Re-Issue in new slimline packaging.

Art Tatum was an enigma. Partially sighted, largely self-taught, yet one of the most technically accomplished piano players of the 20th Century (admired by classical composers and pianists as well by jazz audiences), he was not universally embraced by the jazz fraternity, some critics considering him too clever by half to be a real jazzman! On the other hand, fellow jazz pianist Teddy Wilson said of him, "You get all the finest jazz pianists in the world and let them play in the presence of Tatum. Then let Tatum play. Everyone (else) there will sound like an amateur".

Such was Tatum's unrivalled dexterity and polyrhythmic inventiveness, the majority of his recordings during his 1932-1951 prime years covered by this 99-track, 4-CD set were unaccompanied solo performances, each a unique display of virtuosity without need of further embellishment.

But he also recorded with a small band fronted by blues shouter Big Joe Turner, with an all-star line-up of jazz greats at a Metropolitan Opera House concert, and as the Art Tatum Trio with his regular club date accompanists, Tiny Grimes (guitar) and Slam Stewart (bass), all included here.

This is the definitive anthology of an artistic genius.

Track Listing:
CD 1: TEA FOR TWO
1. TIGER RAG La Rocca 1932        
2. TEA FOR TWO Caesar, Youmans  1933   
3. ST. LOUIS BLUES Handy 1933    
4. TIGER RAG La Rocca 1933        
5. SOPHISTICATED LADY Ellington, Mills 1933   
6. MOONGLOW Mills, Hudson, De Lange 1934       
7. I WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR YOU     Williams, Hopkins, Hill  1934   
8. WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN Mercer, Hanighen, Jenkins  1934  
9. EMALINE Parish, Perkins  1934    
10. LOVE ME Young, Washington 1934      
11. COCKTAILS FOR TWO Johnston, Coslow 1934   
12. AFTER YOU’VE GONE  Creamer, Layton  1934   
13. STARDUST Carmichael  1934   
14. ILL WIND Arlen, Koehler  1934   
15. THE SHOUT Tatum  1934   
16. BEAUTIFUL LOVE Gillespie, Young  1934   
17. LIZA Gershwin, Gershwin 1934   
18. I AIN’T GOT NOBODY Graham, Williams 1934   
19. STAY AS SWEET AS YOU ARE Gordon, Ravel  1935   
20. I WISH I WERE TWINS De Lange, Loesser, Meyer 1935   
21. GONE WITH THE WIND Wrubel, Magidson 1937       
22. STORMY WEATHER Koehler, Arlen  1937      
23. CHLOE Kahn, Moret 1937   
24. THE SHEIK OF ARABY Smith, Wheeler, Snyder 1937   
25. TEA FOR TWO Caesar, Youmans 1939   
26. DEEP PURPLE Parish, De Rose  1939      
27. IT HAD TO BE YOU Jones, Kahn 1939   

CD 2: ELEGIE
1. OH, YOU CRAZY MOON Burke, Van Heusen 1939      
2. OVER THE RAINBOW Harburg, Arlen  1939    
3. DAY IN DAY OUT Bloom, Mercer 1939   
4. ALL GOD’S CHILLUN GOT RHYTHM Kaper, Jurmann, Kahn 1939  
5. ELEGIE Massenet 1940    
6. HUMORESQUE Dvorak 1940     
7. SWEET LORRAINE Parish, Burwell 1940  
8. GET HAPPY Arlen, Koehler 1940   
9. LULLABY OF THE LEAVES Young,  Petkere 1940  
10. TIGER RAG La Rocca 1940      
11. SWEET EMALINE, MY GAL Layton, Creamer 1940  
12. LOVE ME Young, Washington 1940      
13. BEGIN THE BEGUINE Porter 1940    
14. ROSETTA Woode, Hines 1940     
15. INDIANA Hanley, McDonald 1940      
16. WEE BABY BLUES Turner, Johnson 1941  
17. STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY Sampson, Goodman 1941
18. LAST GOODBYE BLUES Turner, Johnson 1941   
19. BATTERY BOUNCE Tatum 1941   
20. LUCILLE  Williams 1941   
21. ROCK ME, MAMA Jones 1941  
22. CORRINE CORRINA Chatman, Williams  1941
23. LONESOME GRAVEYARD BLUES Williams, Jones 1941   
24. I GOT RHYTHM Gershwin, Gershwin 1944       
25. MOP, MOP Hawkins 1944   
26. ESQUIRE BOUNCE Feather 1944   

CD 3: WILLOW WEEP FOR ME
1. MY IDEAL Robin, Whiting 1944   
2. EXACTLY LIKE YOU Fields, McHugh 1944        
3. FLYING HOME Goodman, Hampton 1944  
4. DARK EYES Trad. 1943   
5. BODY AND SOUL Green, Sour, Heyman, Eyton 1944   
6. I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW Youmans, Caldwell  1944   
7. HALLELUJAH Youmans, Robbins, Grey 1945     
8. YESTERDAYS Kern, Harbach 1945   
9. TATUM POLE BOOGIE Tatum 1949  
10. WILLOW WEEP FOR ME Ronnell 1949   
11. I COVER THE WATERFRONT Heyman, Green 1949   
12. AUNT HAGAR’S BLUES Handy 1949   
13. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT Gershwin, Gershwin 1949   
14. SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME Gershwin, Gershwin 1949   
15. DARDANELLA Fisher, Bernard, Black 1949  
16. TIME ON MY HANDS Youmans, Adamson, Gordon 1949   
17. SWEET LORRAINE Parish, Burwell 1949         
18. SOMEBODY LOVES ME Gershwin, De Sylva  1949  
19. DON’T BLAME ME Fields, McHugh 1949  
20. MY HEART STOOD STILL Rodgers, Hart 1949   
21. YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME Rodgers, Hart 1949   
22. I GOTTA RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES Koehler, Arlen 1949   

CD 4: GOIN' HOME
1. GOIN’ HOME Dvorak 1949   
2. BLUE SKIES Berlin 1949   
3. IT’S THE TALK OF THE TOWN  Symes, Neiburg, Livingston 1949
4. DANCING IN THE DARK Dietz, Schwartz 1949 2.54    
5. WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS Barris, Koehler, Moll 1949
6. JUST-A-SITTIN’ AND A-ROCKIN’   Strayhorn, Ellington, Gaines 1949  
7. YOU’RE DRIVING ME CRAZY Donaldson 1949   
8. IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD Ellington, Mills 1949        
9. SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY Moret, Whiting 1949         
10. I’LL NEVER BE THE SAME Malneck, Signorelli, Kahn 1949   
11. NIGHT AND DAY Porter 1949   
12. IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON Arlen, Rose, Harburg 1950  
13. THREE LITTLE WORDS Kalmar, Ruby 1950   
14. ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET Fields, McHugh 1950         
15. WHY WAS I BORN? Kern, Hammerstein 1950  
16. IF I COULD BE WITH YOU (ONE HOUR TONIGHT) Creamer, Johnson 1950  
17. MEAN TO ME Turk, Ahlert 1950   
18. I GUESS I HAVE TO CHANGE MY PLANS Dietz, Schwartz 1950       
19. CAN’T WE BE FRIENDS? Swift, James  1950   
20. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE? Porter 1950   
21. CRAZY RHYTHM Caesar, Kahn, Meyer 1950  
22. LIMEHOUSE BLUES Furber, Braham 1950      
23. I’M COMING VIRGINIA Heywood, Cook 1950   
24. THE MAN I LOVE Gershwin, Gershwin 1951