Search - Art Tatum :: Group Masterpieces 7

A Masterpiece

James M. Cargal | Montgomery, AL USA | 08/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All of the Tatum group and solo masterpieces are worth having. They are a great monument in the historical legacy of jazz. Buddy DeFranco was one of the few musicians with the virtuosity to truly interplay with Tatum. The chemistry is very good. It is one of the two or three best of the group masterpieces."

Mesmerizing complexity, beautifully articulated

Richard A. Leiti | Naples, Fl USA | 01/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Truly a unique and unforgetable collaboration between two giants in jazz history. Tatum and DeFranco are in peak form, creating dialogues between the piano and clarinet which have to be heard to be believed. An absolutely stunning achievement. DeFranco's brilliant improvisations, technically flawless, are driven to new heights by the relentless and hard charging Tatum. There were few if any musicians that could hold there ground with Tatum. Lionel Hampton comes to mind. DeFranco not only holds his ground but keeps Tatum on the edge of his seat. Pay particular attention to Tatum in the back ground of a Buddy Defranco solo. Here is where Tatum's genius truly shines. His technical level is never diminished and he continues to taunt at every turn. This is truly a one of a kind encounter and historical in nature.It is rare that what may be two of the greatest jazz instumentalist on their respective intsruments get to sit down and jam together at their peaks. But it happened. You've got to hand it to the producer Norman Granz, this one is a gem."

Buddy and Art - A Perfect Pair

William Faust | Columbus, Ohio | 07/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Many jazz critics refer to Art Tatum as the original and Oscar Peterson as the imitator but for my taste I much prefer Peterson who swings harder and knows when not to play versus Tatum's run-filled style. But you can't deny Tatum's technical mastery of the keyboard and given that fact, pairing him with Buddy DeFranco is a very interesting and entertaining scenario because DeFranco is surely Tatum's equal when it comes to flawless technique. This recording was originally done in the mid 1950's and features a nice mix of swing standards, ballands and blues. The interplay between DeFranco and Tatum is some times breathtaking but always crisp, inventive and easy to listen to. Another fine product from the collaborations arranged by genius producer Norman Granz."