk, blues-inflected reading of “Summertime,” followed by “Sometimes I'm Happy.” The repertoire stretches across several generations of American popular music, from the jazz tradition of Ellington and Silver to the Broadway and popular-song standards that Peterson frequently incorporated into his performances.

The album closes with “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me),” a song by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley from the 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd. Peterson transforms the relatively modern composition into an expressive trio performance, demonstrating just how naturally he could absorb contemporary material into the jazz tradition.

Mellow Mood was recorded in April 1968 at Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer's private studio in Villingen, West Germany. The recording became part of the Exclusively for My Friends project, a remarkable series of intimate sessions that allowed Peterson and his trio to perform without the restrictions of a conventional studio environment.

The Exclusively for My Friends albums have subsequently become some of the most admired recordings in Oscar Peterson's catalogue. Mellow Mood in particular is recognised for its combination of exceptional musicianship, intimate recording quality and hard-swinging trio performances, and it has been included in the Penguin Guide to Jazz's Core Collection.

For collectors of Oscar Peterson vinyl, MPS Records, piano jazz, jazz trio recordings, mainstream jazz and classic 1960s jazz, Mellow Mood is an essential record. With Peterson's virtuosic piano playing supported by the exceptional rhythm section of Sam Jones and Bobby Durham, it captures one of jazz's greatest pianists at the height of his powers.

Tracklist

Side A

1. In A Mellotone – 5:58
2. Nica's Dream – 7:46
3. On Green Dolphin Street – 6:18

Side B

1. Summertime – 5:20
2. Sometimes I'm Happy – 5:04
3. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) – 6:18