The Beginning of a New Art

This week I want to drift away a bit from a general history and talk about a pianist that I think was integral to the progression of jazz piano: Art Tatum.

Art Tatum was born in 1909 in Toledo, Ohio. His parents were amateur musicians who encouraged his interest in music. He studied not only piano, but violin and guitar at the Toledo School of Music. Most impressive, however, is that he was legally blind.

Art Tatum had a distinct style that would change the way people played the piano. He had a extremely strong grasp on chord theory and technique which allowed him to slip between classical and jazz piano easily. His performance of Dvorak's Humoresque is a good example of this.

Dvorak's Humoresque

Dvorak's Humoresque performed by Art Tatum

Art Tatum was regarded as a virtuoso (or an artist of masterly technique and skill), but he took his playing beyond his natural talent and continued to push himself. In his performance we can see not only portions of the stride piano that was so famous, but also an arabesque playing type and the beginning of a swing feel. Tatum also furthered the popularity of solo pianists, playing as one for most of his life. 

Though Tatum's style was not one of completely original melodies, he introduced a number of new techniques into piano solos. This techniques include the many "flowery" cadenzas and arpeggios his music is rife with as well as complex harmonies. Even Tatum's interpretation of stride was different. Of that style, Dick Hyman (another jazz pianist) said, "When Tatum got to (stride), it became less obvious, more fluent, and began to take on the dimensions of the right hand, something that pianists hadn't heard before". Tatum moved jazz piano away from the realm of the rhythm section and into its' own spotlight. 

Besides Tatum's technical proficiency, his speed was enormously impressive. Listening to any of his recordings is almost guaranteed to leave the listener in shock. When pianist Hank Jones first heard Tatum's records, he was certain that they were tricks of overdubbing. While listening to this next piece, try to see past the tempo and noise to the complex harmonies and various techniques that Tatum is employing. 

Tiger Rag

Though Tatum lived for less than 50 years, he left a great legacy and inspiration to jazz pianists throughout the ages. I think the best tribute to his work are the words spoken by Johnny Guarnieri. In an interview in 1977, just over 20 years after Art Tatum's death, Guarnieri spoke of him: 

Tatum, of course, was the best of all the pianists including stride, but he wasn't satisfied just to play stride. You couldn't call him a boogie woogie pianist, but you could be sure that if he played boogie woogie, he'd do it better than anybody else. 

Tatum helped me a lot. He said something I have never forgotten. Every time you want to get people's attention, play softly. It's easy to play loud, but if you want to play both fast and loud, your arms tense up and you can't go on. My first reaction to him was like the other pianists. They were saying, "Well, we're going to cut off our wrists or give up piano playing." He inspired you to practice. I wanted him to know that I was a better pianist than I had been when he heard me earlier. 

Though Tatum preferred to expand upon others' melodies rather than write his own, he changed the style of jazz with his flawless technique and beautiful ornamentation. Though some will say that his music is unjazzlike or too busy, I believe critic Gary Giddins (who also helped co-author our book) said it best when he said of Tatum's style, "That is the essence of Tatum. If you don't like his ornament, you should be listening to someone else. That's where his genius is".

Tatum pushed the bounds of jazz piano and in the process left important lessons with a new generation. Even in my own playing I have found great comfort and encouragement in his words:

"You have to practice improvisation, let no one kid you about it!" 

"There is no such thing as a wrong note." 

Sources: 

Stride! by John L. Fell and Terkild Vinding

Jazz by Scott DeVeaux and Garry Giddins

NPR's "Art Tatum: A Talent Never to Be Duplicated"