Oscar Peterson at 100: A Worldwide Celebration

By Sharonne Cohen I Nov. 18, 2025

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to interpret the music of Oscar Peterson in his native city,” said Jim Doxas in regard to celebrating the Canadian legend. “He traveled the world, but never forgot Montreal.”
(Photo: Al Gilbert)

In the pantheon of jazz luminaries, few shine as brightly, or swing as hard, as Oscar Peterson. A century ago, a musical supernova was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, destined to redefine the very essence of jazz piano. From his prodigious early days mastering classical études with his sister and teacher Daisy, to his globetrotting career captivating audiences with unparalleled virtuosity and boundless creativity, Peterson didn’t just play the piano — he commanded it, transforming 88 keys into an orchestra of rhythmic drive, harmonic sophistication and melodic brilliance, inspiring generations of musicians and thrilling listeners around the world.

Peterson’s creative output was astounding, with a discography exceeding 200 albums, reflecting his creative depth and profound dedication to craft. He received numerous accolades, including eight Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as well as induction into the DownBeat Hall of Fame, recognized for his significant contributions and enduring impact. The jazz community is celebrating the centennial of this Canadian titan in myriad ways, reminding us of his gift as an instrumentalist, and also as a composer, educator and human rights advocate.

Oscar Peterson was born into a musically gifted family and raised in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Little Burgundy in Montreal, a hub of jazz culture known as Harlem North. His hometown offered various tributes throughout the summer. In July, the Montreal International Jazz Festival presented “Montreal Thanks OP,” a free, outdoor tribute concert. The band featured some of the city’s leading instrumentalists: pianist Taurey Butler, bassist Rémi-Jean Leblanc, trumpeter Lex French, drummer Jim Doxas and his New York-based brother, saxophonist Chet Doxas, plus Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius, a member of Peterson’s last quartet.

Jim Doxas, musical director for the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet, was instrumental in another festival production on July 4: the Oscar Peterson Centennial Gala, held at Place des Arts, co-produced with Peterson’s daughter, Céline. The two have known each other for nearly 20 years. “About a year and a half ago, Céline and I approached Maurin Auxéméry [the Montreal festival’s director of programming] with a few centennial ideas,” Doxas said. “Maurin was extremely supportive from the beginning. When we brought him our ideas, his response was immediate: ‘Let’s do it.’”

Doxas told the audience that had filled the Maison Symphonique concert hall, “It’s a pleasure and an honor to interpret the music of Oscar Peterson in his native city. He traveled the world, but never forgot Montreal.” He also spoke of the joy inherent in Peterson’s music, a source of “happiness, excitement and a sense of togetherness. From his compositions to his improvisations and beautiful interpretations of standards, to me Oscar is all about joy.”

The gala opened with the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet, a modular touring band that featured pianist Robi Botos, bassist Mike Downes, Jocelyn Gould on guitar (Wakenius being the Quartet’s main guitarist) and Doxas on drums. The tight-knit band played standards and compositions from Peterson’s extensive catalogue, including “Backyard Blues” and “When Summer Comes,” Botos stepping into Peterson’s mammoth shoes with reverence, skill and soul. “Robi Botos is a master pianist, and I could think of no one more fitting to honour dad from the piano chair,” Céline Peterson said later.

For the second set, the Quartet was joined by the Oscar Peterson Centennial Jazz Orchestra, conducted by John Clayton, for a performance of Peterson’s Canadiana Suite. The orchestra featured many of Montreal’s prominent jazz voices, including saxophonists Christine Jensen, Frank Lozano, Jennifer Bell and Al McLean, trumpeters Lex French and Rachel Therrien, and trombonists Muhammad Abdul Al-Khabyyr and Trevor Dix. The piece itself is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year; the arrangements were written in the late 1970s, noted Clayton, sharing that this was the first time it was being played in full. Several days earlier, “March Past,” the suite’s seventh movement, was performed at the festival by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis acknowledging that this Montreal icon is “our guy, too,” carrying jazz through dark times during the Civil Rights era.

