It looks like the box set is hard to find here in the US. I did find it online but it is $230

I have the Ben Webster/Art Tatum (vol 8) on LP (Analogue Productions' 45 rpm reissue of the Pablo), and it's excellent. Though it must be said that I do prefer Tatum solo. Webster-Tatum works b/c of Webster's reedy, fat tone which emphasizes laconic phrases. Tatum still goes nuts in the back with his pianistic wizardry. At times, w/ other performers, Tatum can seem like he has a musical version of the Tourette's syndrome. I sometimes wish he'd just ease up and listen to others more in ensemble sets...

But I give it up. My favorite jazz pianist of all time, for sure.

SD,

Given that you're a writer and an Art Tatum fan, you might be interested in this, from The NYT's often interesting "Paper Cuts" blog.

http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/living-with-music-a-playlist-by-paul-berman/

radish

Thanks for the excellent link, radish! It's funny b/c my friend, writer Sam Lipsyte, wants to introduce me to Dwight Garner soon, so I might actually get to talk to him about Tatum sooner than later...

It's a great post, and I agree with almost everything he says, because those are precisely the very reasons why Tatum is my favorite jazz pianist... the virtuosic, polyrhythmic, intense narrativistic drive. I don't doubt that at all. But I still maintain my point that he runs away sometimes from other performers. I know the tide has turned when it comes to Tatums capacity as an ensemble player, but when his playing has to recede from the spotlight to give other solos their due, his accompaniment is way too decorous for my tastes. He still does musical somersaults in the background; it works sometimes, it doesn't work a lot of times. But that's only my opinion, of course. I still like him much better solo.