Search - Art Tatum :: Complete Jazz Chronical: Solo Sessions

Outstanding Piano & Sound

B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 09/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The great Art Tatum was captured extensively on record, but even in his later years the sound quality of many of his recordings was not particularly good. This CD is an exception - 70 minutes of late period solo Tatum, in exceptionally good audio quality.The first sixteen solos were recorded privately by the pianist Buddy Cole, using state of the art equipment in 1948. There is a real sense of intimacy about these recordings, and the sound quality is such that Tatum's keyboard touch and control of dynamics is caught here better than anywhere else in his recording career. Five of these tracks are previously unreleased alternative takes, and provide a wonderful opportunity to hear Tatum's improvisational skill. This is invaluable music. Most of the tracks are taken at medium tempo and are reflective in mood. The exception is "You Took Advantage of Me", is given an outstanding reading, at a livelier tempo than the "Solo Masterpieces" version..Tracks 17 to 23 are from a radio broadcast recorded for Radio Sweden in November 1955, and previously unreleased. The tunes are of course much recorded Tatum staples (with the exception of "If I Should Loose You", which is a truncated 41 seconds long but is Tatum's only recording of the tune). "I Know That You Know" is given a frenetic reading of the kind that has led some to wrongly criticise Tatum as a facile musical savant who prioritised surface brilliance over emotional content. In contrast, "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (both of which Tatum must have played thousands of times by this stage of his career) are given model performances - understated swinging performances, with virtuosity unmistakably present, and yet at the service of the music. Sound quality is not quite up to the standard of the earlier tracks (there is a little tape hiss), but is still superior to that of 90% of Tatum's recordings. A bonus is that we have Tatum's graceful spoken introductions. In addition, there are erudite notes from Tatum expert Arnold Laubich. All in all, this is an essential disc for all Tatum enthusiasts."

Maybe the most essential album of jazz piano.A treasure!!!

JEAN-MARIE JUIF | BESANCON France | 03/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At last!!! Here is the first CD issue of one of the most necessary treasures of jazz.If you were lucky enough,like I was,you already owned the original LP,or the japanese Philips issue,which included the first eleven tracks.This CD issue will offer you five alternate tracks (two of "over the rainbow",and one of "I'll never be the same","night and day" and "it's the talk of the town",plus a seven tracks unissued session recorded NOvember 26,1955 in NYC for Radio Sweden.
Many words were written about Tatum.Born October 13,1910,in Toledo,Ohio,this blind man,who happened to be the world's greatest piano player of all times,sadly died 46,November 5,1956,of euremic poisoning,less than a year after the Radio Sweden session;already sick at the time of this recording,you can listen to him saying "I hope it won't be my last appearance" just before playing his only (and much too short) version of one of my favorite standards,"if I should lose you" (remember that incredibely beautiful version played by Hank Mobley on his Blue Note "souls station" album).
But let's go back to the "jazz chronicle" session.Recorded circa 1948 at pianist Buddy Cole's home (not related to Nat King Cole,even if he played the 88s behind the King's vocals on some recordings),and produced by musicians Roy Harte and Harry Babasin,this sixteen tunes session happens to be the most relaxed Tatum ever waxed.The sound is by far better than on his Verve recordings;and here is Tatum at his most magical,which means jazz piano playing at its very best.This simply means piano playing at his very best.Don't forget that,when Tatum appeared in some Harlem clubs during the fourties,the audience included guys like Arturo Toscanini,Wladimir Horowitz,Arthur Rubinstein and Sergei Rachmaninov !!!And Rachmaninov said that he understood what Tatum played,but was unable to do the same;Toscanini said that he was the greatest piano player of all times;and when a young student in music asked the master,Arthur Rubinstein,"what are you doing in such a place?",Rubinstein simply answered:"shhhht,I'm just listening to the greatest musician that ever was".
This 1948 set of eleven standards,including two of the great Ellington songbook ("just a-sittin' and a-rockin'" and "in a sentimental mood"),is absolutely outstanding.NOBODY ever swang like this on these tunes;NOBODY ever played with such exuberance,and such emotion;Tatum's version of "in a sentimental mood" is as magnificent as Lucky Thompson's on his "Lucky strikes" album,or of course Coltrane's in his meeting with Ellington on Impulse."You took advantage on me" is THE essence of swing.Tatum plays in this tune some absolutely extraordinary difficult things,and it seems so easy,so natural,because his priority was to make of a tune a swinging one;and the same thing can be told about "wrap your troubles in dreams" or "you're driving me crazy"."I'll never be the same" finds here his greatest version after the one made by Billie Holliday and Lester Young ten years before.Here is Tatum,swinging like mad,and playing at a very difficult slow tempo.The very great evergreen "over the rainbow",played three times,once again finds its greatest versions here,with my favorite one,one of jazz's greatest masterpieces,recorded by Paul Gonsalves and Earl Hines for Black Lion in 1970.
The 1955 Radio Sweden session tracks 17 to 23) has a special interest:you can listen to Art Tatum speaking and narrating his repertoire.It's amazing,of course,and once again,he chooses the most somptuous tunes in the great american repertoire:Gershwin's "someone to watch over me",Kern's "smoke gets in your eyes" or the sublime "If I should lose you".Maybe the sound is not as good as on the "jazz chronicle" session,but it's funny to listen to Tatum's humming while playing extraordinary things.
Like Fats Waller or Earl Hines,Tatum's music always gave me a feeling of pure joy,of total pleasure.Here is beauty at its highest level,here is the essence of music.Here are some of the most amazing tracks ever recorded in the history of jazz.I can listen to this album for a thousand hours.Simply beautiful.I don't remember who described Tatum as a guy who was making love to music (maybe it was french writer and jazz chronicler Boris Vian,but I'm not sure);it was certainly the best thing ever told about this true genius.Who could transform a poor tune like "begin the beguine" into such a masterpiece? Who could play some such amazing things on standards which were played thousands and thousands of times before? Nobody I guess,not even Hines,Powell or Wilson.Buy this record,you'll meet the Beauty.This review is dedicated to Clementine,a very nice girl from Rwanda,who's smile is just like Tatum's music: extraordinary."