When a Woman Loves a Man [Take A] - Art Tatum, Hanighen, Bernie
When a Woman Loves a Man [Take D] - Art Tatum, Hanighen, Bernie
Emaline - Art Tatum, Parish, Mitchell
Love Me - Art Tatum, Washington, Ned
Cocktails for Two - Art Tatum, Coslow, Sam
After You've Gone [Take A] - Art Tatum, Creamer, Henry
After You've Gone [Take C] - Art Tatum, Creamer, Henry
Ill Wind - Art Tatum, Arlen, Harold
The Shout - Art Tatum, Scott, Lannie
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) [Take A] - Art Tatum, Gershwin, George
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) [Take D] - Art Tatum, Gershwin, George
(I Would Do) Anything for You - Art Tatum, Hill, Alexander [Pi
Stardust - Art Tatum, Carmichael, Hoagy
I Ain't Got Nobody - Art Tatum, Graham, Roger [Song
Beautiful Love - Art Tatum, Gillespie, Haven
Gone With the Wind - Art Tatum, Magidson, Herbert
Stormy Weather - Art Tatum, Arlen, Harold
Chloe - Art Tatum, Kahn, Gus
The Sheik of Araby - Art Tatum, Smith, Harry [2] Be
Art Tatum was simply a marvel at the piano keyboard, a whirlwind of creative energy who could switch suddenly from a lilting swing to runs of such speed they might levitate the piano. This CD collects all his Decca recordi... more »ngs from the 1930s, 16 tracks from 1934, including alternate versions of three pieces, and four from 1937. Tatum was both synthesis and extension of the great pianists who had preceded him, including elements of stride that would suggest James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington, but his greatest influence was unquestionably Earl Hines. Hines's sheer command of rhythm and harmony permitted extraordinary creative freedom, and as Hines withdrew from solo piano recording in the '30s, Tatum emerged to build on his innovations. The two versions of "When a Woman Loves a Man," recorded a few weeks apart, demonstrate how differently Tatum could approach the same tune, but each piece here is a striking example of Tatum's inventiveness. He doesn't just transform a song's harmonies, he often transforms its mood; a ballad like "Ill Wind" moves from the pensive to the exuberant. While ecstatic virtuosity may be the dominant characteristic of Tatum's music, there's an increased depth on the tracks from 1937, which is particularly apparent on Fats Waller's "Stormy Weather," imbued here with a deep and languid blues feeling. --Stuart Broomer« less
Art Tatum was simply a marvel at the piano keyboard, a whirlwind of creative energy who could switch suddenly from a lilting swing to runs of such speed they might levitate the piano. This CD collects all his Decca recordings from the 1930s, 16 tracks from 1934, including alternate versions of three pieces, and four from 1937. Tatum was both synthesis and extension of the great pianists who had preceded him, including elements of stride that would suggest James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington, but his greatest influence was unquestionably Earl Hines. Hines's sheer command of rhythm and harmony permitted extraordinary creative freedom, and as Hines withdrew from solo piano recording in the '30s, Tatum emerged to build on his innovations. The two versions of "When a Woman Loves a Man," recorded a few weeks apart, demonstrate how differently Tatum could approach the same tune, but each piece here is a striking example of Tatum's inventiveness. He doesn't just transform a song's harmonies, he often transforms its mood; a ballad like "Ill Wind" moves from the pensive to the exuberant. While ecstatic virtuosity may be the dominant characteristic of Tatum's music, there's an increased depth on the tracks from 1937, which is particularly apparent on Fats Waller's "Stormy Weather," imbued here with a deep and languid blues feeling. --Stuart Broomer
"This is Tatum in the Springtime flush of strength and power-- the despair of all other musicians.'Liza',especially the second take recorded a few months after the first,gives us all the musical excitement we want, and more.With these early recordings Tatum burst upon the firmament like a supernova,and the language of jazz was changed forever."
Genuine.
02/19/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The pre-bop jazz piano master's unique dynamic style with incredible speed, accuracy, subtlty, and rich ornamentations is well presented in every tracks on the CD. Oscar Peterson mentioned "These guys are pretty good." before he knew Tatum and listened to Tatum's recordings for the first time. The fast accurate and subtle stride seems almost impossible to most pianists even today."