These early trio and duo recordings pinpoint Peterson's transition from local hero to potential jazz super star. Born in Montreal, Canada in 1925, he was just 20 years of age at the onset of his recording career with the Canadian arm of RCA-Victor – and already a one-man whirlwind on this evidence. The four sides from his initial session which open this welcome two-CD compilation start with ‘I Got Rhythm’, taken at speed from the off, the abundance of technique and keyboard bravura immediately apparent, as is the urge to please, this further explicit on the romping boogie version of ‘Sheik of Araby’ which closes the session.

Classically trained he may have been, but it's worth remembering that he was known locally as The Brown Bomber of Boogie Woogie, his jazz confidence already in play, the Tatum-like decoration and solid Wilson-influenced template for each piece leaving little or no time [or inclination, one suspects] for reflection or emotional enquiry. Paul Watts' erudite sleeve note quotes various commentators deploring Peterson's excess of display at the expense of feeling. Maybe so.

Originally issued as singles, with evolving rhythm sections, these dates help explain why Norman Granz was impressed enough to pluck Peterson from Montreal and to bring him to New York in 1949, the final sessions [made for Granz's Clef label] gathered here teaming him with star bassists Brown and Holley in a duo format. Interesting to note how little Peterson needed to add or change stylistically once he had arrived in the Big Apple: he was already well on the way to being the finished article.