Art Tatum can be easily (yet quite accurately) described in a single word: brilliant. Regarded by both fans and musicians alike as an indisputable master of his craft, Tatum breathes life into his piano music with a rhythm-driven swing style born out of the ragtime era that preceded him. His dazzling arrangements of simple tunes serve as a testimony to the never-ending possibilities of even a single musical idea. His interpretation of Tea for Two, for instance, provides a perfect example of his unparalleled ability to expand thematic elements like no other.
Tatum’s recordings and performances feature a complete mastery of the stride bass technique, combined with chord voicings and alterations that demonstrate his thorough awareness of the harmonic structures contained in the works of Romantic era composers such as Frederic Chopin. While Tatum tips his hat to Chopin in his version of Waltz in C# minor, it is his velocious passage-work which more similarly equates him to jazz’s version of Franz Liszt. Tatum’s effortless runs are often saturated with derivations of whole tone scales and exotic passing notes, yet his ability to maintain the simplicity of his melodies through musically self-managed mayhem is what is truly remarkable.
Tatum successfully negotiates the artistic dichotomy of flash and substance, performer and purist. He is a human glissando with contrapuntal omniscience over his improvisations. Tatum’s musical philosophy is seen in the piano playing of performers such as Oscar Peterson, McCoy Tyner and Chucho Valdes to name a few. There exists a lucid sincerity in Tatum’s style which consistently serves as a point of intrigue, no matter how familiar his works may be. Revered by most and respected by all, Art Tatum is most certainly, a legend among legends.
Comments