Jazz

Art Tatum - The Art of Tatum (1938-39 Jazz Life)

2011-09-04T20:20:47Z

Art Tatum - The Art of Tatum (1938-39 Jazz Life)


01. Fine and Dandy
02. I've Got the World on a String
03. I've Got a Right to Sing the Blues
04. I'm Coming Virginia
05. Day In - Day Out
06. Make Believe
07. Sweet Emmalina
08. Indiana
09. Sweet Lorraine				play
10. I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)
11. I'll Never Be the Same
12. Judy
13. Elegy
14. Body and Soul				play
15. Can't We Be Friends
16. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm

Originally recorded: in Los Angeles 1938-39

Arthur Tatum Jr. (October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist and virtuoso. The jazz pianist and educator Kenny Barron has commented that "I have every record [Tatum] ever made — and I try never to listen to them … If I did, I'd throw up my hands and give up!" Jean Cocteau dubbed Tatum "a crazed Chopin." Count Basie called him the eighth wonder of the world. Tatum was born in Toledo, Ohio. From infancy he suffered from cataracts of disputed cause, which left him blind in one eye, and with only very limited vision in the other. Some surgery improved Tatum's eye condition to a degree, but this effort was reversed when he was assaulted in 1930 at age 20.

He played piano from his youth, and played professionally in Ohio and especially the Cleveland area before moving to New York City in 1932. A child prodigy, Tatum learned to play by copying piano roll recordings his mother owned, playing by ear by the age of three. Tatum would learn both parts of a piece for four hands by feeling the keys depressed on the piano. By the age of six he was able to play songs originally performed as duets, unaware that there were supposed to be two players. In this way, he developed an incredibly fast playing style, without losing any of his accuracy. As a child he was also very sensitive to the piano's intonation, and insisted it be tuned often.

Tatum drew inspiration from his contemporaries James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, who exemplified the best stride piano style. Tatum's meteoric success began with his appearance at a cutting contest in 1933 that included Waller and others. Standard contest pieces included Johnson's "Harlem Strut" and "Carolina Shout," and Fats Waller's "Handful of Keys." Tatum was victorious, presenting his arrangement of "Tiger Rag." This was considered by Harlem musicians to be perhaps the last word in stride piano. In addition, the effortless gliding of Tatum's hands, in his interpretation of many other popular tunes, puzzled all who witnessed the phenomenon. Though many of his notes have been transcribed and played, his execution remains something of a mystery, and can be seen in films. Tatum also preferred to play last where several pianists played. He was not challenged further until Donald Lambert initiated a half-serious rivalry with him.

When Tatum's fastest tracks of "Tiger Rag" are slowed down, they still reveal a steady rhythm, with confident syncopations. From the foundation of stride, Tatum made great leaps in terms of technique and theory, and honed a new style that would greatly influence later jazz pianists, such as Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, Billy Taylor, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea. Tatum's extensive use of the pentatonic scale, for example, may have inspired later pianists to further mine its possibilities as a device for soloing.

Tatum introduced a strong, swinging pulse to jazz piano, as well as other new sounds in his improvisation and self-accompaniment. He did play many lines resembling jazz solos, but he rarely abandoned the original melodic lines of the songs he played, preferring instead to feature innovative reharmonization (changing the chord progressions supporting the melodies). Occasionally, the reharmonizing was simply a matter of altering the root movements of a tune so as to more effectively apply already commonly used chords from early jazz and classical music. Yet many of Tatum's harmonic concepts and larger chord voicings were well ahead of their time in the 1930s (except for their partial emergence in popular songs of the jazz age) and they would be explored by bebop-era musicians 20 years later. Tatum worked some of the upper extensions of chords into his lines, and this practice was further developed by Bud Powell and Charlie Parker, which in turn was an influence on the development of 'modern jazz'. He also had a penchant for filling spaces within melodies with trademark runs and embellishments. The notes and phrases within those embellishments made genuine musical statements praised by jazz and classical audiences alike.

