10 CD Art Tatum compendium

[dhermann1]

I know I tend to post a lot of links to various articles here, but this one is worth noting. It's a review of a 10 CD set of the complete Art Tatum. Tatum was a blind jazz pianist who lived from 1909 till 1956. Aside from being able to play more notes per second than probably any other pianist in history, he was also probably the greatest jazz pianist in history. There's really nobody quite like him, and if you haven't heard his music you should check him out.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124286060905541009.html

 

[rmrdaddy]

Great suggestion!
What a virtuosic Pianist! If you've heard Art play, you'll never forget him. The guy is all over the keyboard, and plays beautifully, interspersing one melody with riffs from musicals, religious songs, musical practice books, whatever came into his fluid mind and fingers. Tatum gets referred to in the same breath as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, in Jazz discussions..he gets respect if you dig...

Perhaps an apocryphal story, but it's told that Art Tatum's mother had fostered the idea of his playing piano. He had difficulty with his vision from an early age and had a few operations as a child to repair his sight, but to no avail. Anyway, story goes that she bought him an 78 recording of piano music in order to give the lad some education on what the instrument sounded like, methods of playing, etc... The punchline: this record was of TWO pianists who played together, their era's Ferrante and Teicher if you will!!! Art developed a style to sound like a pair of masters!
Pure Genius!

 

[Chas]

Now what is needed is box sets for:

Erroll Garner (I imagine there is already)
Jess Stacy
Bobby Guaraneri
A Nat King Cole piano boxset - that's right; he was a virtuoso pianist as well, and recorded with Lester Young in a series of recordings in the mid-late 40's - look for "Lester Young: The Complete Aladdin Sessions" on BlueNote.

 

[Barrelhouse]

Now what is needed is box sets for:

...A Nat King Cole piano boxset - that's right; he was a virtuoso pianist as well...

Well said Chas , "virtuoso" is the perfect word to describe Nat King Cole's playing. I have heard a few things he recorded with the Nat King Cole Trio from the early 40's and its pretty sublime.

In fact, excellent suggestions all around guys makes me realize the large ragged holes in my own jazz collection. Something else I need to spend money on!!! :eusa_doh:

 

[Chas]

excellent suggestions all around guys makes me realize the large ragged holes in my own jazz collection. Something else I need to spend money on!!! :eusa_doh:

HA! I have had this radio show for about 6 years or so, and I routinely spent (up until recently) around $150/month on cd's alone, never mind the vinyl and 78s. My latest acquisition is the complete Complete Jazz at The Philharmonic on Verve, which set me back a few sheckels.

Your collection will never be complete.

 

[JennyLou]

HA! I have had this radio show for about 6 years or so, and I routinely spent (up until recently) around $150/month on cd's alone, never mind the vinyl and 78s. My latest acquisition is the complete Complete Jazz at The Philharmonic on Verve, which set me back a few sheckels.

Your collection will never be complete.

fftopic: I'm afraid my jazz collection is very small. one reason is that I don't have money to spend on cds. Another reason is that I don't always know what to look for. Of course I have the more popular jazz recordings. Do you have any suggestions as to where I would find a good list of must have jazz?

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

fftopic: I'm afraid my jazz collection is very small. one reason is that I don't have money to spend on cds. Another reason is that I don't always know what to look for. Of course I have the more popular jazz recordings. Do you have any suggestions as to where I would find a good list of must have jazz?

I don't have a list for you, but I can suggest a good Internet streaming site. KPLU is a NPR radio station in Tacoma WA. They play great Jazz all day long as opposed to only an hour or two a week and all of their programming is streamed onto the Internet. I especially recommend listening from 3:00pm to 6:00pm Pacific time on Sundays for "The Art of Jazz" program. A great source for all kinds of Jazz from the 1920's on up. Once you get familiar with the different types of music called Jazz, you'll have a better idea of what you would like to buy.

For more details go to: http://www.kplu.org

 

[JennyLou]

Thank you Mahagonny Bill.

 

[Chas]

This thread. A starting point, only. I recommend box sets because that way, while expensive @ first, you can build an excellent collection with a minimum of duplication. There are also tracks on the box sets you will probably really like, but for whatever reason, don't end up on those numerous "best of" cd's.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

The jazz station (which I helped changed the format to jazz from classical) can also be heard streaming on line at www.erieradio.com. It is 24 hour jazz and is a great mix of the old stuff and new stuff.

I will also be hosting a special Benny Goodman birthday tribute soon.

 

[Chas]

fftopic: I'm afraid my jazz collection is very small. one reason is that I don't have money to spend on cds. Another reason is that I don't always know what to look for. Of course I have the more popular jazz recordings. Do you have any suggestions as to where I would find a good list of must have jazz?

If you're short of dough, then go to your local library, take the cd's home, give 'em a listen, burn and return.

 

[JennyLou]

If you're short of dough, then go to your local library, take the cd's home, give 'em a listen, burn and return.

Ha, that's what I've been doing. I got some Bill Evans, Dizzy and Coleman Hawkins that way.