Art Tatum: Tea for Two

Art Tatum is considered by many to be the greatest pianist in the history of jazz music whose technical skills were unrivaled. Tatum’s unmistakable sound was the result of his prodigious speed, harmonic inventiveness and swinging style which featured the frequent use of thrilling cadenzas. He playing was drawn from the stride style of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller and the more modern approach of Earl Hines. When a young Oscar Peterson first heard a recording of Tatum and was told that the recording was the work of a single pianist, Peterson refused to touch a piano for a week.

Tatum was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1909. His parents were both musicians at a local Toledo church. As a child, Tatum developed cataracts and eventually lost sight in one eye completely, while being left with only partial sight in the other. Tatum was a child prodigy at the piano and learned to play by ear while listening to church hymns and music on the radio. In 1925, he would begin learning music and braille at a school for the blind.

By 1933, Tatum was in New York City, and he began to make a name for himself at piano playing competitions known as “cutting contests.” It was at one of these contests that Tatum famously out-dueled stride legends James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith and Fats Waller with spectacular versions of “Tea for Two” and “Tiger Rag.” While Tatum was working at the Onyx Club in March of 1933, he recorded his first four sides for the Brunswick label. For the remainder of the Thirties, he toured around the Midwest and had stints in Chicago and trips out to Los Angeles before returning to New York.

In the Forties, Tatum recorded with singer Big Joe Turner for Decca Records and formed a trio with guitarist Tiny Grimes and bassist, Slam Stewart. By the end of the Forties, Tatum had returned to solo performing and continued solo until his death in 1956.

Any compilation of Tatum’s incredible recordings is a must-have. The best of these include, “Piano Starts Here” (1968), “The Complete Capitol Recordings” (Volumes 1-2) (1989), “Classic Early Solos” (1991), “The Chronological Classics: Art Tatum 1934-1940” (1991), and “The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum” (1997).

James P. Johnson: The Charleston

James Price Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1894. He was a ragtime turned stride pianist whose composition, “The Charleston,” became one of the anthems of the “jazz age” of the Twenties. Johnson and Jelly Roll Morton were probably the two pianists most responsible for taking ragtime music and turning it into jazz via the piano.

Although he started out playing ragtime music in the tradition of Scott Joplin, Johnson became the innovator of a jazz sub-genre of piano playing that was dubbed, “stride.” This piano style got its name from the walking or “striding” sound produced by the pianist’s left hand. Stride piano incorporated elements of the blues and it allowed for on the spot improvisation which is an essential characteristic of jazz music. Ragtime was a rigidly composed form of music which stifled improvisation.

A future jazz star, Fats Waller, would become Johnson’s protégé’, adopt his stride style, and later expose it to the masses.

Johnson was a prolific composer, and he wrote some of the most familiar compositions of the roaring Twenties. Aside from the Charleston, he penned, “You’ve Got to Be Modernistic,” “If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight,” “Carolina Shout,” “Keep Off The Grass,” and “Old Fashioned Love,” among others. In addition to jazz and pop tunes, Johnson wrote waltzes, ballets and symphonic pieces.

Johnson’s finest recordings can be found on a number of compilation albums including the multi-volume “Chronological Classics: James P. Johnson” (1996) series and “Snowy Morning Blues” (1991), “Harlem Stride Piano” (1992), and “Father of Stride Piano” (2001).

Julia Lee: Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got

Julia Lee was among the best female jazz singers and pianists of the Thirties and Forties. Lee was born in Boonville, Missouri, in 1902, and grew up in Kansas City.

Lee began her career in the Twenties as a pianist with several bands including the band of her brother, George Lee. She made her recording debut in 1927 as a pianist for Jesse Stone. In 1935, Lee embarked on her own solo career and made her first recordings on for Capitol Records in 1945.

During the Forties, Lee scored a number of R&B hits including, “Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got,” “Snatch and Grab It,” “King Size Papa,” and “My Man Stands Out.” She was accompanied on these recordings by the likes of Red Nichols, Jay McShan, Benny Carter, and Red Norvo.

Lee’s classic recordings can be found on the following albums: Classics Julia Lee 1927-1946” (1995) and “Classics Julia Lee 1947” (1995).

James P. Johnson: King of Stride Piano

James Price Johnson was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1894. He was a ragtime turned stride pianist whose composition, “The Charleston,” became one of the anthems of the “jazz age” of the Twenties. Johnson and Jelly Roll Morton were probably the two pianists most responsible for taking ragtime music and turning it into jazz via the piano.

Although he started out playing ragtime music in the tradition of Scott Joplin, Johnson became the innovator of a jazz sub-genre of piano playing that was dubbed, “stride.” This piano style got its name from the walking or “striding” sound produced by the pianist’s left hand. Stride piano incorporated elements of the blues and it allowed for on the spot improvisation which is an essential characteristic of jazz music. Ragtime was a rigidly composed form of music which stifled improvisation.

A future jazz star, Fats Waller, would become Johnson’s protégé’, adopt his stride style, and later expose it to the masses.

Johnson was a prolific composer, and he wrote some of the most familiar compositions of the roaring Twenties. Aside from the Charleston, he penned, “You’ve Got to Be Modernistic,” “If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight,” “Carolina Shout,” “Keep Off The Grass,” and “Old Fashioned Love,” among others. In addition to jazz and pop tunes, Johnson wrote waltzes, ballets and symphonic pieces.

Johnson’s finest recordings can be found on a number of compilation albums including the multi-volume “Chronological Classics: James P. Johnson” (1996) series and “Snowy Morning Blues” (1991), “Harlem Stride Piano” (1992), and “Father of Stride Piano” (2001).

James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters 369th Infantry Regiment: ...

James Reese Europe: Harlem Hellfighter

James Reese Europe was one of the earliest figures of jazz music. He was a great bandleader and an inspiration to African-Americans in the early years of the last century. Europe was the leader of Europe’s Society Orchestra that first recorded in 1913. That orchestra ostensibly played ragtime music, the forerunner of jazz; however, Europe’s orchestra played a highly- improvised version of ragtime which could easily be classified as jazz. Europe took ragtime music and speeded it up considerably, making it a frenetic and highly infectious and danceable music.

Europe was the first African-American bandleader to ever make a commercial recording and in 1914, Europe and the Society Orchestra recorded Castle’s Lame Duck” and “Castle House Rag” for the Victor label.

During World War One, Europe was enlisted in the U.S, army as a lieutenant with the African-American 369^th Infantry Regiment that was dubbed the “Harlem Hellcats.” Europe also directed the regimental band and with them made recordings for the Pathe brothers while stationed in France. Europe and the band also performed concerts, making a hit of the number, “Memphis Blues.”

Shortly after returning to America at the conclusion of the war, Europe was stabbed in the neck with a pen by one of his drummers during the intermission of a concert in Boston. Europe succumbed to the wound, and became the first African-American citizen to be honoured with a public funeral in New York City.