The speed of the techniques, however, made them somewhat enigmatic and difficult for ensemble playing. Tatum tended to record unaccompanied, partly because relatively few musicians could keep up with his lightning-fast tempos and advanced harmonic vocabulary. He formed a trio during the early 1940s with bassist Slam Stewart and guitarist Tiny Grimes. During their short period of time together, they recorded a number of 78 rpm discs that feature interplay among the musicians. Transcriptions of Tatum are popular and are often practiced assiduously. But perhaps because his playing was so difficult to copy, only a handful of musicians — such as Oscar Peterson, Johnny Costa, Johnny Guarnieri, Francois Rilhac, Adam Makowicz, Steven Mayer and Dan Knight — have attempted to seriously emulate or challenge Tatum. Phineas Newborn's playing, such as his recording of Willow Weep For Me, is closely modelled on Tatum. Tatum recorded commercially from 1932 until near his death, though the predominantly solo nature of his skills meant that recording opportunities were somewhat intermittent.

Tatum recorded for Decca (1934–41), Capitol (1949, 1952) and for the labels associated with Norman Granz (1953–56). For Granz, he recorded an extended series of solo albums and group recordings with, among others, Ben Webster, Buddy DeFranco, Benny Carter and Lionel Hampton. Although Tatum refrained from classifying himself as a classical pianist, he adapted several classical works into new arrangements that showcased his own musical style. Only a small amount of film showing Art Tatum playing exists today as the vast majority has been lost (several minutes of professionally shot archival footage can, for example, be found in Martin Scorsese's documentary Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues). Tatum appeared on Steve Allen's Tonight Show in the early 1950s, and on other television shows from this era. Unfortunately, all of the kinescopes of the Allen shows, which were stored in a warehouse along with other now defunct shows, were thrown into a local rubbish dump to make room for new studios.

However, the soundtracks were recorded off-air by Tatum enthusiasts at the time, and many are included in Storyville Records extensive series of rare Tatum recordings. Art Tatum died in Los Angeles, California from the complications of uremia (as a result of kidney failure), having been a heavy drinker since his teen years. He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Tatum posthumously received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. When Tatum walked into a club where Fats Waller was playing, Waller stepped away from the piano bench to make way for Tatum, announcing, "I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house." In addition, Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, after hearing Tatum play, claimed he was the greatest piano player in any style. Other luminaries of the day such as Artur Rubinstein and George Gershwin marveled at Tatum's genius. Charlie Parker (who helped develop bebop) was highly influenced by Tatum.

When newly arrived in New York, Parker briefly worked as a dishwasher in a Manhattan restaurant where Tatum happened to be performing, and often listened to the legendary pianist. Parker once said “I wish I could play like Tatum’s right hand!” When Oscar Peterson first heard a recording of Tatum playing he was so intimidated by what he heard that he allegedly restrained himself from touching the piano for nearly two months. Peterson claimed that Tatum the best jazz instrumentalist of all time. Legend has it that classical pianist Vladimir Horowitz was so awed by Tatum's wizardry that it brought him to tears; he also is to have said that it was fortunate for classical pianists that Tatum did not choose to pursue a classical career. In 1993, an MIT student invented a term that is now in common usage in the field of computational musicology: The Tatum. It means "the smallest perceptual time unit in music."

Arthur pochodził z bardzo muzykalnej rodziny i od dziecka uczył się grać na pianinie i czytać nuty (mimo iż urodził się z bardzo poważną wadą wzroku). Jako nastolatek grał zarobkowo w Toledo. Na krótko dołączył do grupy Speed Webb (1926), głównie jednak występował jako solista lub grywał z małymi zespołami (np. Lee Simsa) w klubach i w radiu. Akompaniował wokalistce Adelaide Hall w czasie jej trasy koncertowej w 1932 r. Pojechał z nią wówczas do Nowego Jorku, a rok później dokonał swych pierwszych nagrań płytowych.

