Art Tatum: Tea for Two

Art Tatum is considered by many to be the greatest pianist in the history of jazz music, whose technical skills were unrivalled. Tatum’s unmistakable sound was the result of his prodigious speed, harmonic inventiveness, and swinging style, which featured the frequent use of thrilling cadenzas. His playing was drawn from the stride style of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller and the more modern approach of Earl Hines. When a young Oscar Peterson first heard a recording of Tatum and was told that the recording was the work of a single pianist, Peterson refused to touch a piano for a week.

 

As a towering force of creative genius, Tatum possessed a level of keyboard dexterity that transcended the standard limits of human performance. His revolutionary reharmonizations and sophisticated chord substitutions completely dismantled the predictable harmonic structures of early popular music, laying down the absolute foundation for the subsequent bebop revolution. Revered by classical masters and jazz improvisers alike, Tatum redefined the solo piano format, transforming the instrument into a self-contained, multi-voiced orchestra that achieved an immortal, mythic status within American music history.

 

Tatum was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1909. His parents were both musicians at a local Toledo church. As a child, Tatum developed cataracts and eventually lost sight in one eye completely, while being left with only partial sight in the other. Tatum was a child prodigy at the piano and learned to play by ear while listening to church hymns and music on the radio. In 1925, he began learning music and Braille at a school for the blind.

 

By 1933, Tatum was in New York City, and he began to make a name for himself at piano-playing competitions known as “cutting contests.” It was at one of these contests that Tatum famously out-duelled stride legends James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, and Fats Waller with spectacular versions of “Tea for Two” and “Tiger Rag.” While Tatum was working at the Onyx Club in March of 1933, he recorded his first four sides for the Brunswick label. For the remainder of the thirties, he toured around the Midwest and had stints in Chicago and trips out to Los Angeles before returning to New York.

 

In the forties, Tatum recorded with singer Big Joe Turner for Decca Records and formed a trio with guitarist Tiny Grimes and bassist Slam Stewart. By the end of the Forties, Tatum had returned to solo performing and continued solo until he died in 1956.

 

Any compilation of Tatum’s incredible recordings is a must-have. The best of these include “Piano Starts Here” (1968), "The Complete Capitol Recordings (Volumes 1-2)” (1989), “Classic Early Solos” (1991), “The Chronological Classics: ArtTatum 1932-1934” (1991), and “The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum" (1997).

 

Essential Compilation Review: Piano Starts Here (1968) 

This landmark 1968 Columbia release serves as an indispensable historical anchor, preserving Tatum's definitive early artistic footprint. The tracking brings together his historic 1933 Brunswick solo studio sides alongside an explosive, pyrotechnic live performance captured at the Hollywood Bowl in 1949. Listening to his blindingly fast, intricate variations on "Tiger Rag" reveals the exact blueprint that left contemporary pianists utterly stunned, making it an essential entry point for evaluating his early legacy. 

• Released: 1968 (Recording Eras: 1933 & 1949) 
• Label: Columbia Records 
• Producer: Archival Assembly / Frank Driggs 
• Core Personnel: Art Tatum (Solo Piano) 
• Key Tracks: "Tiger Rag", "Tea for Two", "Sophisticated Lady" 

Essential Compilation Review: The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum (1997) 

Documenting a crucial mid-career period of pristine high-fidelity recording, this beautifully remastered collection captures Tatum operating at the absolute peak of his mature, harmonic powers. Recorded between 1949 and 1952, the tracking highlights his incredible ability to weave complex classical counterpoint seamlessly into standard popular themes. The audio space beautifully captures the subtle nuances of his touch, serving as a flawless textbook for modern jazz piano execution. 

