- 20 original albums by one of Jazz music’s most influential pianists
- Each CD features both a trio- and a solo-album, thus showcasing the perfect symmetry and diversity of Tatum’s art
- Also feat. Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Lionel Hampton, Ben Webster, Buddy DeFranco, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson
Art Tatum (1909-1956) is one of the most important jazz pianists of all time, a role model even for Generation Y players like Christian Sands, born in 1989. Along with Earl Hines, Tatum was the style-setting pianist and a link between the early pioneers of jazz, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, and the bebop greats of modern jazz, all of whom were inspired by Tatum’s modern sense of harmony. Charlie Parker is said to have worked as a dish washer in a club for weeks only to get closer to and more familiar with Tatum’s playing.
Already at the age of 20, Tatum, who had perfect pitch and was severely visually impaired, had gained tremendous popularity in his home state Ohio thanks to regular club appearances and his own radio show. In 1932 he came to New York for the first time as the accompanist of singer Adelaide Hall, where he immediately proved his abilities by coming out as the winner in a competition with his predecessors Waller and Johnson. In the jazz capitals New York, Chicago and Los Angeles he was booked for months with his solo performances.
His only ever trip abroad took him to England in 1938. He led a successful trio with bassist Slam Stewart and guitarist Tiny Grimes from 1943-45, which became a model for Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole and many others. Tatum arguably made his best recordings in 1953 in conjunction with jazz impresario Norman Granz, all of which are presented here in the interplay
between group and solo recordings. Tatum’s intense lifestyle and alcoholism never affected his performances, but ultimately led to his early death from kidney failure in 1956 at the age of 47.
CD 1
■ Art Tatum/Benny Carter/Louis Bellson
35:24
1. My Blue Heaven (Walter Donaldson,
George Whiting)
2. Blues In B Flat (Benny Carter, Louis
Bellson)
3. Street Of Dreams (Victor Young,
Sam Lewis)
4. Idaho (Jesse Stone)
5. ‘S Wonderful (George & Ira Gershwin)
6. Hands Across The Table (Jean
Delettre, Mitchell Parish)
7. Old Fashioned Love (Cecil Mack,
James Price Johnson)
8. I’m Left With The Blues In My Heart
(Benny Carter)
Art Tatum (p) Benny Carter (as) Louis
Bellson (dr)
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA on Jun 24,
1954
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number One
9. Can’t We Be Friends (Kay Swift,
Paul James)
10. Elegy (Jules Massenet)
11. This Can’t Be Love (Richard
Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
12. Dixieland Band (Bewrnie Hanighen,
Johnny Mercer)
13. Humoresque (Antonin Dvorak)
14. Begin The Beguine (Cole Porter)
15. Judy (Hoagy Carmichael)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on
December 28, 1953.
CD 2
■ The Art Tatum – Roy Eldridge – Alvin
Stoller – John Simmons Quartet 37:00
1. Night And Day (Cole Porter)
2. The Moon Is Low (Brown, Freed)
3. In A Sentimental Mood (Ellington,
Mills, Kurtz)
4. This Can’t Be Love (Richard Rodgers,
Lorenz Hart)
5. I Won’t Dance (Jerome Kern, Jim
McHugh, Oscar Hammerstein
II, Otto Harbach, Dorothy Fields)
6. Moon Song (Arthur Johnston, Sam
Coslow)
7. You Took Advantage Of Me (Richard
Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
8. I Surrender Dear (Harry Barris,
Gordon Clifford)
Art Tatum(p) Roy Eldridge (tp) John
Simmons (b) Alvin Stoller (dr)
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA on March
23 and 9, 1955
■The Genius of Art Tatum Number Two
9. The Man I Love (George & Ira
Gershwin)
10. Over The Rainbow (Harold Arlen,
E.Y. Harburg)
11. Memories Of You (Andy Razaf,
Eubie Blake)
12. Body And Soul (Johnny Green,
Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank
Eyton)
13. Makin’ Whoopee (Gus Kahn,
Walter Donaldson)
14. Mighty Like A Rose (Ethelbert
Nevin, Frank Lebby Stanton)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on
December 28 and 29, 1953.
CD 3
■ Art Tatum /Lionel Hampton/Buddy
Rich 39:31
1. Perdido (Juan Tizol)
2. Hallelujah (Vincent Youmans)
3. I’ll Never Be The Same (Frank
Signorelli , Matty Malneck)
4. How High The Moon (Morgan Lewis)
5. What Is This Thing Called Love (Cole
Porter)
6. More Than You Know (Vincent
Youmans)
7. Makin’ Whoopee (Gus Kahn, Walter
Donaldson)
Art Tatum (p) Lionel Hampton
(vibes) Buddy Rich (dr)
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA
on August 1, 1955.
