Legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson tells his own story in this autobiography. It is a book filled with anecdotes of his time on the road performing with most of the jazz greats active between the late 1940s and the end of century. Since Peterson was equally proficient as a soloist, accompanist, small combo performer, or participant in larger ensembles, he was nearly constantly at the keyboard. That leads to a life of jazz clubs, hotel rooms, and concert halls. Without much of a fixed locale, the focus naturally has to be the music and this is what most of the book concentrates upon — Peterson’s musical ideas and his impressions of each of his colleagues.

The most consistent and clear part of the text consists in his account of his early life in Montreal, his personal and musical upbringing (these were intertwined), and his emergence as a jazz prodigy in his teens. Although his entire family were accomplished musicians, it was Oscar alone who had both the talent and the performance skills to achieve a career on the stage. Much of the remainder of the book feels less narratively direct as Peterson describes first one musical partner and then the next, with brief insights. However, for a fan of the great personages of jazz, the book offers much to enjoy. And what comes across most, apart from the boyish playfulness that Oscar and his best friends delighted in, is his unswerving devotion to the craft of jazz. It’s not always something that can be articulated in words, but OP, as he was known, makes a huge effort to lift the veil on his creative method and ideas.

Worth reading for the jazz enthusiast or merely the jazz curious. ( )