Art Tatum, Ben Webster - The Tatum Group Masterpieces, Vol. 8

Japanese limited edition issue of the album classic in a deluxe, miniaturized LP sleeve replica of the original vinyl album artwork. Album Description

Titans

This record has a deep personal signifigance to me, words don't quite do justice, so I'll be atypically brief.
Art Tatum was the most formidable virtuoso pianist in the history of jazz. So ornate was his style, he steamrolled other players (who were scared to death of him anyway) and he played best alone.
Ben Webster may not have been "the Best" tenor saxophonist ever, but his absolutely personal, immediately identifiable sound made him the Best Loved; a brawling, tempestuous, mercurial man, his tone was breathy, cello-like, ardent, the voice of the ideal manly lover who could coax anyone into bed. He started out as a swashbuckler (see Cottontail, with Duke), but as he aged, he stuck to slight variations on ballad melodies, the grain of his voice, the sound of air pushed through the horn, providing a thrill that surpassed any amount of variation.
Put the flashy, baroque fireworks of Tatum and the breathy simplicity of Tatum together on a program of largely standard ballads and what do you get? It's simple. These two go together like Astaire and Rodgers, and if hearing this doesn't sweep you off your feet into some heavenly ballroom of bliss, then you're not breathing.
The most erotic jazz album ever recorded. November 12, 2008

Five stars (vs. one star ignorance)

As a classical pianist, jazz student, and life-long jazz-lover, I was shocked to see anyone talking about "lobbing off" Art Tatum's fingers.

Perhaps, in evaluating the reliability of Brian's "one star" review, it would help readers to know that whenever Art Tatum used to play concerts, Rachmaninoff--who was one of the greatest classical pianists ever--along with many of the classical and jazz masters, would flock to hear this master of masters play.

Tatum should have been up there with them all in the classical world, but the racism of the day prevented that.

Tatum has over and over again been voted favorite jazz pianist by readers and critics alike in poll after poll, including in Downbeat and Metronome magazines. He is a member of the Downbeat Hall of Fame. He is a typical favorite of the great jazz pianists themselves.

Tatum learned to play jazz by learning every tune in every key. He has not only incredible technique, but incredible (unique) style and sensibility. He has been acknowledged by many of the jazz pianists who followed him as a major influence on their work. His collaborations, in particular this one, are out of sight. I am saying this as someone who ALSO appreciates minimalism, and loves Bill Evans--my favorite. i hardly see why, however, one need choose either/or.

Sometimes greatness is so great that it is beyond the comprehension of lesser mortals. I suspect that Brian may fall into that category. Tatum is universally honored as one of the all-time greats in jazz history. If you don't like him, so be it, don't listen. But please, don't talk about chopped fingers and even wishing to take him away from the rest of us and the entire jazz world, who have long esteemed his gifts. Keep your ignorance to yourself. March 22, 2008

Pianosaurus Rex meets The Soul of the Horn

Admittedly, Art Tatum does sound intimidating with his fingerbusting, running up and down the scales...

However, first of all, it is not shear exercise; Art's flamboyance has its twisted logic (and even plenty of rhythm if you listen closely enough) and secondly, Ben Webster, "The Brute" as someone called him; one of the most sensitive, emotional and rhyhtmically potent balladeers of the classical tenor-sax is not easily intimidated... Tatum's group masterpieces with Buddy DeFranco, Lionel Hampton, Harry Edison or Benny Carter give ample evidence how great musical minds could work with Art; either chasing him up and down (like DeFranco), finding new fire in their musical heart (like Edison) or remaining their magnificent selves (like Carter and Webster in their respective matches with Tatum)...

This is not an album for everyone's tastes (if you think Art is too verbose -just give it up!), but those who like it might very well adore it... Thankfully, you have samples on the amazon, so you can get the general idea... December 26, 2007

Give it a rest, Art!

Tatum is a great jazz pianist - no question - but when he's accompanying the likes of Ben Webster, he should 86 the incessant arpegios and let his partner shine for a while - 'twould make a really stellar cd instead of something really tiresome. AS for the defenders of Tatum's style (too many notes) they might like to listen to Uchida's rendition of Mozart's piano sonatas. March 14, 2006

Too many notes, my dear Tatum!

That comment was made to Mozart. Mozart's apt reply was "Only as many as are necessary!" To me, Tatum played too many notes, many of them unnecessary. His playing overwhelms me -- a little goes a long way.

I grant that technically he had no peers. His mastery of the entire keyboard, the control of both left and right hands, leaves one slack-jawed when you listen to him. I also grant that he was harmonically light years ahead of his contemporaries; his records seem daring and innovative today, 50 years later (how many records that come from the same period can you say that about?). His creative juices never stopped flowing; his interpretations were entirely personal, and if not deeply emotional, were at least totally expressions of himself.

I have in my record collection many records by Bill Evans, Bud Powell, Thelonius Monk, and Martial Solal. But not one by Art Tatum. Why, after having sung his praises, don't I own any recordings by him? Apparently, his piano teacher never taught him what a rest was -- he lacks a sense of space, of when NOT to play. I suppose one can use the rationale that, well, this was just an aspect of his music, that he was such a fountain of ideas that he let them all gush out. But he should have been more discriminating. All of the flourishes, the fleet runs, the arpeggios, begin to bore me after a while. I long to hear a record by Monk (in many ways Tatum's pianistic opposite) with his sparse, angular, idiosyncratic piano. A record consisting of alternating Tatum and Monk recordings, there's an idea. Each style is a perfect complement to the other.

Just too many notes for me (check out Martial Solal's recordings. He, like Tatum, makes use of the entire keyboard, especially, the lower two octaves, he has incredible technique, he has an advanced harmonic concept, and an original jazz conception. Unlike, Tatum, however, he does not play too much -- no more than is necessary!) June 28, 2005

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