To say Oscar Peterson is a Canadian music pioneer is an understatement. The music pillar is often shown as the face of Canadian jazz and has inspired countless upcoming Black artists in the jazz/blues genre.

Peterson was born on August 15th, 1925, to West Indies immigrants in Montreal, Quebec. He began publicly performing while he was still in high school, leading him to form his own trio. After being heard on the radio by jazz producer, Norman Granz, he was invited to play at the esteemed Carnegie Hall with group, Jazz at the Philharmonic. He began touring globally and was referred to as the “Maharaja of the Keyboard” by fellow jazz pianist Duke Ellington. Until his death in 2007, Peterson spent his 62-year career slowly becoming a household name internationally for his unique take on jazz piano. Peterson’s list of accolades is extensive, including eight Grammy’s (with one being a Lifetime Achievement Award), the 1993 Glenn Gould Prize, and a Companion to the Order of Canada in 1984. He holds over 200 credits throughout his career

Peterson began his journey in an era still heavily enforced by Jim Crow laws and blatant racist and discriminatory practices towards the Black community, stemming across North America with an emphasis on the United States. Peterson did not let bigotry deter him and overcame the various obstacles and even created the song “Hymn to Freedom” the anthem for the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. He also made a tribute to his home country with album The Canadiana Suite in the early 1960’s. Throughout his career he would stand tall among other legendary players including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and countless others. In 1993, Peterson was offered the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario role by his friend and fan Jean Chrétien, but declined due to a recent stroke. Peterson currently has a school named after him in York Region along with many other awards and honours including a statue erected by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010.

The virtuoso is still considered one of the greatest jazz players of all time.