The Lost Recordings Sapphire Edition® pushes the boundaries of audio media. It is the pinnacle of our latest innovations in restoration and manufacturing processes, without any constraints or compromises, thus delivering an unprecedented musical experience.
AT THE APOGEE
In 1963 and 1965 Oscar Peterson performed at the Kulttuuritalo in Helsinki. He was the leader of what was then considered one of the most closely-knit bands in the history of jazz, made up of Oscar himself and two other fabulous jazzmen, Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. For the 1965 concert, trumpeter Clark Terry was invited to join the legendary trio.
The Helsinki concerts were both part of whirlwind European tours that included performances all over the continent, from France and Germany to the Scandinavian countries. The band’s tremendous success was by no means due to luck. Peterson greatly admired the musicians he had recruited for their immense technical prowess and creativity—yet he exhorted them further to outdo themselves and strive to create a real osmosis in the way they interacted on stage. What sprang up from this three-way symbiosis was pure enchantment. As Peterson repeatedly said, “It’s the group spirit that’s important. I’m just the piano player.” He often described his philosophy, saying, “Jazz is a very democratic musical form. It comes out of a communal experience.” And delighted audiences participated enthusiastically in this spirit.
Peterson was known as the “Maharaja of the keyboard,” a nickname he was given by Duke Ellington. Contained in every one of his musical phrases was the entire legacy of jazz—the fervor of gospel and the power of swing. Yet showing through the harmonic architecture, the refined polyphony, and his pronounced partiality for form was an immense musical culture. Peterson’s command of all musical genres, together with the group chemistry, empowered him to be, above all, a musician of the moment.
Through a close partnership established with YLE, the Finnish radio station, we at The Lost Recordings were able to gain access to the analog tapes of these two concerts. The tapes were in perfect condition, but we still had an enormous amount of work to do on the audio levels, as the mixing had been done haphazardly. The resulting recording does full justice to these two hitherto unreleased gems.
Sadly, the trio split up several months after this performance. These two concerts reached the musical summits of jazz and immortalized the apogee of what was, and remains, one of the most legendary trios in the world.
Oscar Peterson, piano
Ray Brown, bass
Ed Thigpen, drums
**Clark Terry, flugelhorn & trumpet
Recorded at Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki, Finland
1.IV.1963 and *23.III.1965
MONO ℗ 1963 & 1965 YLE
Restored by ℗ & © 2026 THE LOST RECORDINGS from the original analog tapes
Ref.:TLR-2604069VS
33rpm Lacquer-cuts: Kevin Gray
200g Double Ultimate Record®
Limited Edition: 500 copies
Photos: © 1964 Jan Persson
Box and Tip-on Gatefold printed in Italy
Pressed and assembled in France
*A 16-bit album download card is included with the vinyl.ULTIMATE RECORD®
- New Master
Achieved with our latest equipment and expertise
- 200g Ultimate Record®
Greater record inertia eliminates unwanted resonances
- New cuts by Kevin Gray
The world’s finest specialist
- New Electroplating
New mirror-polished stamper. Each presses no more than 500 copies
- New 100% virgin Ultra-clear compound
Ensures the highest possible purity
- New pressing cycle
Allows perfect record flatness
- Absolute quality control
Each copy is carefully selected and guaranteed pristine
