Tatum's art changed jazz
June 12, 2009 12:50 AM   Subscribe

A new 10 CD compilation of Art Tatum's work has been issued by Storyville Records.

The compilation has been favorably reviewed by Will Friedwald of wsj.com. Tatum afficianados will rejoice in some heretofore unreleased NYC "house party" recordings by Tatum, which include accompniament by guitarists Tal Farlow and organist (and previously accordionist and pianist) Joe Mooney. Here's hoping you get yours before the re-issue set sells out...
posted by paulsc (12 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Nice link. On a side note, I've never seen a more technically brilliant live guitarist than Tal Farlow - all that soloing on the harmonics was pretty spectacular.
posted by johnny novak at 5:42 AM on June 12, 2009


What, no torrent? No link to some download site? We're supposed to BUY this? Man, what planet are you living on?

Yeah, I'm joking and all... but, I gotta say, these links are kinda thin for a post to the blue. IMO.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:42 AM on June 12, 2009


All that Tatum would make me dizzy. I've been a fan for years and every time a song comes on I still think "That's....one....pianist?"
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:45 AM on June 12, 2009 [1 favorite]


If only they'd put it out on vinyl. :(
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 7:19 AM on June 12, 2009


Tatum is, in fact, God. But the corollary to that is that I've never felt all that comfortable with him. His best performances were poorly recorded and his ornate style isn't easy for me to listen to for long stretches.

Subtract the filler links and you're left with a slender post that nonetheless informed me of something of interest that I wouldn't have come across otherwise. Favorited.
posted by Joe Beese at 8:33 AM on June 12, 2009


Not a bad price for 10 CDs & a DVD.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:39 AM on June 12, 2009


Very nice. But, like Joe Beese, I can only listen to a track or two at a time before I want to switch him off.
posted by mattbucher at 9:46 AM on June 12, 2009


I was raised on Tatum (and Peterson, Powell, etc) but only recently discovered the genius of Phineas Newborn Jr. His technique is comparable and he's very melodic. Probably everybody else knows him, but since I somehow missed him I feel like I should spread the word :-)
posted by sineater at 1:43 PM on June 12, 2009


Has it been uploaded losslessly on bittorrent yet?

Meaning, you can try before you buy.
posted by VikingSword at 1:53 PM on June 12, 2009


10 CD's. That would be about 1.5 billion notes. I agree with some of the above comments: Art Tatum may be God, but his ultra-speedy sound doesn't put him in the top ten jazz Piano Gods I listen to regularly.
posted by kozad at 3:52 PM on June 12, 2009


I've heard some of the "house party" recordings. Often poor quality sound, but what amazing improvisational skills. Tatum not only plays fast, he thinks fast.
posted by acrasis at 5:58 PM on June 12, 2009


I bought this for my (picky) dad based on the reviews, and he loves it. Thanks, paulsc.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:27 AM on June 25, 2009


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