So I’m sitting here at 1 AM, sipping some wine, and I’m looking over news of the day (in the U.S.)…oil prices hit record high, unemployment spikes, stock market drops 3.5% in one day…you know the routine.

But thankfully, while I’m doing all this I’m watching a video from Oscar Peterson and Count Basie. All I can say is…”thank God for jazz, and the blues.” It made all of the bad news of today not so bad at all.

This video is such a classic. The only sad thing is that both of these monsters of the jazz world are gone now.

So here you’ve got one of the most sparse pianists (Count) playing along with the most virtuoso jazz pianists of the 20th century (and beyond) and they sound like one player. A true testament to the highest levels of musicianship – and the fact that you only need to play what is needed at the moment. Oscar shows what a great player he was in this clip. He compliments Count’s style perfectly. Leave the freekin egos at the door.

Bottom line is this….everything can suck around you, but if this video doesn’t bring a smile to your face and start your foot tapping, you need a long vacation. Enjoy. I sure did.