Page "Art Tatum" Paragraph 25

Tatum tended to work and to record unaccompanied, partly because relatively few musicians could keep pace with his fast tempos and advanced harmonic vocabulary.

Other musicians expressed amazed bewilderment at performing with Tatum.

Drummer Jo Jones, who recorded a 1956 trio session with Tatum and bassist Red Callender is quoted as quipping, " I didn't even play on that session [...] all I did was listen.

I mean, what could I add?

[...] I felt like setting my damn drums on fire.

" Clarinetist Buddy DeFranco said that playing with Tatum was " like chasing a train.

" Tatum said of himself, " A band hampers me.