• Released: 1997 (Recording Era: 1949–1952) 
• Label: Capitol Jazz / EMI 
• Producer: Pete Rugolo, Archival Assembly 
• Core Personnel: Art Tatum (Solo Piano / Trio), Everett Barksdale (Guitar), Slam Stewart (Bass) 
• Key Tracks: "Willow Weep for Me", "I Got Rhythm", "Aunt Hagar's Blues" 

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Fats Waller: Handful of Keys

Jazz singer/songwriter/pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller was born in New York City in 1904. While he is not a household name to the extent of fellow jazz legends Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, and Goodman, Fats Waller was no less important or influential. In the opinion of his fellow musicians, especially Louis Armstrong, he was a giant among giants.

As a youth in New York City, Waller sought out the Harlem stride piano legend, James P. Johnson, and became the great pianist’s understudy. Soon thereafter, Waller was one of the best stride pianists in the city. The stride style is sort of the jazz version of boogie-woogie, and as such, it is quite palatable to the ears of rock music fans. Waller would eventually become one of the very best pianists that jazz ever produced. Only the likes of Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, and Oscar Peterson could match his virtuosity.

In addition to being one of the finest musicians in early jazz, Waller was one of the best and most prolific songwriters in jazz, penning the standards “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Ain't Misbehavin.” Many of Waller’s compositions are humorous and display his penchant for writing clever lyrics laden with double-meanings.

Waller’s first recording was made as early as 1922, with the sides "Muscle Shoals Blues” and “Birmingham Blues” recorded for the General Phonograph Company. After a few more recording sessions in 1923, Waller’s recording career would begin in earnest in 1927 with a solid string of classic sides that would continue until his death in 1943.

Waller’s first big hit, “Ain’t Misbehavin'," appeared in 1929 and was followed by scads of others, including “African Ripples,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Viper’s Drag,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie,” “S’Posin’,” “You’re Feets Too Big,” “All That Meat and No Potatoes,” “The Joint is Jumpin’,” and “A Good Man’s Hard to Find.”

These recordings and more can be found on several excellent compilations of Waller’s music, such as the multi-volume “The Complete Fats Waller,” “The Very Best of Fats Waller” (2000), and “The Centennial Collection” (2004).

Jazz singer/songwriter/pianist Thomas “Fats” Waller was born in New York City in 1904. While he is not a household name to the extent of fellow jazz legends Armstrong, Ellington, Basie, and Goodman, Fats Waller was no less important or influential. In the opinion of his fellow musicians, especially Louis Armstrong, he was a giant among giants.

As a youth in New York City, Waller sought out the Harlem stride piano legend, James P. Johnson, and became the great pianist’s understudy. Soon thereafter, Waller was one of the best stride pianists in the city. The stride style is sort of the jazz version of boogie-woogie, and as such, it is quite palatable to the ears of rock music fans. Waller would eventually become one of the very best pianists that jazz ever produced. Only the likes of Art Tatum, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, and Oscar Peterson could match his virtuosity.

In addition to being one of the finest musicians in early jazz, Waller was one of the best and most prolific songwriters in jazz, penning the standards “Honeysuckle Rose” and “Ain't Misbehavin.” Many of Waller’s compositions are humorous and display his penchant for writing clever lyrics laden with double-meanings.

Waller’s first recording was made as early as 1922, with the sides "Muscle Shoals Blues” and “Birmingham Blues” recorded for the General Phonograph Company. After a few more recording sessions in 1923, Waller’s recording career would begin in earnest in 1927 with a solid string of classic sides that would continue until his death in 1943.

Waller’s first big hit, “Ain’t Misbehavin'," appeared in 1929 and was followed by scads of others, including “African Ripples,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Viper’s Drag,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie,” “S’Posin’,” “You’re Feets Too Big,” “All That Meat and No Potatoes,” “The Joint is Jumpin’,” and “A Good Man’s Hard to Find.”

These recordings and more can be found on several excellent compilations of Waller’s music, such as the multi-volume “The Complete Fats Waller,” “The Very Best of Fats Waller” (2000), and “The Centennial Collection” (2004).

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