Thurs 22 May - James Pearson Trio plays Oscar Peterson part of mjf day seven

After two sold out shows in 2022 and 2023, James Pearson returns to our historic Piano Showroom as part of day 7 of the Manchester Jazz Festival. The highly anticipated return of the James Pearson Trio will feature a spellbinding tribute to the legendary Oscar Peterson.

Tickets are £25 which includes a glass of prosecco or soft drink equivalent. It's set to be a fantastic event, so book now to avoid disappointment! 

Oscar Peterson's journey from modest beginnings to international acclaim is a testament to his extraordinary talent. His masterful command of the piano, characterized by lightning-fast octave runs and intricate chord progressions, created a sound so rich and full it rivaled that of an entire big band.

This special performance celebrates Peterson's legacy through carefully selected compositions and jazz standards, interwoven with fascinating historical insights and personal stories, including James's entertaining first encounter with the maestro. The Evening Standard's review of James's performance at Ronnie Scott's captured it perfectly: "Oscar would have loved it."

James Pearson is a pianist, composer, creative tour de force, and the Artistic Director at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, where his trio is the house band.

But James is equally at home as a concert pianist. He has played concertos with the Philharmonia and the BBC Concert Orchestra; his performance of Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto was broadcast on Classic FM and Gershwin's Piano Concerto and Rhapsody in Blue on BBC Radio 2.

James' many collaborators include Dame Cleo Laine, Marian Montgomery, Petula Clark, The John Wilson Orchestra, Elvin Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Joss Stone, Dave Stewart, Buddy Greco, Johnny Griffin, Richard Rodney Bennett, Ray Davies, Polly Gibbons, Nigel Kennedy, Robbie Williams, Rufus Wainwright, Gregory Porter, Imelda May, Jeff Beck and Paul McCartney.