TATUM

Considered by many to be the greatest pianist in the history of jazz, Art Tatum’s astonishing talent belied the fact that he was nearly blind. Tatum was one of the true innovators of piano music: he redefined the musical genres of stride, swing, and boogie-woogie through his reworkings of piano standards, which in turn became classics in their own right. Tatum was the most technically advanced piano player of his generation, and pianists today still measure their work using Tatum’s style as a yardstick.

Arthur Tatum was born on October 13, 1909, in Toledo, Ohio. Blind in one eye from birth, and only partially sighted in the other, he nevertheless studied piano from early childhood and learned to read music. He received some formal education at the Toledo School of Music, but he was mainly self-taught. By his mid-teens, he was playing professionally in Toledo and Cleveland. Tatum had his own radio show in the late 1920s and was the regular pianist for singer Adelaide Hall in New York and toured with her in the early 1930s.

STYLE AND INFLUENCE

Tatum signed with Decca Records and recorded his first solo work in 1933- His unique solo style often featured breathtaking runs interspersed with striking single notes and unexpected chords. While Tatum cited artists such as Earl HINES, James P. Johnson, Fats WALLER, and Duke ELLINGTON as influences, his music was quite unlike that of any artist of the day. The complexity of his music and the sheer speed at which he could play notes on the piano led many to wonder in later years where Tatum’s inspiration originated. As is often the case with visionaries, Tatum’s achievement on the piano was so far ahead of its time that there were those who disdained him because he “played too many notes,” referring to his uncanny ability to play difficult, complex lines with both hands.

While Tatum was not a composer, his versions of songs such as “Tiger Rag” clearly illustrated not only tremendous speed and accuracy—as if he were trying to impress and intimidate would-be competitors—but also an approach to harmonies never taken before. This innovation and ability applied to the repertory standards gave them a fresh feel that appealed to the new generation of swing and bop musicians, who were searching for something against the grain of established jazz.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Throughout the 1930s, Tatum spent periods working in Cleveland, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, and also travelled throughout the U.K. in 1938. Although continuing to work principally as a soloist, he led the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1945, accompanied by bassist Slam Stewart and Tiny Grimes on guitar (later guitarist Everett Barksdale replaced Grimes). In 1947, Tatum appeared in the film The Fabulous Dorseys. In the early 1950s, he recorded extensively for legendary jazz producer Norman GRANZ, including a marathon series of tracks—120 in one year. Granz teamed Tatum up with artists such as Lionel Hampton, Barny Kessel, Buddy Rich, Ben WEBSTER, and Benny CARTER.

Tatum’s final recording, Art Tatum in Person (1956), was made shortly before his death at the age of 47 from uremia associated with severe kidney disease. While his death in 1956 was premature, his influence on subsequent generations of pianists was profound and can still be experienced today through their music.

James Tuverson