[78-L] Art Tatum 100th birthday

[Taylor Bowie]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "buster" <busterdog at mac.com>
To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:17 AM
Subject: Re: [78-L] Art Tatum 100th birthday


> Plus when one considers that he was almost always drunk, as well as
> being almost completely blind, his work is impressive even if you
> don't care for it.


Buster's remark reminds me of the one made by Twain:  "Wagner's music is a 
lot better than it sounds."

I remain very impressed by Tatum's playing...and totally unmoved.  I prefer 
his ballads to his up-tempo numbers,  but don't think they are in a league 
with the ballads played by many other pianists,  from the aforementioned 
Ellis Larkins to Joe Bushkin to Nat Cole to Tommy Flanagan to Red Garland to 
Bill Evans,  just to name a few.

Perhaps the problem for me is that I am not a musician,  so technique only 
goes so far with me.  There may indeed be something of a "message" in his 
playing,  but I don't hear it.

Randy,  is there a particular session or album which you could point out as 
a good starting point to revise my view?

Taylor