Dinner and a show

West Side Story; Oscar Peterson Trio

In June of 1986, I took a trip to the twin cities to see the family. Mom suggested that I take cousins T. and W. out for an evening for their second wedding anniversary. So I went to the library to check out the Sunday edition of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune to check on concerts, shows and musicals.

The Chanhassen Dinner Theatre in Chanhassen, MN, had four theatres at the time that I looked at their available shows and two of them were featuring musicals. “I Do! I Do!” had been a staple at the Chanhassen for many years, but it didn’t really sound like me. Nor did it sound like T. Nor did it sound like W. So, I went with the other musical: “West Side Story”. I had never seen it before, although I had heard most of the songs. I enjoyed hearing how the context of the lyrics fit into the action of the show.

The Oscar Peterson Trio recorded seven songs from the famous musical on this thirty-five minute CD in 1962. Theologians say that, in the Hebrew of the Old Testament, the most important aspects of scripture sometimes lie in what the author doesn’t say rather than in what he does. I find it fascinating that Mr. Peterson and friends do NOT indulge in probably the rhythmically richest plumb of the entire show.

“America”, with its back and forth battle of barbs and badmouth, has a mixed meter, alternating the rhythmical foundation with each measure. I can’t understand how Mr. Peterson was able to resist the temptation to include this song in his “West Side Story” collection. Maybe the fact that Mr. Peterson comes from Canada reveals a disdain for this song.

Nevertheless, all of the songs selected for this album were selected under the careful scrutiny of Mr. Peterson and all of them get the regular “Oscar Peterson” treatment. That is to say that virtually none of these songs play in the style that they do in the productions.

“Tonight”, typically a faster paced rhumba, has never swung so hard. We see “Maria” through Ravel-colored glasses. “I Feel Pretty” plays so down and dirty that Pretty is hardly the way I would describe it. “Jet Song” is the hippest dog-walkin’ music I’ve ever heard. And “Reprise” makes me think that I should pick up my popcorn and soda and leave the room.

The only other time that I’ve seen this show is by way of the movie. This album appeared on the heels of the film version of this show, the film having been released in 1961. It seems that Mr. Peterson received inspiration for this show from the film rather than the musical.

Credits: To the American dinner theatre, for its tradition of the All-American dinner and a show.