彭蒙惠英语:爵士风华(1/2)
All That Jazz(1/2)
爵士风华(1/2)
All That Jazz
This month, California hosts the 49th annual Monterey Jazz Festival, featuring jazz piano legends Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck. Here are their stories
The Maharajah of the Keyboard
Oscar Peterson’s father, a self-taught amateur musician, introduced Peterson and his four siblings to the piano, Peterson took to immediately. At one point in high school, he asked if he could drop out to pursue music full time. His father refused out of concern for his future, saying, “You have to be the best, there is no second best.”
By his early twenties, Peterson was playing in a trio at the Alberta Lounge in his hometown of Montreal, Quebec. One day, well-known producer Norman Granz, heading out of Montreal in a taxi on his way to the airport, heard Peterson’s trio on the car radio, live from the jazz club. He was so enchanted with the sound that he demanded the driver turn around and take him to see the musicians.
After that, Peterson became a legend. Duke Ellington recognized his talent, calling Peterson the “Maharajah of the Keyboard.” Many other illustrious musicians have played with him, including jazz greats Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie.
A Canadian legend
Now 81, Peterson continues to perform, though he has not only battled arthritis in his fingers for year, but also suffered a stroke in 1993. He has not only battled arthritis in his fingers for years, but also suffered a stroke in 1993. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 1997.
In a 2003 radio interview about his autobiography, A Jazz Odyssey, he said: “I can sit down to a piano and I feel that I can impart something that I want to say, musically, a lot easier, certainly, than I had been able to do in trying to put words into that volume.”
Peterson is large man with deep voice who has on problem getting people’s attention. However, while he is always vocal about current issues form his Toronto home, music is clearly Peterson’s favorite mode of communication.
Specialized Terms
Maharajah (n) a Sanskrit word meaning “great king”
Arthritis (n) a serious condition in which a person’s joints become painful, swollen and stiff
Vocabulary Focus
Amateur (adj) taking part in an activity for pleasure, not as a job
Take to (v) to start to like something
Trio (n) 三重唱
Enchanted (adj) 着了魔的
Impart (v) make known (information) to sb; reveal sth
Vocal (adj) often expressing opinions and complaints in speech
Discussion Question
Do you know Oscar Peterson? Do you like Jazz? What’s you favorite genre
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘I can sit down to a piano and I feel that I can impart something that I want to say, musically, a lot easier, certainly, than I had been able to do in trying to put words into that volume.’
2. According to the recording, two basses were mentioned, what are they?
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