The Art of Tatum: Jazz Lp Collection Exhibit @ Main Library
(Released October 15, 2010) – The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is honored to debut an Art Tatum jazz Lp exhibit of both original press and remastered works featuring the late pianist, who would have been 101-years-old this month.
The Art of Tatum: Jazz Lp Collection made its debut to the public Saturday, October 16 during the Library’s ART 101 bash, and will remain on view until the end of December 2010.
The 13 Lps on view, which range from original presses from the 1940s to remastered works of the 1970s, were generously loaned to the Library from album collector Tracee Ellis, who said her father, a jazz pianist, peaked her interested in jazz Lps as a teenager. Ellis also generously donated several Tatum Lps to the Art Tatum African American Resource Center at Kent Branch Library, 3101 Collingwood Blvd.
“The beauty is on the covers of the Lp and often there’s biographical information on the back of the jacket or inside,” said Ellis, who on this day donned a Miles Davis t-shirt. Ellis, who sounds like a jazz professor as she explains the history of each Tatum Lp from her collection, sits on the advisory board of the University of Toledo’s Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women and is a UT Culture Ambassador.
Ellis’ loaned Lps are located behind the display windows in Central Court near the entryway of the Technology/computer area on the first floor of Main Library. The exhibit features highlights such as The Tatum Group Masterpieces, one of more than 20 albums which Tatum made for producer Norman Granz. On this Lp Tatum is featured with fellow jazz greats Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich who first recorded the work in 1955 in Los Angeles. Some performances completed at the trio’s session had never been disclosed until 1976.
Other Lps feature Tatum classics recorded on legendary companies such as Verve Records, Columbia Records and even an Italian house founded in 1947 by Italian brothers titled Fabbri Editori Recordings. With Tatum’s international fame, Ellis said “this (Italian) company recorded a compilation of Art Tatum masterpieces and unreleased private sessions from 1940-1952.”
Press Release Contact Name: Rhonda B. Sewell
Press Release Contact Email: [email protected]
Organization Name: Toledo Lucas County Public Library