Art Tatum

The legacy of pianist Art Tatum looms large over jazz. Nearly blind, he possessed a technical prowess that awed even the classical virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz, and his style was completely his own. Tatum's genius was in dissecting, reconstructing, and elaborating the repertoire of the American popular song, an approach that informed and inspired Charlie Parker and the bop generation. Tatum may be best appreciated in his solo work, where he was able to stretch out without overwhelming his sidemen. Recording intermittently from the 1930s until his death in 1956, Tatum made a profound impact on the art of the jazz piano.