Art Tatum (
October 13,
1909 -
November 4,
1956) was a famous
jazz pianist known for his virtuosic playing and creative
improvisation. Tatum drew inspiration from his comtemporaties,
James P. Johnson and
Fats Waller, and had a great influence on other famous jazz pianists, such as
Duke Ellington and
Thelonious Monk.
Tatum was widely recognized among his colleagues as the most gifted jazz pianist alive. When he walked into a club where Fats Waller was playing, Waller supposedly said "I'm just the piano player, but tonight, God is in the house."
