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Art Tatum


king ubu

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I'm starting to get into Tatum. I picked up the two masterpiieces box-sets from the recent zweitauseneins sale. Then I have the Complete Capitol and the 20th Century Piano Genius 2CDs.

What about some earlier recordings? Where could I start with Tatum? I am somehow reluctant to start with his later/latest music, so would be glad about some recommendations on earlier Tatum recordings.

ubu

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I'm pretty much in the same boat with Tatum as you King U--though I only have the Group Masterpieces, but I've moved into Decca waters and have some of the transcription material. . .trying to steel myself for my eventual and inevitable epic journey into the Solo Masterpieces box. . . .

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I'ld recommend the Classics, at least the first five volumes (up to 1947) and the current Storyville series.

Volume 5 of the Classics has the VDisc version of 'Song of the Vagabond' that is a virtuoso musical stunt.

The Classics have all the usual necessities.

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I love both Pablo sets. Reasonably priced, too.

Several times I've almost bought the Tatum HighNote "God Is In The House". Is there a concensus that this is a necessary purchase? I realize that it consists of those Jerry Newman acetates (which are sometimes of questionable quality) but how IS the quality of the recording? I always hear that Tatum live is often preferable to Tatum in the studio, so I'm interested in some of these live releases.

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The playing is of an order that trancends recording quality.  And I have a lot of cds where this is the case, I can really stomach bad sound for stellar performance.

This isn't one though where the sound stinks. I happen to think that Newman recordings like this are quite listenable. HighNote's reissues of the Onyx Newman stuff sound the best I have ever heard the material.

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I agree completely, Lon. I have many favorite sides where the playing does indeed trancend rec. quality, like the live Trane/Monk, the Clifford Beehive (did that one ever make it to CD?), several Bird recordings and the live Birth of the Cool session, to name but a few. God will be in my house very soon!

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Thanks everybody for your recommendations! And sorry for taking that long to return - had some exams today at university and no time to be online.

Following is the discography of the Proper box. Is this - as usual with Proper - only half or almost-complete sessions, or does this offer some exhaustive coverage of earlier Tatum?

