First of all, I swore it was two people playing. When I finally admitted to myself that was one man, I gave up the piano for a month. I figured it was hopeless to practice.
Oscar PetersonRead
Montreal was a very active jazz center until club owners started putting in strippers instead of music. Before long, there was nothing to hear.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the decline of jazz music in Montreal due to the replacement of musical performances with other forms of entertainment.
Oscar Peterson's quote critiques the shift in Montreal's vibrant jazz scene, which was once a hub for music lovers. He underscores the detrimental impact of prioritizing profit over artistic expression, describing how this transition led to a loss of musical culture and experience in the city.
Themes
JazzMusicEntertainmentCultureDeclinePerformance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of preserving art in urban spaces.
More from Oscar Peterson
All quotes βToo many jazz pianists limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark, so to speak. They confine themselves to one type of playing.
Oscar PetersonRead
I don't believe that a lot of the things I hear on the air today are going to be played for as long a time as Coleman Hawkins records or Brahms concertos.
Oscar PetersonRead
It's the group sound that's important, even when you're playing a solo. You not only have to know your own instrument, you must know the others and how to back them up at all times. That's jazz.
Oscar PetersonRead
Too many jazz pianists limit themselves to a personal style, a trademark, so to speak. They confine themselves to one type of playing. I believe in using the entire piano as a single instrument capable of expressing every possible musical idea. I have no one style. I play as I feel.
Oscar PetersonRead
You not only have to know your own instrument, you must know the others and how to back them up at all times. That's jazz.
Oscar PetersonRead
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