Will Bonness channels Oscar Peterson in Jazz Fest tribute

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“Not daunted, just excited”

When first approached about the project, Bonness says he was more thrilled than intimidated. “Oscar Peterson’s been one of my favourite artists and pianists since I started playing jazz,” he says. “He's kind of the first person you hear about, especially as a Canadian jazz artist.”

That early admiration made the preparation process straightforward. “I already knew so much of the repertoire… I’ve listened to so much of his music and I have so many charts that I’ve put together over the years. So it was really fun to put this together.”

The first encounter—and early influence

Bonness was just 13 when he first heard Peterson. “At the time, there wasn’t streaming and all that,” he recalls. “So I think I went to the Winnipeg Library and checked out some CDs… There was some Oscar Peterson, and I had heard the name.” That initial exposure—likely an album featuring a guest saxophonist—left a deep impression, even if he didn’t fully understand the complexity of what he was hearing just yet.

What stood out most was Peterson’s blazing technique, but also his deep musicality. “He’s very versatile and very musical. It’s not just virtuoso… It’s kind of his virtuosity combined with real musicality and obviously really heavy swing as well.”

A classical foundation and jazz inspirations

Like Peterson, Bonness comes from a classical background—his parents are classical musicians—and he sees that training as part of what helped him connect with Peterson’s demanding style. “It really helps with the chops and the facility at the instrument,” he says. “Oscar Peterson also did classical lessons as well. So yeah… it’s there, it’s part of my playing.”

Alongside Peterson, Bonness cites Art Tatum as another major influence. “I’ve also listened to probably an equal amount of Art Tatum as Oscar Peterson… I’d say Art Tatum is more like a solo influence.” But with this concert set in a trio format, it’ll be Peterson’s trio style that takes centre stage.

What to expect at the show

The tribute will feature about eight pieces in a single set. “I’ll do most of the hits,” Bonness says, naming classics like “Night Train,” “Cool Walk,” and “Hymn to Freedom.” He promises a balanced mix of tempos: “There’s some ballads, there’s some medium tempo, there’s some fast stuff.”

Joining him onstage will be longtime collaborator Julian Bradford on bass and Fabio Ragnelli on drums. “Julian I’ve played with for 25 years now, on and off,” Bonness says. “And then Fabio… someone I’ve been playing with a lot since he moved here a few years ago.”

Letting the music speak for itself

Though Peterson lived a remarkable life, Bonness doesn’t plan to dive into biography between tunes. “I probably [am] going to mostly let the music kind of do the talking,” he says. “I don’t consider myself a historian or anything like that, so I’ll probably play the tunes and give a little bit of a… I’ll talk about each of the tunes as I go.”

And when asked what he hopes audiences will take away from the performance, Bonness keeps it simple: “I hope it just inspires people to want to check out some more of Oscar Peterson’s music. That’s all.”

A Hot Ticket

The 7 p.m. show is already sold out, but there’s still time to grab tickets for the 9:30 p.m. performance—if you're lucky. It's a rare opportunity to hear one of Winnipeg’s finest jazz pianists channel the spirit and sound of one of Canada’s greatest musical legends.

If you go:

What: Will Bonness – A Tribute to Oscar Peterson
When: Tuesday, June 17 at 9:30 p.m. (7:00 p.m. show sold out)
Where: Club Room, Fort Garry Hotel
Tickets: Visit jazzwinnipeg.com for availability