Oscar Peterson: Why Miles Davis Disliked Him and His Giant Hands

Few jazz rivalries cut as deep as the one between Oscar Peterson and Miles Davis — a clash of two titans who saw the piano bench from opposite ends. Peterson, the Canadian virtuoso with hands that could stretch a 12-inch span, filled every bar with notes; Davis, the trumpeter who prized silence, once said Peterson made him “sick.” This centennial year offers a chance to explore why Davis bristled at Peterson’s technique, what made Peterson’s playing so formidable, and how their disagreement still shapes how we talk about jazz.

Grammy Awards: 8 · Recordings: over 200 · Career span: 60+ years · Reported hand span: 12 inches · Born: August 15, 1925 · Died: December 23, 2007

Six key facts paint a quick portrait of Oscar Peterson’s life and career.

Why didn’t Miles Davis like Oscar Peterson?

The rift between Davis and Peterson is one of jazz’s most quoted disagreements. In his autobiography, Davis reportedly said Peterson “makes me sick because he copies everybody. He even had to learn how to play the blues” (Commentary (cultural magazine)). The comment stung because Peterson was known for his encyclopedic command of styles — from stride to bop to blues — and some peers saw that as a lack of originality.

Davis’s own aesthetic leaned toward economy. He favored a melodic style built on quarter notes and subtle inflections, choosing directness over displays of speed (Britannica (encyclopedia)). Peterson, by contrast, offered “precisely calibrated touch, strong blues emphasis, fast left-hand facility, large voicings, and dense ensemble arrangements,” according to Ethan Iverson’s analysis (Ethan Iverson’s Substack (jazz analysis)). That density was exactly what Davis rejected.

Who was Miles Davis’ favorite pianist?

• Davis admired Carl Perkins, a pianist who played with the Chet Baker quintet (WBGO (jazz radio station)).
• Perkins had a gentle, blues-drenched style that suited Davis’s minimalist ear.

The implication: Davis’s criticism of Peterson wasn’t just personal. It was a philosophical stance against what he saw as empty athleticism.

Is Oscar Peterson the best pianist ever?

Peterson’s technical ability is rarely questioned. He is widely described as a virtuoso whose technique rivaled classical concert pianists (Commentary (cultural magazine)). But “best” is subjective, and within the jazz community opinions vary. Dan Morgenstern, a respected critic, noted that Peterson could show “too much dazzle and not enough variety in mood and tempo” (WBGO (jazz radio station)).

The contrast between Peterson and Davis sharpens when laid side by side.

The pattern: Peterson’s reputation as a supreme technician is secure, but the debate about his artistic depth persists — a tension that the centennial conversations are likely to revisit.

What was Oscar Peterson’s reputation like?

• Peers like Thelonious Monk also expressed skepticism, according to WBGO’s analysis (WBGO (jazz radio station)).
• Nevertheless, Peterson was a beloved figure in Canada and a global ambassador for jazz.

What was Oscar Peterson famous for?

Peterson built a career on quantity and quality: over 200 recordings, eight Grammy Awards, and a composition, “Hymn to Freedom,” that became an anthem of the civil rights movement (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)). His famous trios with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen set a standard for piano trio interplay.

What is Oscar Peterson’s most famous song?

• “Hymn to Freedom,” written in 1959, is Peterson’s most recognized original piece (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).
• It has been covered by dozens of artists and remains a staple in jazz education.

The catch: Peterson’s fame rests on both his staggering output and his ability to write a piece that transcended genre.

How big were Oscar Peterson’s hands?

One of the most persistent legends about Peterson involves his hand size. Biographies report that he could span 12 piano keys — nearly an octave and a half (Commentary (cultural magazine)). That reach enabled the wide intervals and dense voicings that became his signature.

Did Peterson’s hand size contribute to his technique?

• Yes — his large hands allowed him to execute stretches that smaller-handed pianists avoided, giving his playing a distinctive harmonic breadth.
• Yet technique is not solely anatomical; Peterson practiced relentlessly from age six.

The catch: the exact measurement lacks medical confirmation, so the 12-inch span remains an anecdote, albeit one that every biography includes.

What was Oscar Peterson’s cause of death?

Peterson died on December 23, 2007, at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. The cause was kidney failure (Commentary (cultural magazine)). He was 82 years old.

When did Oscar Peterson die?

• December 23, 2007.

What was Oscar Peterson’s net worth?

• At the time of his death, estimates placed his net worth around $10 million, accumulated through decades of touring, recording, and composing.

The consequence: his passing marked the end of an era in piano jazz, but his recordings ensure his influence continues.

“He makes me sick because he copies everybody. He even had to learn how to play the blues.”

— Miles Davis, quoted in Commentary (cultural magazine)

“Too much dazzle and not enough variety in mood and tempo.”

— Dan Morgenstern, as reported by WBGO (jazz radio station)

“Peterson’s style included precisely calibrated touch, strong blues emphasis, fast left-hand facility, large voicings, and dense ensemble arrangements.”

— Ethan Iverson, TT 541 (Substack)

For jazz listeners, the choice is clear: appreciate Peterson’s virtuosity or Davis’s minimalism, but ignoring either is missing the point. If the centennial pushes more people to listen to Peterson with fresh ears — and to understand why Davis pushed back — the debate will have been worth it.

Many jazz enthusiasts might recall that Miles Davis’s critique of Oscar Peterson was not just about style but also about his practice intensity, as detailed in Oscar Petersons practice habits and Miles Davis critique.

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