Following the gala performance, Auxéméry and Céline came on stage to honor a visibly touched Doxas with the festival’s annual Oscar Peterson award, joined by nonagenarian Oliver Jones, with whom Doxas worked for 15 years. Addressing the audience in French and English, Jones spoke warmly of Doxas and his talent, and to the caliber of Canadian musicians. “I had the pleasure of listening to Oscar from the age of 5 or 6. That was all the inspiration I needed,” Jones recalled. “You’re the next!” he motioned to Botos. Céline then invited Jones to close out the evening with “Hymn To Freedom,” a seminal Peterson composition that became an anthem of the Civil Rights movement, received with roaring applause.

“The concert was a true celebration of not just Dad but of Canada, from the presentation of the Canadiana Suite by a stage full of Canadian musicians, to the unforgettable moments with Oliver Jones at the end of the concert,” Céline reflected. “Hearing Dad’s music is always a treat for me. … I was sitting in the wings with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes the entire evening. You could tell how much this meant to everyone on stage through the joy in their playing, and the smiles on their faces.”

The initial conversation with Maurin Auxéméry of the FIJM yielded two more musical and visual celebrations of Peterson’s life and nearly seven-decade career: A special edition vinyl — the collaborative effort of Peterson’s wife Kelly, daughter Céline and the festival team — was released under the Spectra Musique label, featuring performances recorded at the festival in 1989 and 2004. A free exhibition entitled Through Oscar’s Lens was presented on the esplanade of the Place des Arts concert complex, displaying rare photographs captured by the pianist over the course of 60 years, allowing viewers to see icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Norman Granz and Ray Brown, as well as Peterson’s private life, through his own eyes. The exhibition, curated by Céline, was accompanied by a French-language documentary by Radio-Canada’s ICI Musique portal.

Taking audiences on yet another journey through Peterson’s lifetime and music, The National Film Board of Canada honored his centennial with four films celebrating his life and oeuvre.

Peterson Celebrations Around the World

Numerous live events took place beyond Montreal — across Canada, the U.S. and Europe, and all the way to Japan. In a world premiere, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra presented a brand-new arrangement of Peterson’s Trail Of Dreams Suite with the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet (OPCQ) in Osaka on June 6.

A star-studded Canadian All-Star evening celebrating Peterson’s centennial, produced by Céline and titled “Oscar Peterson at 100: A Canadian Celebration,” was held at Toronto’s Massey Hall a week later. The San Sebastian Jazz Festival (Jazzaldia) in Spain featured an Oscar Peterson Centennial Concert in July, with Sullivan Fortner on piano, John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums. Tribute trio concerts were held at several other summer festivals in Europe, including the Umbria, Santander, Nice and Marciac jazz festivals, as well as Porgy & Bess in Vienna and the ZigZag club in Berlin.

Clayton collaborated with the Peterson estate on several other events, particularly in the arrangement and performance of The Africa Suite. In addition to conducting the suite at the Montreal gala, Clayton led the Chicago Jazz Orchestra in a rare live performance in June with an all-star ensemble including Peterson protégé Benny Green, as well as Christian McBride on bass, Lewis Nash on drums and Dan Wilson on guitar. Inspired in part by Nelson Mandela and the fight for human rights in apartheid South Africa, the suite is another reminder of Peterson’s advocacy for social justice.

The Africa Suite was also performed on June 27 at the Tri-C Jazz Fest in Cleveland, Ohio, featuring the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, once again with Benny Green and Dan Wilson. The 19-piece orchestra performed this concert at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory on Oct. 24.