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number
Three
8. Love For Sale (Cole Porter)
9. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (Billy
Moll, Harry Barris, Ted Koehler)
10. Louise (Leo Robbins, Richard
Whiting)
11. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen)
12. I’m Coming Virginia (Donald
Heywood, Will Mation Cook)
13. Embraceable You (George And Ira
Gershwin)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on
December 28, 1953.
CD 4
■ Lionel Hampton Lionel Hampton And
His Giants
1. Plaid (Harry Edison, Art Tatum,
Lionel Hampton)
2. Somebody Loves Me (Ballard
McDonald, Buddy DeSilva, George
Gershwin)
3. Deep Purple (Mitchell Parish, Peter
De Rose)
4. September Song (Maxwell Anderson,
Kurt Weill)
5. Verve Blues (Harry Edison, Art
Tatum, Lionel Hampton)
Lionel Hampton (vibes, voc) Harry
Edison (tp) Barney Kessel (git:1-3) Art
Tatum (p) John Simmons (b: 2, 3), Red
Callender (b:4) Buddy Rich (dr)
Recorded September 7, 1955.
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number
Four
6. Tenderly (Jack Laurence, Walter
Gross)
7. Sittin’ And Rockin’ (BillyStrayhorn,
Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines)
8. There’ll Never Be Another You
(Harry Warren, Mack Gordon)
9. I’ve Got The World On A String
(Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)
10. You Took Advantage Of Me (Richard
Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
11. Yesterdays (Jerome Kern, Otto
Harbach)
12. What Does It Take (Johnny Burke,
Jimmy Van Heusen)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on
December 28, 1953.
CD 5
■ Art Tatum/Benny Carter/Louis Bellson
Makin Whoopee
1. Blues In C (Art Tatum, Benny Carter,
Louis Bellson)
2. A Foggy Day (George & Ira Gershwin)
3. You’re Mine You (Edward Green,
Johnny Hayman)
4. Undecided (Charlie Shavers, Sid
Robin)
5. Under A Blanket Of Blue (Al Neiburg,
Jerry Livingston, Marty Symes)
6. Makin’ Whoopee (Gus Kahn, Walter
Donaldson)
Art Tatum (p) Benny Carter (as) Louis
Bellson (dr)
Recorded in Los Angles, CA on Jun 24,
1954
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number
Five
7. Isn’t This A Lovely Day (Irving Berlin)
8. In A Sentimental Mood (Duke
Ellington)
9. Have You Met Miss Jones? (Richard
Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
10. Stompin At The Savoy (Andy Razaf,
Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Edgar
Sampson)
11. Taboo (Al Stillman, Margarita
Lecuona)
12. Without A Song (Billy Rose, Edward
Eliscu, Vincent Youmans)
13. My Last Affair (Haven Johnson)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on
December 29, 1953.
CD 6
■ The Art Tatum Trio
1. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter)
2. Blue Lou (Edgar Sampson, Irving Mills)
3. Irene Some Other Spring (Arthur
Herzog, Irene Wilson)
4. If (Roberet Hargreaves, Tolchard
Evans, Stanley Damerell)
5. More Than You Know (Billy Rose,
Edward Eliscu, Vincent Youmans)
6. Love For Sale (Cole Porter)
7. Trio Blues (Art Tatum)
8. I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plans
(Arthur Schwartz, Howard Dietz)
9. I´ll Never Be The Same (Ted Melnick,
Frank Signorelli, Gus Kahn) 10. Isn’t It
Romantic (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
Art Tatum (p) Red Callender (b) Jo Jones
(dr)
Recorded January 27, 1956
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number Six
11. September Song (Kurt Weill, Maxwell
Anderson)
12. I Hadn’t Anyone ‘Til You (Ray Noble)
13. Night And Day (Cole Porter)
14. Jitterbug Waltz (Fats Waller)
15. You’re Driving Me Crazy What Did I Do
(Walter Donaldson)
16. Stars Fell On Alabama (Frank Perkins,
Mitchell Parish)
17. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Jerome
Kern)
18. Blue Moon (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz
Hart)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on December
28 and 29, 1953.
