Oscar Peterson and the masters of Indiana Avenue jazz

August 24, 2025

August of 2025 marks the 100th birthday of the late jazz pianist Oscar Peterson. Listen to music featuring Oscar Peterson’s work with the jazz masters of Indiana Avenue, including Slide Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson and more.

Oscar Peterson was born in Montreal, Quebec on August 15, 1925. He rose to international prominence in the 19450s, impressing jazz fans with his dazzling technique and blues sensibility. During his prolific career, Peterson recorded over 200 albums and won 8 Grammy Awards. By the time of his death in 2007, Petersonr was widely regarded as one of the greatest virtuosos in the history of jazz.

During the 1950s, and ‘60s, Peterson gave over a dozen performances in Indianapolis. He appeared at venues, including The Embers, The Murat Theatre and Clowes Hall. It’s unknown if Peterson visited the Avenue during his time in the city, but he did record with legendary Avenue jazz players and was influenced by Indianapolis musicians like Wes Montgomery.