TORONTO -- Some prized possessions owned by late Canadian jazz virtuoso Oscar Peterson are being sold through an auction on eBay by his widow, Kelly, with a portion of the proceeds to be donated to World Vision Canada.
Peterson, widely counted among the most accomplished pianists in the world for his seemingly magical hands, died on Dec. 23, 2007 of kidney failure at the age of 82.
The auction began Thursday on the eve of what would have been Peterson's 90th birthday and will continue to Aug. 24 on this webpage.
The 28 items on sale include a variety of musical gear such as keyboards along with recording equipment and even a couple of sports jackets once worn by the legendary musician.
Peterson's storied 50-year career took him from the jazz clubs of 1950s Montreal to New York's Carnegie Hall and beyond.
He collected eight Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award in 1997, hundreds of prizes from the jazz community, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for lifetime achievement and was a Companion of the Order of Canada.
In 2005, Canada Post marked his contribution to music with a 50-cent stamp. The keyboard titan, who recorded almost 200 albums, played alongside the greats of the jazz world: Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Roy Eldridge, Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald.
"We are delighted to share some of his iconic treasures with his beloved fans," Kelly Peterson told eBay.
"These sale items are a celebration of his life and love for jazz. Our family is committed to keeping his legacy alive while giving back to an organization that was close to Oscar's heart, World Vision Canada."
To further mark Peterson's 90th birthday, Kelly Peterson said a recording of never-before heard Peterson compositions by celebrated jazz artists called "Oscar, With Love" is now available for pre-order at oscarwithlove.com.
