Art Tatum: Willow Weep for Me (studio 1949)
Track
Willow Weep for Me (studio 1949)
Artist
Art Tatum (piano)
CD
The Complete Capitol Recordings of Art Tatum (Capitol 7243 8 21325 2 3)
Recorded: Los Angeles, July 13, 1949
Rating: 87/100 (learn more)
Art Tatum's rendering of this tune is unlike his best-known manner. He displays few flurries of high-speed notes, opting instead for elegiac phrasing at medium tempo, with short accelerations maintaining a constant suspense about the evolution of the melody. Improvisation and interpretation are thus intertwined in a way that 19th-century romantic virtuosos may have employed, reminding us that Tatum—besides being a peerless jazz pianist—was a great admirer of Chopin and Liszt.
Reviewer: Thierry Quénum
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Tags: 1940s jazz · solo piano · willow weep for me
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