Reputację doskonałego, impresyjnego oraz improwizującego pianisty budował występując w klubach w Cleveland (1934-35) i Chicago (1935-35). W 1937 r. powrócił do Nowego Jorku gdzie grając w klubach, w radiu oraz nagrywając płyty zyskiwał spore uznanie i popularność. Odbył szereg tras koncertowych po USA, pojawił się również w Wielkiej Brytanii. Razem z basistą Slamem Stewartem i gitarzystą Tinym Grimesem założył na początku lat 40. trio, które cieszyło się wielkim uznaniem. Zespół ten przeszedł do historii jako jeden z pierwszych, nowoczesnych zespołów eksponujących przede wszystkim pianistę.

Tatum grywał zarówno w prestiżowej Metropolitan Opera House (1944), jak i w klubach, w radiu i w filmie ("The Fabulous Dorseys", 1947). W 1953 r. podpisał umowę nagraniową z Normanem Granzem, producentem Clef (później Verve i Pablo) Records, dla którego zrealizował wybitne albumy solowe (cykl "The Solo Masterpieces") oraz serię płyt z najwybitniejszymi jazzmanami: Bennym Carterem, Royem Eldridge'em, Benem Websterem, Buddym DeFranco, Lionelem Hamptonem (cykl "The Group Masterpieces"). Był niedoścignionym wykonawcą, wręcz wirtuozem, i wywarł ogromny wpływ na nowojorską scenę jazzową wczesnych lat 30. i 40. Nawet Fats Waller uznany mistrz i artysta, którego Tatum sam słuchał u progu swej muzycznej kariery, docenił jego fenomenalny talent i gdy zauważył go wśród publiczności w czasie jednego ze swoich koncertów, ogłosił ze sceny: "Bóg jest dzisiaj z nami".

Olśniewające improwizacje klasycznych, jazzowych i przede wszystkim popularnych tematów to już dziś standardy. Muzyczna poprzeczka ustawiona została przez Tatuma niezwykle wysoko, niewielu pianistom (nie tylko jazzowym) udało się osiągnąć ten poziom opanowania instrumentu. Zabawna maniera przywoływania fragmentów innych melodii, irytująca w wykonaniu niewprawnego muzyka, była u Tatuma kolejnym udanym zabiegiem stylistycznym. Nigdy nie próbował osiągnąć efektu kosztem feelingu i swingu, co charakteryzuje niektórych innych wirtuozów.

Talentowi zawdzięcza ogromne sukcesy nagraniowe: sesja dla Granza trwała zaledwie dwa dni, a blisko 70 utworów zostało nagranych "za pierwszym podejściem". Tatum nigdy nie dał się poznać jako muzyk grający wyłącznie dla poklasku. Wszystko, co robił było żywiołowe i spontaniczne, jakby przewidziane tylko na tę jedyną okazję. Pozostaje bezsprzecznie jedną z największych postaci w pianistyce jazzowej, choć czasami pomija się go w szeregach tych, którzy wprowadzili muzykę na nowe tory. Jego nowatorstwo i sposób, w jaki wykorzystywał zawiłości harmonii i zaskakujące sekwencje akordów, pozostawiły ślady w muzyce innych innowatorów modern jazzu: od Buda Powella i Herbiego Hancocka po stylistykę Charliego Parkera i Johna Coltrane'a. ---diapazon.pl

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Art Tatum - The Definitive Art Tatum (2002)

2016-05-30T14:34:30Z

Art Tatum - The Definitive Art Tatum (2002)


01. The Shout (2:47)
02. Sweet Emalina, My Gal (3:00)
03. Elegie (3:17)
04. Get Happy (2:47)
05. Aunt Hagar's Blues (2:43)
06. Nice Work If You Can Get It (2:48)
07. It's the Talk of the Town (3:20)
08. Makin' Whoopee (2:45)
09. Goin' Home (3:10)
10. Blue Skies (2:52)
11. Someone to Watch over Me (3:16)
12. Mine (3:58)
13. Yesterdays (3:13)
14. Jitterbug Waltz (4:10)
15. Mr. Freddie Blues (3:12)
16. Indiana (3:28)

Art Tatum (piano); 
Everett Barksdale (guitar);
Slam Stewart (bass).

