Oscar Peterson - Girl Talk (Exclusively for My Friends Vol. 2)

Girl Talk catches Oscar Peterson in the most relaxed company imaginable, playing for friends in a private studio in Germany's Black Forest.

Released in 1968 as the second volume of MPS's Exclusively for My Friends series, it was taped at producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer's studio in Villingen, where Peterson could stretch out far from the pressures of a club set. The sessions span the mid-to-late 1960s and capture a changeover in his trio: Sam Jones takes most of the bass duties, Bobby Durham and Louis Hayes share the drum chair, and Ray Brown returns for one track.

The title track, "Girl Talk," has an almost soulful lilt, Peterson leaning into the melody like he's telling a good story. "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" bursts out of the gate with dazzling, two-fisted confidence, while "I'm in the Mood for Love" unfolds over roughly seventeen minutes, opening with a rhapsodic solo introduction before the rhythm section slips in almost unnoticed. "Robbin's Nest" closes with a swinging, fiery send-off.

The warm, close MPS sound makes this a joy on vinyl, every touch of the keys right there in the room. It's Peterson at ease and at full power at the same time, a rare combination worth savouring.