[78-L] Art Tatum 100th birthday

[yves francois]

    Taylor
    I am a musician, and with the exception of the occasional work with a musician that has a contrasting style (eg trumpeters Frankie Newton and the Decca session with the very under rated Joe Thomas) I don't care for him - I also prefer him in a small ensemble than solo for these reasons (the LP's with Webster and Carter are fine as well - as I recall them, but its been decades - I don't collect recordings on Verve, Clef etc). The "After Hours In Harlem" LP/CD is IMHO the best Tatum - esp the two titles with Newton - LOVE that - but even when alone, on these recordings he is more relaxed than usual (just remember it's home recordings not studio, but it is the best of his work for me). Maybe it's like Maynard Ferguson, he does what he does because he can - and most of us can't! 

--- On Wed, 10/14/09, Taylor Bowie <bowiebks at isomedia.com> wrote:

> From: Taylor Bowie <bowiebks at isomedia.com>
> Subject: Re: [78-L] Art Tatum 100th birthday
> To: "78-L Mail List" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
> Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 12:37 PM
> 
> ----- 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
> 
> 
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