He would visit his friends at McGill University, in Montreal, on weekends in the late 1940s or early 1950s. He'd book into a hotel early afternoon on Friday and head down to the bar. Who was playing there? the only other person in the room? but Oscar Peterson. They'd chat. My dad was lucky like that.

So the Jazz at the Philharmonic promoter, Norman Gratz, had him attend the theater and sit near the front and Norman would say "oh, look who's here! It's Oscar Peterson!" and then invite him onstage as if the entire thing wasn't a setup and play in the jam sessions. He sure was prolific! at one point, I had bunch (too much TBH) of his music and his discography is enormous. Lots of his Verve recordings with his trio, Ed Thigpen and the great Ray Brown, are just fantastic.

a shame that he was playing in a fancy hotel bar when he was 25 instead of touring. Totally underemployed as were so many people back in the day. But he made it. People are still underemployed.

It was all a ruse to circumvent his inability to perform for money.

Ella with Oscar at Sea World back in the 80s. That performance will forever be etched in my mind.