Oscar Peterson 100 birthday celebration at Birdland

Makoto Ozone, John Clayton, Jeff Hamilton
Birdland
Oscar Peterson 100th birthday
New York, NY
August 15, 2025

The "Maharajah of the Keyboard" as Duke Ellington dubbed Oscar Peterson—or, to his friends, simply O.P.—would have turned one hundred in August, reason enough to remember the consummate Canadian pianist at that hallowed house of jazz, Birdland in New York City. In the nimble hands of Peterson protege Makoto Ozone, bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton, memory begat celebration, as these masterful musicians joined forces to bring back the jazz giant in words and music.

It didn't hurt that the trio knew a thing or two about Peterson. In reflections that preceded various numbers in the set, Clayton recounted his introduction to his instrument—at sixteen—by Ray Brown, O.P.'s long-time bassist. Hamilton reminisced about sideman gigs over five years with Peterson and Ozone was honored to limn the great pianist's work on the Mack Avenue recording Oscar With Love curated by Kelly Peterson, the pianist's widow.

Ozone got things started with a bouncy rendition of the Duke's "Satin Doll," cascading across the keyboard as Clayton provided a smooth bass line to drive the piece forward. Hamilton's brushwork and drum breaks were spot on—no wonder, since he started listening to the Oscar Peterson Trio's recording of the same tune when he was ten. Next up was the Peterson composition "Cake Walk, " which began as close to bebop as we were going to get before swinging hard. Ozone's bright piano flourishes lent the performance a rat-a-tat-tat feel, soloing in front of Hamilton's steady swing. Bass and drums took a few choruses off while Ozone settled into a ragtime romp, skipping back and forth across his keys, before driving it home.

The John Lewis composition "Django" began dirge-like, with Clayton bowing a mournful solo, interrupted by Hamilton's cymbal flourishes that moved the song into a smoky lounge swing. Ozone rocked his shoulders to the music, having a ball with some big chords, shaking his hips for effect. In the prelude to his composition "Dear Oscar," the pianist recounted meeting Peterson when he was twelve. The Hammond was Ozone's instrument of choice at that point. After hearing Peterson perform, he left the B-3 behind, went to Berklee and followed his heart and becoming a great pianist in his own right.

Commanding the Bosendorfer piano drafted for the occasion, Ozone swung into his own composition "Dear Oscar," a jaunty syncopation compounded by Hamilton's brush and stick work, trading fours at a breakneck pace. The mood changed to a samba beat on "Saskatchewan," from Peterson's ode to his home turf, the "Canadiana Suite." Hamilton provided a nice strolling swing for Ozone's meanderings until Clayton's bass solo slow walked the piece back to samba. "Place San Henri" from that same suite featured Clayton soloing up and down the neck to great effect.

No Oscar Peterson tribute would be complete without his "Hymn to Freedom," a sweet gospel tune complemented by a soulful bass solo and touching piano coda. "Kelly's Blues," written for his wife, reprised Peterson's big, flashy performances, shared as the set concluded with fine solo work from Ozone's able sidemen.

Birthdays benefit the celebrants as much as the celebrities. Thanks to Ozone, Clayton and Hamilton, a sold-out crowd of Birdland beneficiaries got to blow out the candles on a swinging cake.

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