Search - Art Tatum :: Solo Masterpieces 6

Memories

David C. Cruthers | Groton Long Point, CT USA | 07/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I used to play this record (vinyl, that is) back in the 70s when I was in college and had a jazz show on my college radio station, WCNI. Pablo had put out a boxed set of all of Tatum's solo work, recorded in the early 50s by Norman Granz. I particularly enjoyed Tatum's rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" and played it often as a signature song on my show. Having found all of the work available on CD, this was the first volume I bought, and it brought back great memories. More than that, though, it brought Tatum's refreshing, exciting style into the 90s and beyond. Where else can you find a rendition of "Just Like a Butterfly That's Caught in the Rain?" All of the Tatum Solo Masterpiece CDs are 5-star winners; it's just that this is my all-time favorite. The Group Masterpieces are also great, but hearing Tatum record songs almost at the first take, by just going into the studio, sitting down, and playing, blows me away still."