Tatum, Art

Tatum, Art (tā`təm), 1910–56, American jazz pianist, b. Toledo, Ohio. Born with cataracts in both eyes, Tatum remained virtually blind for life. He read music in Braille, but his sensitive ear for music made reading almost unnecessary. Tatum, an unmatched piano virtuoso and brilliant improviser, developed a style characterized by complex musical embroidery, such as rapid runs and shifting rhythms.

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Tatum, Art(hur)

(born Oct. 13, 1909, Toledo, Ohio, U.S.—died Nov. 5, 1956, Los Angeles, Calif.) U.S. jazz pianist. Tatum was blind from birth. Influenced by Fats Waller and Earl Hines, his playing represents a synthesis of stride and swing piano traditions. He developed an unprecedented technical and harmonic control on the instrument and was capable of astonishing speed and intricate elaborations of melody. By 1937 he was recognized as the outstanding pianist in jazz. He formed a trio with guitar and bass in 1943 but frequently made solo performances that showcased his unique mastery.

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Tatum, (Arthur) Art (1909–56) jazz musician; born in Toledo, Ohio. Near-blind from birth, he was established as a jazz pianist in New York by 1932 and worked mainly as a soloist thereafter. He was a keyboard virtuoso whose overwhelming technique and harmonic imagination strongly influenced jazz pianists and the bebop style of the following generation.