This sampler has 16 Art Tatum recordings reissued in chronological order that date from 1934-1950. All but the closing "Indiana" (which has guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart) are unaccompanied piano solos, and they are drawn from the Decca, Capitol, and Verve catalogs. Tatum was always a remarkable virtuoso so, even if this set is not completely definitive (it could not be without having Tatum's 1933 recording of "Tiger Rag"), there are many gems here. Tatum is typically miraculous on such songs as "The Shout," "Get Happy," "Blue Skies," and "Yesterdays." ---Scott Yanow, Rovi

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Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.1 (1954)

2013-10-19T15:51:42Z

Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.1 (1954)


1 Blues in C 7:58
2 Undecided 4:50
3 Under a Blanket of Blue 6:13
4 Blues in B Flat 5:43
5 A Foggy Day Gershwin 5:25
6 Street of Dreams 3:49
7 'S Wonderful 3:17
8 Makin' Whoopee 6:11
9 Old Fashioned Love 4:57
10 (I'm Left With the) Blues in My Heart 5:55
11 My Blue Heaven 4:00
12 Hands Across the Table 3:41
13 You're Mine, You 5:09
14 Idaho 4:12

Musicians:
Louie Bellson Drums
Benny Carter Sax(Alto)
Art Tatum Piano

During 1954-1956, Norman Granz recorded the remarkable pianist Art Tatum with a variety of classic jazz masters, resulting in quite a bit of musical magic. This first of eight volumes finds Tatum matching wits with the classy alto of Benny Carter and drummer Louie Bellson -- the results are both tasteful and frequently hard-swinging. ---Scott Yanow, Rovi

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Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.2 (1955)

2013-10-22T15:45:58Z

Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.2 (1955)


1 Night and Day 6:08
2 I Won't Dance 3:27
3 In a Sentimental Mood 4:58
4 The Moon Is Low 4:11
5 Moon Song 4:59
6 You Took Advantage of Me 3:33
7 This Can't Be Love 3:48
8 I Surrender, Dear 6:52
9 I Won't Dance 3:30
10 In a Sentimental Mood 4:57

Musicians:
Roy Eldridge Trumpet
John Simmons Bass
Alvin Stoller Drums
Art Tatum Piano

The second of eight CDs teaming the amazing pianist with a variety of his contemporaries finds Tatum sharing the stage with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, bassist John Simmons and drummer Alvin Stoller. Eldridge, normally a very combative player, knows better than to directly challenge Tatum and instead is surprisingly restrained and muted on this enjoyable set of swing standards. ---Scott Yanow, Rovi

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Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.5 (1955)

2013-10-26T15:51:35Z

Art Tatum - The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.5 (1955)


01 Verve Blues
02 Plaid
03 Somebody Loves Me
04 September Song
05 Deep Purple
06 September Song (78 rpm Single Version]
07 What Is This Thing Called Love?
08 What Is This Thing Called Love? (Alternate Take)

Personnel: 
Art Tatum (piano); 
Lionel Hampton (vibes); 
Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); 
Barney Kessel (guitar); 
Red Callender (bass); 
Buddy Rich (drums).

The fifth of eight CDs in this recommended series (which is also available complete as a six-CD box set) features the largest band in this program, a sextet with Tatum, vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, guitarist Barney Kessel, bassist Red Callender and drummer Buddy Rich. Their treatment of blues and standards is as exciting as one would expect from this all-star lineup. ---Scott Yanow. Rovi

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Art Tatum – 1944 Trio [Giants of Jazz]

2012-01-04T10:06:37Z

Art Tatum – 1944 Trio [Giants of Jazz]


1. I Got Rhythm    
2. Cocktails for Two    
3. I Ain’t Got Nobody    
4. After You’ve Gone    
5. Moonglow    
6. Deep Purple    
7. (I Would Do) Anything for You    
8. Liza (All the Clouds’ll Roll Away)		play 
9. Tea for Two    						play
10. Honeysuckle Rose    
11. Man I Love    
12. I Know That You Know    
13. On the Sunny Side of the Street    
14. Flying Home    
15. Dark Eyes    
16. Body and Soul    
17. Topsy
18. If I Had You    
19. Soft Winds    
20. Boogie

