The Best of Art Tatum

Art Tatum

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1987
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Pablo
• ASIN: B000000XMP
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,998 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars just a sample of Art's best, March 13, 2000

By	Spence Thompson, M.D. (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews

An album with the title "Best of Art Tatum" runs the risk of damning with faint praise: how do you choose among the many recordings that we are lucky enough to have from this early jazz keyboard giant who left us altogether too soon? Some of his best work (there was no BAD work) made it onto this disc: the "Willow weep for me" is is even more rococo (if that could be possible) than the Capitol recording of '49, and the tonalities shift around like quicksand while a maelstom of notes keeps pace in the upper register. My hair still stands on end when I hear it. "Caravan" in E flat minor? So fast that light starts to bend around it? Only Tatum. What he does with Massenet's "Elegy" I can only imagine as revenge for too many summer afternoons spent in front of that nasty old Schirmer piano anthology during a particularly fragile and vulnerable period in his childhood: there are passages where the whir of the notes going by evokes an old piano roll set too fast -- I can see his little legs pumping for all they're worth and a mature genius years later reproducing the sounds of a childhood prank. This disc is a good introduction to the genius of Tatum, and all the material is available elsewhere, which Tatumophiles likely already possess, but it's a good place to start. But be forewarned that if it's your first you will likely feel compelled to purchase many other Tatum discs later.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Of, with Tatum, better be good! It is, September 3, 2003

By	"douglasnegley" (Pittsburgh, Pa. United States) - See all my reviews

Having once had both the original Clef Records entire Tatum solo Masterpiece series, then both Pablo Solo and Group Masterpiece Series (they were stolen a long time back), I balked a little when I saw this billed as "The Best Of..." But I liked the tunes and the personnel, so I jumped, having no Tatum left. I was not at all disappointed. This is a fantastic re-introduction (or introduction) to the genius of this extraordinary pianist. And the sidemen - Buddy Rich, Louis Bellson, Benny Carter, Buddy de Franco, "little Jazz", Jo Jones - GEEZ -it took me a while to remember that all these were originally on the Group Masterpiece Series. This truly is a great intro to "The Best Of Art Tatum" along with sidemen. Try to get at least one Tatum solo CD. You will think he has overdubbed himself! What a talent.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NO ONE COULD MATCH TATUM, June 8, 2001

By	ALAIN ROBERT (ST-HUBERT,QUEBEC) - See all my reviews

TATUM was simply the greatest jazz pianist ever.No one could switch from one key to another at such a speed.It's no wonder that many famous classical pianists came to recognize his unique talent as a soloist.The first time i heard LOVE FOR SALE,i could not beleive that there was only one man playing the piano.This recording is a good sample of his works recorded on NORMAN GRANZ's label PABLO.The way this man played can not be teached,it is a gift from god.As generations go by,pianists come and go,but TATUM remains in a class by himself.