Art Tatum was born was born on Oct 13, 1909 and died Nov 5, 1956. Teddy Wilson said: “Maybe this will explain Art Tatum. If you put a piano in a room, just a bare piano. Then you get all the finest jazz pianists in the world and let them play in the presence of Art Tatum. Then let Art Tatum play…everyone there will sound like an amateur.

Pianists with regular styles will sound like beginners. Art Tatum played with such superiority that he was above style. It is almost like a golfer who can hit a hole in one every time he picks up the iron. It was a special kind of ability he had. If I had to choose an all ‘round instrumentalist’, in a classical vein, or in a more modern vein, I’d choose Art Tatum.” Continue reading →