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.”
Art had so many ways to harmonize in his head that Charlie Parker worked in a club for two weeks washing dishes just so he could listen to Art. Some say that it was after listening to Art, that Parker was able to connect some of the dots that improved his harmonic ideas. Art’s jazz solos were so brilliant, he was able take a simple song like “Tea for Two” and turn it into a jazz standard that was challenging.
Art’s abilities were legendary, so much so that it was not unusual to see Vladamir Horowitz, Leopold Stokowski or George Gershwin in the audience. Art would readily credit that he learned a great deal from Fats Waller; but even Waller himself once alerted his audience to Tatum’s presence by saying, “I just play the piano, but God is in the house tonight.”
There are many musicians that would hesitate to share their knowledge, but Art was generous. Other fine musicians such as Les Paul and Eddie Durham took advantage of Tatum’s willingness to share his ideas. Art was willing to teach anyone, he just asked that they supply the beer.
Art Tatum Masterpiece Solos
The Art Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 1
Tags: improvisation jazz, jazz recordings, legendary artist, Tea for Two
It is useful to try everything in practice anyway and I like that here it’s always possible to find something new.