Jazz Classic Enthusiasts

Tatum is a monster. The best. Oscar Peterson's mentor. Try the Tatum Group Masterpiece series,on Pablo. That's enough to keep you grooving for awhile. No one touches Tatum. I'm sure that will start some controversy, but hey...Tatum is the man...

It's Art Tatum and he is considered by many to be the greatest jazz pianist (maybe pianist period) ever. In 1938 Tatum dropped in to hear Fats Waller (not a bad piano player himself) play at a club. By way of introduction Waller told the audience, "I just play the piano, but God is in the house tonight." Vladimir Horowitz (who also was known to tinkle the ivories from time to time) was also a big fan. And, to top it off, Tatum was basically blind!

His technique is unbelievable, although I find you can only listen to so much of his stuff at once. The possibly apocryphal comment of the Emperor of Austria to Mozart sometimes comes to mind: "Too many notes, my dear Mozart." (Not really, but you get the idea).

Norman Granz recorded Tatum solo and in group contexts in the 1950s and a series of these recordings are available on Pablo. Check www.allmusic.com for a complete list and evaluation of Tatum recordings.

Art Tatum 20th Century Piano Genuis may be his peak, and is certainly among the finest jazz piano performances ever recorded. Although it was recorded in an apartment as Tatum played before a handful of people, the recording is superb and the performance is astonishing. It's a double CD, should be available through the usual outlets. Indeed, it does sound as if there are two or three people playing at once. Remarkable.

A couple of the Group Masterpiece recordings, including the session with Ben Webster, are available on splendid-sounding XRCDs from JVC. Ben's in the room on this one. Try them.