thanks,

ubu

DISC ONE - TEA FOR TWO

Art Tatum, p

New York, August 5, 1932

TO-1192 TIGER RAG CBS 26550

Art Tatum, p

New York, March 21, 1933

13162-A TEA FOR TWO Brunswick 6553

13163-A ST. LOUIS BLUES Brunswick 6543

13164-A TIGER RAG Brunswick 6543

13165-A SOPHISTICATED LADY Brunswick 6553

Art Tatum, p

New York, August 22, 1934

38387-A MOONGLOW Decca 155

38388-A I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU Brunswick 02015

38389-A WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN Decca 741

38390-A EMALINE Decca 155

38391-A LOVE ME Decca 156

38392-A COCKTAILS FOR TWO Decca 156

Art Tatum, p

New York, August 24, 1934

38426-A AFTER YOU’RE GONE Brunswick 01862

38427-C STARDUST Decca 306

38429-A ILL WIND Brunswick 02051

38430-A THE SHOUT Decca 468

38431-C BEAUTIFUL LOVE Decca 306

38432-A LIZA Decca 1373

Art Tatum, p

New York, October 9, 1934

38428-C I AIN’T GOT NOBODY Decca 741

Art Tatum, p

Hollywood, December 1936

STAY AS SWEET AS YOU ARE Jazz Panorama LP 15

I WISH I WERE TWINS Jazz Panorama LP 15

Art Tatum, p

New York, November 29, 1937

62822-A GONE WITH THE WIND Decca 1603

62823-A STORMY WEATHER Decca 1603

62824-A CHLOE Decca 2052

62825-A THE SHEIK OF ARABY Decca 2052

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, April 12, 1939

DLA- 1759-A TEA FOR TWO Decca 2456

DLA -1760-A DEEP PURPLE Decca 2456

Art Tatum, p

Hollywood, circa August 1939

IT HAD TO BE YOU Smithsonian 2029

DISC TWO - ELEGIE

Art Tatum, p

Hollywood, circa August 1939

OH YOU CRAZY MOON Smithsonian R 029

OVER THE RAINBOWSmithsonian R 029

Art Tatum, p

Hollywood, August 1939

DAY IN-DAY OUT Smithsonian R 029

ALL GOD’S CHILLUN GOT RHYTHM Jazz Panorama LP 15

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, February 22, 1940

DLA-1936-A ELEGIE Decca 18049

DLA-1937-A HUMORESQUE Decca 18049

DLA-1938-A SWEET LORRAINE Decca 18050

DLA-1939-A GET HAPPY Decca 18050

DLA - 1940 - A LULLABY OF THE LEAVES Decca 18051

DLA - 1941 - A TIGER RAG Decca 18051

DLA - 1942 - A SWEET EMALINE,

MY GAL Decca rejected

DLA - 1945 - A LOVE ME Decca 156

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, July 26, 1940

DLA - 2069 - A BEGIN THE BEGUINE Decca 8552

DLA - 2070 - A ROSETTA Decca 8552

DLA - 2071 - A INDIANA Decca 8550

Art Tatum and his Band : Joe Thomas, tp; Edmond Hall, cl; Art Tatum, p; John Collins, g; Billy Taylor, b; Eddie Dougherty, d; Joe Turner, voc (-1)

New York, January 21, 1941

68605-A WEE BABY BLUES (-1) Decca 8526

68606-A STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY Decca 8536

68607-A LAST GOODBYE BLUES (-1) Decca 8536

68608-A BATTERY BOUNCE Decca 8526

Art Tatum and his Band : Joe Thomas, tp; Art Tatum, p; Oscar Moore, g; Billy Taylor, b; Yank Porter, d; Joe Turner, voc.

New York, June 13, 1941

69356-B LUCILLE Decca 8577

69357-B ROCK ME, MAMA Decca 8563

69358-A CORRINA CORRINA Decca 8577

69359-B LONESOME GRAVEYARD BLUES Decca 8563

Art Tatum Trio : Art Tatum, p; Tiny Grimes, g; Slam Stewart, b.

New York, January 5, 1944

WN 1360-A I GOT RHYTHM Brunswick BL 58013

Esquire Metropolitan Opera House Jam Session: Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, tp; Jack Teagarden, tb; Barney Bigard, d; Coleman Hawkins, ts; Art Tatum, p; Al Casey, g; Oscar Pettiford, b; Sid Catlett, d.

Metropolitan Opera House, New York, January 18, 1944

VP 467 MOP MOP V-Disc 152

Same Date, omit Louis Armstrong

VP 469 ESQUIRE BOUNCE V-Disc 163

DISC THREE - WILLOW WEEP FOR ME

Esquire Metropolitan Opera House Jam Session: Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge, tp; Coleman Hawkins, ts; Art Tatum, p.

Metropolitan Opera House, New York, January 18, 1944 JDB-91

MY IDEAL V-Disc 655

Art Tatum Trio : Art Tatum, p; Tiny Grimes, g; Slam Stewart, b. Milwaukee, March 11, 1944

