There's a new Heritage Minute that tells the story of Oscar Peterson, a famous Canadian jazz pianist who was born and raised in Montreal. Historica Canada, the organization that puts out the famous clips, told Narcity the video focuses on him growing up and his rise to fame. Editor's Choice: This New Infographic Shows Exactly What Travellers Must Do To Enter Canada By Land One of the world’s most recorded and celebrated jazz musicians, Oscar Peterson entertained audiences from Montreal to Carnegie Hall - and beyond. This #BlackHistoryMonth, let’s celebrate his unique talent and lasting legacy with this new #HeritageMinute from @HistoricaCanada: pic.twitter.com/iz50G36MMr— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 17, 2021 This Heritage Minute shows him as a "piano prodigy" in his early years, his time playing in someone else's band and then him later headlining a lounge in Montreal with his own trio. Historica Canada said that Peterson grew up in Little Burgundy, a Black working-class community in Montreal. In the video, Peterson's father brings home a piano for his son to practice with because music was "the ticket out of poverty." Then, after playing classical pieces, Peterson gets into jazz and becomes a celebrity in Montreal's music scene in the 1940s before becoming an international sensation. Historica Canada said that Peterson was the first jazz star Canada could call it's own and he is known as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. This is the 96th Heritage Minute the organization has released, and other videos have included stories about Drake, the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands and a pioneer for Canada's LGBTQ2+ community.
