Celebration at Montreal’s Oscar Peterson Park to mark the jazz legend’s 100th birthday

Montreal jazz pianist Oscar Peterson would have turned 100 today, Aug. 15, and to honour the legend the SDC Les Quartiers du Canal invited the public to a tribute evening on Friday at Oscar Peterson Park in Little Burgundy, the neighbourhood where he was born and raised.

Artists from the Montreal jazz scene, members of the local community, and music enthusiasts came together to pay tribute to a monument of the city’s cultural heritage.

“Oscar Peterson: 100 Years of a Legend” was an event offering a free and friendly open-air celebration.

Official speeches then followed by a panel discussion on Oscar Peterson’s legacy.

“Oscar Peterson is a treasure of our musical history and an inspiring example of excellence,” said Cyrille Bodiot, director of the SDC Les Quartiers du Canal.

“Paying tribute to him in the park that bears his name is a tribute to his career and to the entire community that saw him grow up,” he added. “Obtaining a grant to make this project a reality was a great feeling for us, because it allows us to give back to Little Burgundy through a meaningful gesture.”

“We’re here to celebrate a legend. An incredible instrumentalist. Big hero of mine,” said Joel Campbell, an attendee.

“He brought in the neighborhood since he came from this neighborhood, but he also brought international recognition to where he has come from,” said Marcia Bailey, an attendee.

“He’s someone who I was able to see on various occasions while he was still alive, and he continues to be an inspiration,” said Sam Boskey, an attendee. “In my own way, I try to imitate him in a much more rudimentary level when I’m trying to play the piano, but he’s somebody who Montreal can be very, very proud of, and someone who’s made a great contribution, and I’m glad to be here to help celebrate.”

The stage hosted a succession of renowned artists and emerging Montreal musicians such as Oliver Jones, Michelle Sweeney, Coco Thompson, Julian McIntosh & Jazz Quartet.

“This project, carried out hand in hand with the community, has given rise to new friendships, sincere collaborations, and a great deal of emotion,” said Bodiot. “It is an entire community that pays tribute to him with pride and authenticity.”

Though it will be filled with it, the event wasn’t limited to music.

The park came alive with several participatory and cultural activities, including a reading of the book “My Neighbour Oscar.”

There was also a participatory painting workshop with Julien Kandolo, and the exhibition “Clichés d’Oscar,” a unique selection of photos from Oscar Peterson’s personal archives.

“Oscar Peterson was not only a global jazz icon, but also a powerful symbol of Little Burgundy and Black Montreal culture,” the SDC Quartier du Canal wrote in a news release. “This event is intended as much as an artistic celebration as a moment of collective memory.”