art tatum

Art Tatum played jazz piano in the early part of the 20th century. Listen to him - you can't tell whether it's two hands or an enormous, dextrous army of fingers at work. I get real excited about him. I got one CD - decca solo 1940 art tatum, and it just rocks me to the core.

some other folks, less so, he's certainly recognized as a great

(some dude pontificating on him)

otherwise, I was surprised at how little there is online about him. he inspired charlie parker for chrissakes. he's regularly referred to as (one of if not) the best musician of this century.

I put two 18 second sound samples of a favourite song up:

elegie.mono.aiff (200k)
elegie.stereo.aiff (400k)

those'll give you a sense of his uncanny speed and agility and harmonic sense and the careening pleasure of listenin' him skirt the edge of madness and beauty and never falling or failing but sustaining such rapid joy -

the man is a prophet. a blind visionary. a true master.
one person never made so many layers with one instrument.

one of my favourites

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