Tatums Journey Through Time

The life of Arthur Tatum born October 1909 in Toledo, Ohio began the journey of development of jazz music. Tatum was born visually impaired, he grew up in Toledo Ohio with his mother father and two younger sisters. For the beginning of his life, it was most important for his parents to try and fix his eyesight so he can see until around age 3 his mother heard him play the piano. Tatum started a career at a very young age of sixteen after he went on the road with Adelaide Hall to New York around the age of 23.

As Tatum grew into his fame, it seemed to be something that did not affect his personality and his private life. He was seen as an unusual kind young man who overcame being blind in found fame in not just playing self taught piano but creating a more genre of jazz music. The creation of jazz was a new beginning for African Americans, it went from jazz to hip hip to bring the community together.

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Two languages born out of African-American culture and historical, social struggles. One finds its origins in the New Orleans cultural melting pot, uniting minstrelsy military music with ragtime; the other born out of the streets of New York City, from gang violence and social inequalities (Cugny). A commonality between both genres can be also drawn when you compare the improvisational aspect. Jazz musicians usually take turns improvising solos over recurring harmony and bounce ideas off one another. Melodies, rhythms and quotes are used to create spontaneous music that reflects the musician’s background, culture and artistic visions.

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In hip hop, you get the same, but with language over samples and/or loops. Rappers can use words, quotes, rhythms and references to other raps in their prose to pass their message”(Seguin).

According to Simmons Jazz is still the most recognizable and most highly influential music in the world today. As an artistic and cultural tradition, jazz reveals the “soul” of African Americans and in all of its manifestations captures the “spirit” of life in America”. In Toledo, Ohio where it all began for Tatum, being a blind man was hard enough. Also during this time of 1909 and 1932 racism played a role. It began with segregation and ended with the great depression in 1939. In reading the book “The History of Art Tatum 1909-1932 by Dr.Imelda Guyton Hunt”, interviews were conducted to know the full and depth experience of Art Tatum before and after the fame. One interview with a Toledo resident named Jim Butler explained how raced played in the Toledo’s black community.

Butler states didn’t too many people live in the 300 block,400pine block of pinewood maybe two or three families in the 500n block but on Dorr street there was nothing but us.” Jim recalls that everyone was poor, and as to referring as “us” he means African American people. He noticed they ways things were for them.“Back in those days, i think most of us got along it wasn’t like it is now we were all crammed in there and the living standard was about the same for everybody.” Hearing how the community was set up for blacks to all be in certain areas on certain blocks all knowing each other, you can see how race issues may have not affected Tatum as much while he lived in Toledo. For most of his life he was followed and taken places by others he was well known by the people in his community even though he lived in the middle class area.

It was when Tatum began playing in after hour joints that his music really influenced the black community. The black community would come together and have a club where they would listen to Tatum and others play all through the night and dance.“Toledo was really a town at one time for music we had the best musicians come through here it was called rabbittown.” Toledo was segregated as many other towns in this time was. When music like Tatum helped influence people into joining together that segregation broke in other places he played.“Entertainers helped break segregation, that’s when they started mixing.” Back then there were no such thing as band having both black and white people in one. You had the black bands who played in the community and where they made money and across town you had the white bands doing the same.

“Here’s what he said, he said he wouldn’t play the job unless his people were welcome to hear him.” Since they wanted him to play so badly and seen how much people who willingly to spend segregation in the clubs began to dissolve. In conclusion Arthur Tatum jr, has influenced many years of people with his music. “While Tatum’s skills were undeniable, his style continues to stir controversy on whether or not he was an ‘official’ jazz musician (Molly).” His abnormal way of playing the piano turned jazz into a whole new genre that has expanded into blues,funk, and hip hop etc today.