The new Acoustic Sounds series is mastered from the original tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged in high-quality gatefold ("book-like") covers, curated by Stoughton Printing Co. where the printed sheet of paper is applied to the cardboard. All under the supervision of Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the most established company in the field of publications for audiophiles. The publications are selected from the extraordinary Verve/UMe catalog, and to begin with, the series focuses on some of the most successful albums of the 1950s/60s. this time it is the turn of an album that could be pointed to as a paradigm of a perfect performance of outstanding trio. Which trio? Oscar Peterson's, with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen...

Fourteen years with the Verve label. And this is the last album for the historic label of one of the greats. It could be considered the ripest fruit of more than a partnership: in 1949, impresario Norman Granz (founder of the labels Norgran and Clef, later merged into Verve) at Carnegie Hall in New York had presented to an audience at first astonished - and soon after enthusiastic - a young Canadian piano prodigy: thus began the dazzling career of Oscar Peterson. The great thing was that that evening Peterson had at his side a peer by the name of named Ray Brown on double bass: another partnership destined to last for decades. But let's come to this album: this is 1964, and we know that Peterson and Brown had been inseparable for many years. Completing the trio was a wizard of "swing under the breath" as Ed Thigpen, the trio's drummer for five years now. A mechanism perfectly oiled, then, with the "heir of Art Tatum" (a flattering label, but which to Peterson was a little tight) in top form, a telepathic rhythmic showmanship capable of ranging from the great classics to the hits of the moment (such were, in those long-ago days, "Corcovado" and "The Girl from Ipanema" by Jobim, "The Days of Wine and Roses" by Mancini...), all impeccably recorded at RCA Studios in three absolutely perfect recording sessions.

Pianist Oscar Peterson has long been such a consistent performer that none of his records are throwaways, but this particular set is weaker than most. Since several of the songs are the type that in the mid-'60s would get requested (such as "People," "The Girl from Ipanema," and "The Days of Wine and Roses"), the program would not seem to have much potential, but Peterson mostly uplifts the material (although not much could be done with "People") and adds a few songs (such as his own "Goodbye, J.D." and John Lewis' "D & E"). Overall, this is a reasonably enjoyable Oscar Peterson session, featuring bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. - Scott Yanow, Allmusic.com

"...these are all truly classic Verve titles that you simply don't want to miss...most importantly, the sound of these reissues is nothing short of astounding. Particularly the early Billie and Ella mono records are incredible treasures of sonic beauty. I'd definitely ask Santa for the whole set, or, if you want to cherry pick, the most classic titles. Whatever you decide, you owe yourself at least a half dozen!" - Danny Kaey, Winner of a 2012 Positive Feedback Online Writers' Choice Award, November/December 2011

When Jim Davis started producing records at Verve, he changed the company's recording philosophy toward its most prolific instrumentalist. Where Norman Granz had produced countless Oscar Peterson albums dedicated to the popular song, Davis was more interested in making albums closer to how the Peterson trio sounded live. His first Peterson records were the legendary London House sessions. By the time of this album, there had been no personnel change in the trio for five years - so it is no surprise that the rapport among the musicians here is telepathic.

Originally released in 1964.