[78-L] Art Tatum 100th birthday

[Julian Vein]

Cary Ginell wrote:
I found Tatum to be an important link between the stride of Waller and 
the more free-thinking work of Monk and Bud Powell. The difference is 
that he could swing better than any bopper could, the result of his 
influence from stride pianists. Anyone who "doesn't get" Tatum probably 
is listening from a melodic point of view. I'm not a pianist, but I am a 
musician, and I hear things that might sound dissonant on first 
listening, but then find out how much sense they really make upon 
repeated listenings. I always thought that Tatum played as if he had 
four hands. Like him or not, there was no piano player who could 
approach his incredible technique.



Cary Ginell
==========
Back in the mid to late 50s, I bought the few Tatum reissues (not the 
Verves though, although I've since purchased "The Complete Small Groups" 
on CD) then available, and was happy with them. Since then there has 
been a deluge of issues and reissues over the decades, which has tended 
to saturate the market.

I'm happy to stick with the few recordings that I have. I feel the same 
about some other musicians--I reach a point where I consider I'm content 
with the amount of recordings I have by them, and then move on. I call 
this "Comfortable Completeness".

      Julian Vein


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