LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

It could be argued that no two pianists could be more unalike than Count Basie, the master of understatement, and Oscar Peterson, the avatar of speed, power, and embellishment. The contrast in their approaches is part of what made their collaborations riveting. But the fact is that Basie, who held great power in reserve, could let it rip (and stride) when the mood struck him. And Peterson is capable of judiciously applying all that horsepower to achieve the most delicate effects. Both kinds of role reversals occur here. As the album title indicates, the great common denominator between the two is the observance and interpretation of time, not only in the sense of overall swing but of placement of notes and phrases. Their unaccompanied duet in the first choruses of "Rent Party" provides an emphatic demonstration.I'm Confessin' (That I Love You), Soft Winds, Rent Party, Indiana; Hey, Raymond; After You've Gone, That's the Onewith Louis Bellson, John Heard