Today marks the birthday of piano legend Oscar Peterson! First rising to fame as a teenage prodigy in Canada, Peterson would ultimately attract the attention of producer Norman Granz, who quickly brought him into the fold of Jazz at the Philharmonic touring supergroups. From there, Peterson's career continued to skyrocket - as a bandleader, he recorded and toured almost nonstop, producing music that featured his jawdropping virtuosity and deep Blues sensibility. A first-call accompanist for many projects, notably with Verve Records, Peterson would back such figures as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, and even Fred Astaire, providing all with a rich harmonic palette and sensitive (if often very busy!) accompaniment. An active touring and recording artist right up until his passing in 2007, Peterson enjoyed one of this music's most productive and exciting careers, dazzling audiences worldwide for nearly seven decades. Enjoy @isaiahjthompson ‘s tribute to Oscar Peterson, a snippet of “Hymn to Freedom.” You can listen to Isaiah play the full song alongside the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on Blue Engine Records’ “Handful of Keys.”