TORONTO (CelebrityAccess) — Oscar Peterson Trio’s jazz classic “Night Train” and D.O.A.’s seminal punk album Hardcore 81 have been awarded the 2019 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize.
D.O.A.’s genre-defining hardcore punk album from 1981 topped 11 other nominated albums in the Re:Sound-supported Heritage Prize public voting category, which ran this year from September 17 to October 18. This marks the first time a British Columbia artist has won the Heritage Prize.
The Oscar Peterson Trio’s 1963 album by the late jazz pianist was selected by a 10-member Polaris Heritage Prize jury made up of music media and historians.
“I am elated with the news that Oscar’s seminal recording, Night Train, is receiving the Polaris Heritage Prize. How deeply honored I am on Oscar’s behalf, knowing how humbled he would be to realize this recording remains significant more than 65 years after its release,” said Kelly Peterson, Oscar’s widow and artistic producer for the Oscar Peterson International Jazz Festival. “It’s especially gratifying because this record contains the absolute original version of what is perhaps his most significant composition. During the recording session, Norman Granz challenged Oscar to compose a piece on the spot. The result was ‘Hymn To Freedom.’ My gratitude for this honor knows no bounds. Thank you to all involved with the Polaris Heritage Prize.”
“It’s pretty cool for D.O.A. and our fans to have Hardcore 81 recognized by Polaris. When it was released, we never realized that this album would give birth to the hardcore music genre and make an impact around the world,” said D.O.A.’s Joey ‘Shithead’ Keithley. “So this is an amazing moment for us.”
Past winners of the Heritage Prize include Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Alanis Morissette, Peaches, Glenn Gould, Dream Warriors, and Harmonium.