Musicians:
Art Tatum - Piano
Tiny Grimes - Guitar
Slam Stewart – Bass

Here's a superb segment of the Art Tatum story, beginning with ten trio sides featuring guitarist Tiny Grimes and bowing, singing bassist Slam Stewart. Six marvelous selections recorded May 1, 1944, were subsequently issued on the Comet label. Each of these performances appeared on 12" 78-rpm records, allowing for well over four minutes of playing time. Weeks later -- on the summer solstice -- this inventive little group waxed four additional 12" sides for an independent recording company owned and operated by Moses Asch. As if obeying some cosmic rule of thumb, Tatum returned by himself to the Asch studios on the winter solstice to record six dazzling solos of incredible substance and depth. Vintage Tatum, beautifully played and intelligently presented. --- arwulf arwulf, AMG

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Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol. 8 (1956)

2012-01-10T19:32:58Z

Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.8 (1956)


1. Gone With The Wind (Album Version) 4:46
2. All The Things You Are    7:11       
3. Have You Met Miss Jones? (Album Version)    4:45 			play  
4. My One And Only Love    6:12   
5. Night And Day    5:26   
6. My Ideal    7:13       
7. Where Or When    6:24   
8. Gone With The Wind (Album Version – (Alt. Take 1))    4:48   
9. Gone With The Wind (Album Version – (Alt. Take 2))    4:47   
10. Have You Met Miss Jones? (Album Version – (Alt. Take))

LineUp:
Art Tatum (piano);
Ben Webster (tenor saxophone);
Red Callender (bass);
Bill Douglass (drums).

The final volume in this very worthy series is a comparatively relaxed affair, a quartet set with tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster. Webster lets Tatum fill the background with an infinite number of notes while emphasizing his warm tenor tone in the forefront on a variety of melodic ballads and standards. The combination works very well. ---Scott Yanow, AMG

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Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.4 (1955)

2012-01-06T19:55:30Z

Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieces Vol.4 (1955)


1.This Can’t Be Love Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart (6:16)
2.Stars Fell on Alabama Mitchell Parish, Frank Perkins (5:36)
3.Lover Man Roger “Ram” Ramirez, Jimmy Sherman, Jimmy Davis (5:58)
4.Prisoner of Love Leo Robin, Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskill (6:07)
5.Love for Sale (Concept I) Cole Porter (9:36)
6.Love for Sale (Concept II) Cole Porter (6:14)
7.Body and Soul Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton (5:21)
8.Please Be Kind Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin (4:46)								play
9.This Can’t Be Love [Alternate Take][*] Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart (5:49)

LineUp:
Art Tatum (piano);
Lionel Hampton (vibes);
Buddy Rich (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California on August 1, 1955.

The fourth of eight CDs featuring the pianist interacting with some of his most notable musical contemporaries is the second to match his virtuosity with that of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and drummer Buddy Rich. The three immortals really challenge each other during this frequently heated jam session. --- Scott Yanow, AMG

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Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieses Vol.3 (1955)

2012-01-05T09:48:26Z

Art Tatum – The Tatum Group Masterpieses Vol.3 (1955)


1. What Is This Thing Called Love
2. I’ll Never Be The Same
3. Makin’ Whoopee
4. Hallelujah						play
5. Perdido
6. More Than You Know
7. How High The Moon
8. Hallelujah – (alternate take, bonus track)

LineUp:
Art Tatum (piano);
Lionel Hampton (vibes);
Buddy Rich (drums).

Recorded in Los Angeles, California on August 1, 1955.

The third of eight CDs matching the great pianist with a variety of classic jazzmen is the first of two that finds him in a trio with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and drummer Buddy Rich; no weak spots in that group. Much of this music really burns. ---Scott Yanow, AMG

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