CD 7
■ The Art Tatum – Buddy De Franco
Quartet
1. Deep Night (Rudy Vallee, Charles
Henderson)
2. This Can´t Be Love (Richard Rodgers,
Lorenz Hart)
3. Memories Of You (Andy Razaf, Eubie
Blake)
4. Once In A While (Michael Edwards,
Bud Green)
5. A Foggy Day (George & Ira Gershwin)
6. Makin´ Whoopee (Gus Kahn, Walter
Donaldson)
7. You´re Mine You (Edward Green,
Johnny Hayman)
8. Lover Man (Jimmy Davis, Jimmy
Sherman, Rodger Ramirez)
Art Tatum (p) Buddy DeFranco (cl) Red
Callender (b) Bill Douglass (dr)
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA on February
6, 1956
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number
Seven
9. Someone To Watch Over Me (George &
Ira Gershwin)
10. The Very Thought Of You (Ray Noble)
11. I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
With You (Victor Young, Ned Washington,
Bing Crosby)
12. I’ll See You Again (Noel Coward)
13. Stardust (Hoagey Carmichael, Mitchell
Parish)
14. Where Or When (Richard Rodgers,
Lorenz Hart)
15. Stay As Sweet As You Are (Mack
Gordon, Harry Revel)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on December
28, 1953
CD 8
■ Art Tatum – Ben Webster Quartet
1. Gone With the Wind (Herb Magidson,
Allie Wrubel)
2. All the Things You Are (Oscar
Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern)
3. Have You Met Miss Jones? (Richard
Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
4. My One and Only Love (Roberet Mellin,
Guy Wood)
5. Night and Day (Cole Porter)
6. My Ideal (Newell Chase, Leo Robin,
Richard Whiting)
7. Where or When (Richard Rodgers,
Lorenz Hart)
Art Tatum (p) Ben Webster (ts) Red
Callender (b)Bill Douglas (drs)
Recorded in Los Angeles on September
11, 1956.
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number Eight
8. I Cover The Waterfront (Edward
Green, Johnny Heyman)
9. Fine And Dandy (Kay Swift, Paul
James)
10. All The Things You Are (Jerome Kern,
Oscar Hammerstein)
11. I’m In The Mood For Love (Jimmy
McHugh, Dorothy Fields)
12. Willow Weep For Me (Ann Ronell)
13. When A Woman Loves A Man
(Johnny Mercer, Gordon Jenkins,
Hanighen)
14. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Fats Waller,
Brooks, Andy Razaf)
15. Love Me Or Leave Me (Gus Kahn,
Walter Donaldson)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on December
28, 1953.
CD 9
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number Nine
1. Ill Wind (Ted Koehler, Harold Arlen)
2. I’ll See You In My Dreams (Isham Jones, Gus
Kahn)
3. Blue Skies (Irving Berlin)
4. Lover Come Back To Me (Sigmund Romberg,
Oscar Hammerstein II)
5. Would You Like To Take A Walk (Harry Warren,
Mort Dixon, Billy Rose)
6. I’ve Got A Crush On You (George & Ira
Gershwin)
7. Japanese Sandman (Richard Whiting,
RaymondEgan)
8. Aunt Hagar’s Blues (William C. Handy, Tim
Brymn)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on December 28, 1953.
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number Ten
9. Too Marvelous For Words (Richard Whiting,
Johnny Mercer)
10. Just Like A Butterfly That’s Caught In The Wind
(Ben Woods, Mort Dixon)
11. Gone With The Wind (Allie Wrubel, Herb
Magidson)
12. Danny Boy (Fred Weatherly)
13. Blue Lou (Edgar Sampson, Irving Mills)
14. They Can’t Take That Away From Me (George &
Ira Gershwin)
15. Tea For Two (Vincent Youmans, Irving Caesar)
16. It’s The Talk Of The Town (Gerald Livingston,
Marty Symes, Al Neiburg)
17. Caravan (Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol, Irving
Mills)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on December 28, 1953
and April 22, 1954
CD 10
■ The Genius of Art Tatum Number Eleven
1. There’s A Small Hotel (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart)
2. The Way You Look Tonight (Dorothy Field, Jerome
Kern)
3. Cherokee (Ray Noble)
4. Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington, Mitchell Parish,
Irving Mills)
5. You Go To My Head (J. Fred Coots, Haven
Gillespie)
6. Dancing In The Dark (Arthur Schwartz, Howard
Dietz)
7. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) (Jack
Strachey, Holt Marvell, Harry Link)
8. After You’ve Gone (Henry Creamer, Turner Layton)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on April 22, 1954
■ Art Tatum
Still More Of The Greatest Piano Of Them All
9. I Won’t Dance (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern,
Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields, Otto Harbach)
10. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (Jimmy McHugh,
Dorothy Fields)
11. Lullaby In Rhythm (Benny Goodman, Clarence Profit,
Edgar Sampson,Walter Hirsch)
12. Out Of Nowhere (Edward Heyman, Johnny Green)
13. So Beats My Heart For You (Charles Henderson,
Pat Ballard, Tom Waring)
14. Moonglow (Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills, Will
Hudson)
15. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues (Harold Arlen, Ted
Koehler)
16. It’s Only A Paper Moon (Billy Rose, E.Y. Harburg,
Harold Arlen)
17. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Jimmy McHugh,
Dorothy Fields)
18. Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me (Bob Russell,
Duke Ellington)
Art Tatum (p)
Recorded in Hollywood, CA on January 19, 1955