RIP, Art Tatum (1909-1956)

Jazz pianist Art Tatum died on November 5, 1956, at Queen of Angels Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, from complications resulting from kidney failure. He was just 47 years old. Tatum is interred in the Great Mausoleum of Glendale's Forest Lawn Cemetery, next to his wife Geraldine.

Tatum was nearly blind and yet was probably the greatest piano virtuoso that jazz has ever seen. Charlie Parker himself once said, "I wish I could play like Tatum’s right hand!" Pianist Teddy Wilson once observed, "If you put a piano in a room [and then] get all the finest jazz pianists in the world and let them play in the presence of Art Tatum. Then let Art Tatum play ... everyone there will sound like an amateur."

Jazz critic Leonard Feather called Tatum "the greatest soloist in jazz history, regardless of instrument."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Tatum's album, Art Tatum: The Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 3 (Pablo). (Purchase at Amazon.com.)

Tatum plays "Yesterdays" here:

Robert
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