Tatum, Art (hur, Jr.)

Tatum, Art(hur, Jr.), innovative and highly influential jazz pianist of astonishing capabilities; b. Toledo, Ohio, Oct. 13, 1909; d. Los Angeles, Nov. 5, 1956. His father, Art Sr. (b. Statesville, S.C., c. 1881; d. 1951), was a mechanic, and died from injuries sustained in an industrial accident; his mother, Mildred Hoskins (b. Martin-sville, W.Va., prob. 1890; d. Toledo, July 1958), worked as a maid. She is reported to have played church music on the piano (and perhaps a little violin); his father played the guitar and possibly also piano. Art was born with “milk” cataracts on his eyes. After undergoing several operations during his childhood, he gained partial vision, but in his early 20s, was struck by a mugger, leaving him blind in his left eye and with partial vision in his right. He had started playing piano during early childhood, and attended the Cousino School for the Blind, in Columbus, Ohio, where he learned to read Braille music notation. He also studied guitar and violin and regularly doubled on accordion during his early teens. After studying for two years at the Toledo School of Music under Overton G. Ramey, he formed his own small band, which worked in and around Toledo (c. 1926). He spent a few weeks subbing for Herman Berry in Speed Webb’s Band and later replaced Berry. However, after three months with the band, Tatum was replaced by Fitz Weston. Tatum began working at clubs in Toledo including a residency at Chicken Charlie’s (c. 1928). (A report that Tatum visited N.Y. around 1928 to guest on a Paul Whiteman concert or radio broadcast appears to be false.) In summer of 1929 he started a two-year residency on the local radio station WSPD, continued working at local clubs, and occasionally did short residencies in Cleveland. He worked with Milton Senior’s Band at Chateau La France until mid-1931, did short tours with his own band, and then continued playing at local clubs.

In 1932, Tatum was heard by pianist Joe Turner, who recommended him for a job as Adelaide Hall’s accompanist; later that year he moved to N.Y. to join Hall, but first played in a duo with pianist Francis Carter. He then worked with Adelaide Hall for about 18 months, making his first recordings with her (and with Carter as a second pianist) on Aug. 5, 1932. On that date he also recorded a “demo” of his solo showpiece, a fast version of “Tiger Rag,” but it was not issued until many years later and at first was erroneously credited to Jimmy Lord (a wind player). Also during this time, Tatum filled in by playing at N.Y. night spots; in 1933, he subbed for two weeks in McKinney’s Cotton Pickers (pianist Todd Rhodes was ill). From 1934 to mid-1935, he worked mainly in Cleveland, and then had a long residency at the Three Deuces, Chicago (1935-36). In late 1936, he moved to Hollywood, and mainly worked there through 1937; however, he but also played a second residency at the Three Deuces in Chicago. He moved to N.Y. in late 1937 and played at the Famous Door before sailing to Europe in March 1938; this was his only trip abroad. In Europe, he performed not in concerts but on the vaudeville circuit. From 1939 to mid-1940, he worked mainly on the West Coast, then had residencies in N.Y. He continued working as a soloist until 1943, and then performed as part of a as trio (with original members Tiny Grimes and Slam Stewart), playing residencies in N.Y. from 1943-44. In 1945, he began playing annual concert tours, and continued to appear regularly in clubs until 1954. In these later years, he did prolific recordings for impressario Norman Grant. During the last 18 months of his life, he did mainly concert work; his last big concert appearance was before almost 19,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 15, 1956. Always a heavy drinker, he was by this time seriously ill with uremia. He commenced a national concert tour, but illness forced him to return to Los Angeles; he entered Queen of Angels Hospital late on Nov. 4th and died early the next morning.

Tatum’s astonishing technique was admired by many in the worlds of jazz and classical music, including Vladimir Horowitz. Tatum played solo or in small groups with material that was highly arranged, leading to criticism that he was not truly an improviser. However, there is ample evidence of his improvisatory gifts in unrestrained and informal settings. It was also said that he couldn’t play the blues, but his “Aunt Hagar’s Blues” and “Trio Blues” are moving, profound, and highly expressive compositions. Evidently inspired by Fats Waller (whom he acknowledged) and Early Hines(whom he did not), Tatum’s work reflected the stride technique and lush touch of the former and the wild runs and chordal daring of the latter. Like most of his generation, he soloed more in chords than single-note lines; however, on occasion, when he was with a rhythm section, such as on “Mop Mop,” he produced daring long lines suggesting bitonality His most enduring contributions were the smooth and sophisticated chord voicings that incorporated ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths. Charlie Parker and other boppers listened closely to these, as did pianists Nat “King” Cole, Bud Powell, Bill Evans, and many others.

Discography

Standard Transcriptions (1935); Keystone Sessions (1938); God Is in the House (1940); Solos (1940); Art Tatum Solos and Trios (1944); Footnotes to Jazz, Vol. 3 (includes trio rehearsal; 1944); Gene Norman Concert (1949); At Shrine Auditorium (1949); Complete Capitol Recordings (1949); Art Tatum, Vol. 1-10 (1953); Complete Pablo Solo Masterpieces (1953); Genius of Art Tatum, Vol. 1-10 (1953); Complete Pablo Group Masterpieces (1954-56); Genius of Art Tatum, Vol. 9, 11 (1954); Tatum-Carter-Bellson (1954); Art Tatum-Roy Eldridge-Alvin Stoller (1955); Art Tatum-Ben Webster Quartet (1956); Art Tatum Trio (1956).

Bibliography

Jorgen Grunnet Jepsen, Discography of Art Tatum/Bud Powell (Brande, Denmark, 1961); J. Howard, The lmprovisational Techniques of A. T (diss., Case Western Reserve Univ., 1978); J. Distler, A. T.(N.Y., 1981); A. Laubich and R. Spencer, A. T: A Guide to His Recorded Music (Metuchen, N.J., 1982); F. Howlett, An Introduction to A. T.’s Performance Approaches: Composition, Improvisation, and Melodic Variation (diss., Cornell Univ., 1983); J. Lester, Too Marvelous for Words: The Life and Genius of Art Tatum (N.Y., 1994).—

—John Chilton/Lewis Porter