Jazz Conversations

Frank DeLigio leads this lively conversation about jazz greats past and present.  Discussion centers on the music and the personalities and is often prompted from video or audio clips of the days subjects.

Artist: Art Tatum

This month’s Jazz Conversation is about Art Tatum, the greatest jazz pianist ever according to nearly every authority.

According to John Burnett of NPR, “It’s hard to summon enough superlatives for Tatum’s piano playing: his harmonic invention, his technical virtuosity, his rhythmic daring. The great stride pianist Fats Waller famously announced one night when Tatum walked into the club where Waller was playing, “I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house.”

Oscar Peterson, whose piano technique was flawless, would tighten up when he heard Tatum was listening: “There never was and never will be another Art Tatum.”

“Tatum plays so much piano it sounds impossible.  The more I hear him, the more I want to give up the piano and drive a milk truck”, pianist Eddie Heywood.