The Royal Conservatory was also scheduled to present a three-day celebration at the Koerner Hall in October, featuring free symposia, performances, a drum clinic with Jeff Hamilton as well as an evening titled “Oscar and the Bassists” — “à la Oscar Peterson And The Bassists,” explained Kelly Peterson (referencing the live album on Pablo Records recorded in Montreux in 1977); another performance of The Africa Suite by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, with special guests Benny Green, Christian McBride, Reg Schwager, Magdelys Savigne and Richard Moore, as well as students of the Glenn Gould School; a solo tribute with four pianists (Jon Kimura Parker, Amanda Tosoff, Makoto Ozone and Thompson Egbo-Egbo); and a set by Cécile McLorin Salvant and her trio.

“I’m pleased that Céline and I are able to present so many concerts and events celebrating this significant anniversary,” shared Ms. Peterson. “It is heartwarming to see the responses of the audiences everywhere.”

Birthday Festivities

A week-long Centennial Celebration was held at Birdland during Peterson’s birth week in August, commemorating the pianist’s long history at the New York club with various constellations. Japanese pianist Makoto Ozone came together with Clayton and Hamilton for the first time ever on the Birdland stage, to celebrate their friend, colleague and mentor. Peterson’s birthday week also featured celebrations at the Birdland Theater with performances from pianists Robi Botos, Champian Fulton and Ben Paterson, bringing their interpretation to Peterson’s artistry and celebrating his legacy and inspiration. Each of the pianists was joined by Brandi Disterheft on bass and Jim Doxas on drums. Pianist Ewen Farncombe led a trio through Peterson’s compositions at Toronto’s Jazz Bistro Aug. 15–16.

On the day of Peterson’s birth, Aug. 15, Montreal held a free family-friendly event that ran from the afternoon into the night — Oscar Peterson: 100 Years of a Legend — at Oscar Peterson Park, in the heart of his childhood neighborhood, Little Burgundy. It was a grand celebration including speeches and discussions; screenings and archival images retracing his career; a time capsule exhibition; a reading of the children’s book Oscar Lives Next Door by Bonnie Farmer; performances by local artists including 25-year-old piano virtuoso Daniel Clarke Bouchard and vocalists Michelle Sweeney and Coco Thompson; as well as pianist Oliver Jones, who, as a child, would sit on Peterson’s stoop and listen to the master practice.

Remembering His Music

With all the events featuring others playing Peterson’s music, the centennial also features new, previously unreleased works produced by Two Lions Records in partnership with Mack Avenue Music Group. On his birthday, they produced a previously unreleased solo piano recording of his composition “City Lights,” recorded live at the Detroit Music Hall in August 1980. And, by the end of the year, Mack Avenue is set to release a six-album boxed set of previously unreleased live records, accompanied by a 40-page booklet of never-before-seen photos, writings and more by Peterson himself.

The Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet is on tour throughout the rest of the year, and has “a bunch of exciting announcements coming soon,” promises Doxas. “We are especially excited about the Canadian premiere of Mike Downes’ new orchestral arrangements of Dad’s Trail Of Dreams suite, which will take place in Winnipeg with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Edwin Outwater, on Nov. 30,” said Céline.

“The influence Peterson has had on me is profound,” muses Jim Doxas. “Long before I ever held a drumstick, I was listening to Oscar’s records. His contribution to the jazz landscape is obviously immense, and was especially meaningful to me as a Canadian kid just starting out. He is single-handedly responsible for so many people starting to play, including my brother Chet and me.”

With the celebration in full bloom and with more on the way, you might want to dust off those classic Oscar Peterson LPs, add some new ones, listen to some live recordings and remember why Oscar Peterson remains the undisputed “Maharaja of the Keyboard” — a title coined by none other than Duke Ellington.

Or, as Herbie Hancock said when Peterson passed on in 2007, “Oscar Peterson redefined swing for modern jazz pianists for the latter half of the 20th century up until today. I consider him the major influence that formed my roots in jazz piano playing. He mastered the balance between technique, hard blues grooving and tenderness. You’ll find Oscar Peterson’s influence in the generations that came after him. No one will ever be able to take his place.” DB

For more information on centennial events and record releases, go to oscarpeterson.com.