In Memoriam - Oscar Peterson

Oscar Peterson passed away prior to Christmas... He was quintessentially Canadian and unsurpassed in his musical talent - playing those jazzy keys and bringing joy to many people. I wore out the grooves on my Night Train LP, and the songwriter in Mr. Peterson shined there in Hymn to Freedom. He lived fairly close to me, but I never had the pleasure of meeting him, though I was fortunate enough to see him at the Orpheum theatre in Vancouver in my university days...On his official site you'll find the following song written by Oscar with Elvis Costello providing the lyrics:

When Summer Comes

Music by Oscar Peterson

Lyrics by Elvis Costello

Originally Performed by Diana Krall

The land was white

While the winter moon as absent from the night

And the blackness only pierced by far off stars

But as every day still succeeds the darkest moments we have known

When season turn

Springtime colours will return

And as the first pale flowers of the lengthening hours

Seem to brighten the twilight and that melancholy cloak

Then a fresh perfume just seems to burst from each bloom

Until the green shoots through each day

As it arrives in every shade of hope

When Summer Comes

There will be a dream of peace

And a breath that I've held so long that I can barely release

Then perhaps I may even find a room somewhere

Just a place I can still speak to you