Art Tatum – Jewels In The Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings – Resonance Records HLP 9064 Record Store Day Special Limited Edition [4/20/2024] 180-gram triple vinyl with full-sized 15-page booklet, *****:
(Art Tatum – piano; Everett Barksdale – guitar; Slam Stewart – double bass)
Just in time for Record Store Day 2024, Resonance Records has released another hallmark live jazz album. Art Tatum – Jewels In The Treasure Box will be available in a limited edition 3-LP set (also on CD and Digital Download/ later in April). Tatum is considered to be the greatest jazz pianists of all-time. His ability to interpret standards and instinctively change keys, tempos and harmonics inspired a new generation of musicians. Jewels In The Treasure Box (previously unreleased) is a nearly three-hour, 39 track performance with Everett Barksdale (guitar) and Slam Stewart (double bass). The concert was recorded at the Blue Note jazz club in Chicago (1953). As with all of Resonance music, the project was done with the cooperation of the performer’s Estate.
The concert is a unique take on The Great American Songbook by a special artist. Cole Porter’s “Night And Day” is rollicking, stride-infused jazz with modulation. On “Where Or When”, Tatum infuses blues motifs with trills and accents. Everett Barksdale embraces the blues resonance. Tatum’s improvisational gravitas permeates “On The Sunny Side Of The Street” with notable frenetic runs. Phrasing and timing shifts reinvent “Don’t Blame Me”, enveloped in a rolling blues style. Each arrangement is different, whether it’s the syncopated vamp-driven (with a nimble call and response) “Soft Winds”, subtle grooves on “These Foolish Things”, or the down ’n’ dirty essence of “Flying Home”. Tatum slows things down on “Memories Of You”, but with nuanced rhythmic solos. His stride roots reappear on “What Does It Take?”. The covers of “Crazy Rhythm” and “The Man I Love” are fresh and inventive. Barksdale’s guitar and Stewart’s bowed double bass add texture to many songs. Of course, “Tea For Two’ is unpredictably explosive with percolating runs by Tatum.
There is a staggering number of classic standards on LP 2. Some of the highlights include “Body And Soul”, and “Laura” which have extended jam lengths, rendered with jaunty tempos and fiery runs. As is his tradition, Tatum honors requests with solo performances on “Humoresque” (with classical influences) and “Begin The Beguine” which are complex and nothing short of mesmerizing in chord shifting and intensity. A medley (“There Will Never Be Another You”/“September Song”) showcases Tatum’s innate grasp of melody and improvisational acuity. He swings relentlessly on “Just One Of Those Things”. Tatum adds energy to the processional “St. Louis Blues”, and funky playfulness on “After You’re Gone”. Another pair of “solo requests” (“Someone To Watch Over Me” and “Elegy”) showcases Tatum’s muscular approach to balladry with crescendos and trills. He still manages to push tempo boundaries.
Tatum transforms compositional music, even with renowned jazz standards like “Indiana” (with a great guitar solo). His flexible rhythm and intonation is extraordinary. The concise arrangements are spontaneous and framed by swirling execution and stride jazz accents. His aggressive interpretations on “Lover”, “Dark Eyes” and “Stompin’ At The Savoy” are performed with bebop frenzy and execution. It is a master class in jazz piano. The final side offers a glimpse into the relaxed play of Tatum on ”If” (great trio chemistry). He transitions to up tempo on “Out Of Nowhere”. Tatum is anything but predictable. “Would You Like To Take A Walk?” Is deliberate with an array of blues shadings. The opening verse to “Stardust” is exquisite and the piano is a dramatic counter to the rhythm section, as Tatum distills the laconic flow of Hoagy Carmichael. There is a strong finish (“I’ve Got The World On A String”; “The Kerry Dance”) to this one-of-a-kind concert.
Kudos to Resonance records for unearthing this historic concert, seventy years later. The natural acoustics and small club intimacy are captured with subtlety by Matthew Lutthens. Triple gatefold packaging and protective disc sleeves are a nice touch. The booklet contains vintage photos and interviews with a variety of jazz greats like Sonny Rollins, Ahmad Jamal and Monty Alexander.
Highly recommended!
—Robbie Gerson
Art Tatum – Jewels In The Treasure Box
TrackList:
Side A: Night And Day; Where And When; On The Sunny Side Of The Street; Don’t Blame Me; Soft Winds; These Foolish Things; Flying Home
Side B: Memories Of You; What Does It Take; Tenderly; Crazy Rhythm; The Man I Love; Tea For Two
Side C: I Cover The Waterfront; Body And Soul; Laura; Humoresque; Begin The Beguine There Will Never Be Another You/September Song
Side D: Just One Of Those Things; Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams; St. Louis Blues; After You’re Gone; Someone To Watch Over Me; Elegy
Side E: Sweet Lorraine; Indiana; Tabu; Judy; Lover Dark Eyes; Stompin’ At The Savoy
Side F: If; Out Of Nowhere; Would You Like To Take A Walk?; Stardust; Air Mail Special; I’ve Got The World On A String; The Kerry Dance.
More information through Record Store Day
