Oscar Peterson - Action (Exclusively For My Friends Vol. 1)

In a private home studio in the Black Forest, Oscar Peterson recorded Action, the first volume of his celebrated Exclusively For My Friends series, for a small audience of invited guests.

In 1963 and 1964, Peterson's trio visited the Villingen home of Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, the audio enthusiast who went on to found MPS Records, where a studio had been built into the house and friends could listen as the musicians played. Contractual issues kept the tapes on the shelf until 1968, but the wait only added to the series' reputation among pianists and hi-fi fans.

Peterson is joined by his classic partners, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, and their chemistry is extraordinary. Cole Porter's At Long Last Love opens the set with sparkling, high-velocity runs, and Billy Taylor's Easy Walker swings with unhurried, bluesy confidence for more than nine minutes. Tin Tin Deo digs into Afro-Cuban rhythms, while Like Someone In Love unfolds as a long, inventive showcase.

The relaxed setting lets the trio stretch out, and the recording captures every detail of Peterson's dazzling technique and Brown's deep, woody tone.

It is the ideal starting point for exploring the series, and a vivid reminder of just how special this trio was.