EXACTLY LIKE YOU Shoestring SS105

Art Tatum Trio : Art Tatum, p; Tiny Grimes, g; Slam Stewart, b

New York, May 1, 1944

T3-B-3 FLYING HOME Comet T3

T1-B-3 DARK EYES Comet T1

T2-A-4 BODY AND SOUL Comet T2

T2-B-3 I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW Comet T2

Art Tatum, p Los Angeles,

May 1945

1040-1 HALLELUJAH ARA 4501

1046-1 YESTERDAYS ARA 4503

Art Tatum, p

"Just Jazz", Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, April 2, 1949

JJ82 TATUM POLE BOOGIE Columbia CL 6301

Art Tatum, p Los Angeles, July 13, 1949

5039 WILLOW WEEP FOR ME Capitol 15520

5040 I COVER THE WATERFRONT Capitol 15518

5041 AUNT HAGAR’S BLUES Capitol 15520

5042 NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT Capitol 15519

5043 SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME Capitol 15714

5044 DARDANELLA Capitol H 216

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, July 25, 1949

5045 TIME ON MY HANDS Capitol 15712

5046 SWEET LORRAINE Capitol 15713

5047 SOMEBODY LOVES ME Capitol 15714

5048 DON’T BLAME ME Capitol 15713

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, September 29, 1949

5049 MY HEART STOOD STILL Capitol 15712

5050 YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME Capitol 15841

5051 I GOTTA RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES Capitol H 216

DISC FOUR - GOIN’ HOME

Art Tatum, p

Los Angeles, September 29, 1949

5054 GOIN’ HOME Capitol H 269

5055 BLUE SKIES Capitol H 216

5056 IT’S THE TALK OF THE TOWN Capitol H 269

5057 DANCING IN THE DARK Capitol H 216

Art Tatum,

Hollywood, circa 1949-50

WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS Jazz Chronicles JCS 101

JUST-A-SITTIN’ AND A-ROCKIN’ Jazz Chronicles jcs 101

YOU’RE DRIVIN’ ME CRAZY Jazz Chronicles jcs 101

IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD Jazz Chronicles jcs 101

SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY Jazz Chronicles jcs 101

I’LL NEVER BE THE SAME Jazz Chronicles jcs 101

NIGHT AND DAY JazzChronicles jcs 101

Art Tatum, p

Crescendo Club, Hollywood, early 1950

IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

THREE LITTLE WORDS Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

WHY WAS I BORN ? Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

IF I COULD BE WITH YOU Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

MEAN TO ME Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

I GUESS I HAVE TO CHANGE MY PLANS Gene Norman Presents GNP 9025

CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS ? Gene Norman Presents GNP 9026

WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE ? Gene Norman Presents GNP 9026

CRAZY RHYTHM Gene Norman Presents GNP 9026

LIMEHOUSE BLUES Gene Norman Presents GNP 9026

I’M COMING VIRGINIA Gene Norman Presents GNP 9026

Art Tatum Trio: Art Tatum, p; Everett Barksdale, g; Slam Stewart, b.

Cafe Society, New York, circa 1951

THE MAN I LOVE Broadcast "Voice of America"

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The set seems to be fairly comprehensive for the '30s (eliminating alts and transcriptions), then they start skipping sessions and individual tracks.

They make one interesting mistake - they list 12 tracks from two GNP lps as recorded at Gene Norman's Crescendo club in early 1950. This is a deception created by GNP. The lps consisted of Standard Transcription titles with audience noises dubbed in. I spotted this in the early '80s and mentioned it to Gene Norman. He just got a blank look on his face and denied it.

Anyway, this seems to be a very good collection if you want an inexpensive way to get some prime Tatum.

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  • 1 month later...

I agree completely, Lon. I have many favorite sides where the playing does indeed trancend rec. quality, like the live Trane/Monk, the Clifford Beehive (did that one ever make it to CD?), several Bird recordings and the live Birth of the Cool session, to name but a few. God will be in my house very soon!

Since this afternoon... God´s in my house too. Astonishing playing! And sound quality is not as bad as expected, when you´re used to hear early jazz recordings.

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And just to clarify my mind:

Having up until now these Tatum releases:

-Complete Pablo solo masterpieces

-Complete Pablo group masterpieces

-Complete Capitol recordings

-20th Century piano genius

-God is in the house

-Virtuous (Jazzlab compilation with material from 1944-49)

-and one cheap compilation with earlier sides

Should my next purchases be:

-early recordings: Classics (for a "complete approach") OR the Proper Box (for a "fairly comprehensive approach" for the 30s). Guess the 2CD Decca "Classic early solos 1934-37" is duplicated with both Classics and Proper releases

-Standard Transcriptions

-the Storyville Live Tatum series (by now up to Volume 3 out of 8)

???

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