California Melodies (1994)

About this title: This fantastic group of radio performances from 1940 captures the piano genius in classic form. Playing a couple of piano solos each week on a radio show entitled California Melodies, Tatum runs through two dozen absolutely amazing turns on classics like "Caravan," "Begin the Beguine," "Stompin' at the Savoy," "Where or When," "Tea for Two," "All The Things You Are," "Body and Soul," and "I Cried for You." Many of these versions vary quite a bit from the better-known commercial recordings, and, as always, Tatum's command of his instrument is nothing short of astonishing. A collection well ... read more

Tracks:

1. Begin the Beguine [Porter]
2. Caravan [Ellington/Mills/Tiz]
3. All the Things You Are [Hammerstein/Kern]
4. Get Happy [Arlen/Koehler]
5. The Shout [Scott]
6. Tea for Two [Caesar/Youmans]
7. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) [Barris/Koehler/Moll]
8. Elegie [Massenet]
9. If I Had You [Campbell/Connelly]
10. I Got Rhythm [Gershwin/Gershwin]
11. Sweet Lorraine [Burwell/Parish]
12. Memories of You [Blake/Razaf]
13. It Had to Be You [Jones/Kahn]
14. This Can't Be Love [Hart/Rodgers]
15. Have You Met Miss Jones? [Hart/Rodgers]
16. Dark Eyes [Traditional]
17. I Thought About You [Mercer/VanHeusen]
18. Too Marvelous for Words [Mercer/Whiting]
19. Stompin' at the Savoy [Goodman/Razaf/Samps]
20. I'll Never Be the Same [Kahn/Malneck/Signor]
21. Where or When [Hart/Rodgers]
22. Humoresque [Dvorak]
23. Body and Soul [Sour/Green/Heyman]
24. I Cried for You [Arnheim/Freed/Lyman]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.