Art Tatum

Art Tatum remains jazz's most singular and gifted pianist, and he retained his considerable skills right up until his death in 1956. These 20 tracks were recorded live for television shows (including the version of "Would You Like to Take a Walk" from Steve Allen's Tonight Show that leads things off here) and at club dates in Washington D.C., Chicago, and New York in his final year. Most of these find Tatum working as part of a trio with Everett Barksdale on guitar and either Slam Stewart or Bill Pemberton (depending on the date) on bass. There are also three tracks of Tatum solo at the piano, including an amazing (although entirely ordinary for Tatum) reconstruction of "Willow Weep for Me." Art Tatum never delivered a slack performance in his whole career (although he slowed to merely super-mortal with age), and that goes for his end game sets, as well. The evidence is here. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide