ALBUM REVIEWS

In 1960, when Peterson was at the height of his powers, he was a virtual express train, roaring through everything he played with overpowering momentum. These tracks, with his classic group of the time--Ray Brown, bass, and Ed Thigpen, drums--were recorded as a transcription for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and are reportedly his only recordings of the year.

The program of familiar standards--”My Heart Stood Still,” “Autumn Leaves,” “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” etc.--is tailor-made for Peterson’s virtuosic talents. The fact that his virtuosity frequently overwhelms some of the tunes doesn’t diminish the appeal of his ineffable sense of swing. But this is a Peterson session best directed at his most dedicated fans--exciting, energetic, but lacking some of the thoughtful insights that informed his work in later years.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good), four stars (excellent).