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God Is in the House (Art Tatum album)

God Is in the House is an album by pianist Art Tatum. It is a collection of informally recorded club performances from 1940 and 1941, and was first released by Onyx Records in 1973. It won two Grammy Awards.

Recording and music

Jerry Newman was a student and jazz fan in New York City.[1] He used a disc recorder and acetate discs to informally record pianist Art Tatum playing in clubs in Harlem in 1940 and 1941.[2][3]

Three of the performances are Tatum playing solo on November 11, 1940.[1] On March 7, 1941, he was recorded with Reuben Harris hitting whiskbrooms against a suitcase.[1][3] On July 26 of the same year, further duets, this time with Chocolate Williams on bass and vocals, were recorded; Tatum also sang on two of the pieces – "Knockin' Myself Out" and "Toledo Blues".[1] "There'll Be Some Changes Made", with Williams and vocalist Ollie Potter, was made the following day.[1] The trio of Tatum, trumpeter Frankie Newton, and bassist Ebenezer Paul was recorded playing "Lady Be Good" and "Sweet Georgia Brown" on September 16.[1]

Release and reception

The title of the album comes from a story involving Tatum and fellow pianist Fats Waller.[2] When Waller was playing in a club one night and saw Tatum walk in, he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, I play the piano, but God is in the house tonight."[2] The album was released on LP by Onyx Records in 1973,[2] and was produced by Newman and Don Schlitten.[4] HighNote Records issued a CD version in 1998.[2]

Tatum, who died in 1956,[5] was awarded the 1973 Grammy for Best Jazz Performance by a Soloist for his performances on the album.[6] Dan Morgenstern won the Grammy Award for Best Album Notes.[6]

Critic Doug Ramsey wrote in 2015: "I'm recommending it now out of concern that some of you may have deprived yourselves of these indispensable snapshots of Tatum's genius."[2] The AllMusic reviewer commented that the recordings had higher audio quality than other Newman releases, and described the album as "Highly recommended."[3]

Track listing

Side one

  1. "Georgia on My Mind"
  2. "Beautiful Love"
  3. "Laughing at Life"
  4. "Sweet Lorraine"
  5. "Fine and Dandy"
  6. "Begin the Beguine"
  7. "Mighty Lak a Rose"
  8. "Knockin' Myself Out"

Side two

  1. "Toledo Blues"
  2. "Body and Soul"
  3. "There'll Be Some Changes Made"
  4. "Lady Be Good"
  5. "Sweet Georgia Brown"

Source:[4]

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f God Is in the House (CD liner notes). Art Tatum. HighNote Records. 1998. HCD 7030.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Ramsey, Doug (January 19, 2015). "Monday Recommendation: Art Tatum". artsjournal.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c Yanow, Scott. "Art Tatum: God Is in the House". AllMusic. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  4. ^ a b Morgenstern, Dan (1973). God Is in the House (LP liner notes). Art Tatum. Onyx Records. ORI 205.
  5. ^ Howlett, Felicity (2002). "Tatum, Art(hur, Jr.) (jazz)". Grove Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.J441700.
  6. ^ a b "Winners – 16th Annual Grammy Awards (1973)". grammy.com. Retrieved October 13, 2018.