In private

That Art Tatum was the single most astounding jazz musician ever will never be in dispute. Whatever controversy might surround the brilliant pianist is that he may have been at best a showoff, or at worst overwhelming. But there is no doubt that when Tatum stepped up to the piano bench, listeners were prepared to be dazzled and blown away, or left to mutter to themselves that somehow God had entered their lives on any given night when he performed. As very few unissued Tatum tracks exist, these solo piano home recordings done in California in the late '40s were unearthed by jazz bassist Harry Babasin, and they are a wondrous grog to guzzle and drink in without hesitation. These 11 standards fall along the lines of all of Tatum's conceptual deviations, but in some magical way he always breathed new life and fire into well-worn melodies, with his flair for the dramatic and penchant for startling flourishes indiscriminately tossed around every step of the way. How he wraps simple melodies around his dizzying arpeggios during "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" and the staggered phrasings he employs in and out of time during "Night and Day" should impress even the most jaded. Tatum also incorporates stride elements as much as his rapid runs, infusing the blues, too, on "She's Funny That Way," while playing nicer, prettier lines for "I'll Never Be the Same," though he still can't resist running the table. Compare his version of "In a Sentimental Mood" to Duke Ellington's original, and you'll hear Tatum taking multiple risks via abrupt thematic changes within a mellow melodic mood. Marvel at the astonishingly mad "You're Drivin' Me Crazy," where the confluence of virtuosity and stride meet halfway, the parlor trick tune "You Took Advantage of Me" in a demonstration of sheer wizardry and speed, the calmed down (for Tatum), relaxed, and refined "It's the Talk of the Town," and the internally toned tempo but still anxiously rendered "Tenderly." The sound reproduction and quality on this recording are excellent, with every phrase, nuance, and expression clearly heard. Though many other Tatum solo recordings rank high in his discography, In Private also has to be rated with his very best, and comes highly recommended.