Count Basie on Art Tatum, Interview with Oscar Peterson 1980

Oscar Peterson interviews Count Basie in 1980.
Original video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HAZP...
Piano - Oscar Peterson & Count Basie
Bass - Niels Pedersen
Drums - Martin Drew

[@davionbattle7664]

Two giants discussing another giant. It doesn't get any better than that.

[@clarkewi]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@tobiolopainto]

They're discussing God, not a giant.

[@davionbattle7664]

@@tobiolopainto, I'm convinced that you missed the point of my post. The point is they are musical giants and they are discussing Art Tatum who is another musical giant. Reading is fundamental.

[@tobiolopainto]

@@davionbattle7664 Believe me, I know who Art Tatum is. My father was the emcee of a club that Tatum worked at. He was part of my household history. In contradistinction to your statement about 3 giants, I'm referencing Fats Waller who, when Tatum came into the club Waller was at, said that "God is in the house." I'm saying 2 giants, one God!.

[@davionbattle7664]

@@tobiolopainto that’s not what you referenced. You attempted your comment with sarcasm and you were corrected, which made you look like a fool. So try again. Maybe thinking before you type would be helpful in your future posts.

[@dettigs]

i could listen to oscar talk for hours............great voice, musician and human being!!!!

[@amylynn5778]

dettigs and so eloquent and educated. what a remarkable man.

[@lasseerlandsson3733]

Oscar Peterson had a very fine voice and there is actually one record made when he was singing. Beautifully!

[@superloose5632]

dettigs And... he was also a great singer! True... !?

[@manlypedro75]

what a touch...just one touch...

[@bill8985]

Me, too. What an amazing, generous man...

[@lpluva1]

Those two legends still stay humble when speaking about Tatum. There are levels of greatness only other great artists can understand. Could listen to this for hours.

[@bn3121]

It's astonishing to feel the intensity of musical history and spirit coming out of this conversation. To think how much of our musical landscape today has been shaped and defined by these maginificent players!

[@bn3121]

I want to add something 5 months later to my earlier comment: I absolutely LOVE how when Oscar says "you can't just hate someone voluntarily" [5:02] Basie immediately quips back "I can!"

[@777jones]

I am just a fan of Mr. Peterson and to think he was intimidated by Art Tatum says everything. I have the re-constructed Art Tatum album.

[@dsugimoto313]

How great is this? Two of the biggest jazz pianists talking about being intimidated by the great Art Tatum. To all three of you, thank you for your music and RIP,

[@SeekerSmith]

❤

[@shaythiele1320]

When Oscar starts smiling and laughing he looks like a young kid and I can’t help but smile and laugh with him

[@SamIAm-kz4hg]

"I don't think he could stand any spaces." This, from the king of the spaces. Awesome.

[@skierpage]

3:55 is gold, Basie accusing Peterson of exactly what Tatum would do to other musicians. The Basie-Peterson collaboration "Satch and Josh" is a great album, and Peterson manages to NOT engage turbo mode on some of the songs 🏎️🎹

[@bobaldo2339]

Exactly right!

[@Dontaking2008]

Every time I'm depressed about life, music, career, relationships I always watch this video and all those problems are overrun by complete joy. Thanks for such an amazing post.

[@brahmburgers]

another olde time pianist who brings joy: Fats Waller.

[@Elgallo1999]

I just watched this for the first time and I don’t think I’ve smiled this wide in a very long time.

[@user-qq9yj9ij4k]

What really makes these artists great is not only their great creative and interpretive quality, but also their great personality that they transmit.

[@timotot123]

Art Tatum was revered by all Pianists. His musicianship and virtuosity was off the chart

[@marcorval]

Someone with a Liszt profile picture commenting this means a lot.

[@geoffreycallands5294]

Legends talking about a LEGEND!!!! This is dope!

[@CortezBurt]

You can tell the love that these two men have for each other. You can also tell how Count Basie really admires Oscar Peterson's playing.

[@elleondejuda4681]

Mr Peterson was a true friend of Tatum and he's humble enough to admit he was greatly influence by Tatum playing.

[@xRisingForcex]

pure class, love these two gentlemen. thank you both for your tremendous contributions to music.

[@lettyguerra371]

Contributions not only to music, but culture too.

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

What a great man Oscar Peterson was! Everyone knows how great he was as a musician, but just what a kind and compassionate man. I remember hearing years ago the story that Peterson was growing pretty cocky as a young and up-coming player on the instrument, feeling that he'd mastered it. His father, though, burst his balloon by buying a copy of Tatum's "Tiger Rag" and playing it for an astounded young Peterson, who could not believe that it was one man and not two playing on the record. Peterson has told that story many times over the years, and used to illustrate how his father helped him grow not only as a musician, but as a man and a person. Great story, and a reminder that sometimes in life, to get to where you want to go, you need to eat some humble pie first. Charlie Parker had that same effect on saxophone players as Tatum did on pianists, and Wes Montgomery on guitarists. Men who did the seemingly impossible on their instruments and elevated the art immeasurably while doing so.

[@theokgapola7034]

Count Basie is definitely one of my favourite musos. He's such an amazing pianist and very empathetic and embracing of all the collaborations in which he is involved musically. He is very minimalistic in his playing. Some of his detractors criticized him for this. Little did they{the critics} realize that by not being overbearing, he actually created an atmosphere for the the other players to contribute optimally to the music project at hand. The whole is ultimately greater than the sum of the parts. The individual musicians are thus not decimated but edified. What a band leader he was. I dare to say that he was a quintessence to music in general and jazz music in particular! A great musician he was. I can't stop to sing his praises. Theo Kgapola.

[@samueloverend3517]

Agreed. I've often thought that Art Tatum is great (in part) because of all the notes he plays. Count Basie is great because of all the notes he doesn't play. I'm not saying one's better than the other. They're great in their different ways.

[@VinnyfromJersey]

@@samueloverend3517 I agree with you both on your analysis. Two widely contrasting styles. Personally I love Basie's less is more genius...

[@ltravail]

Basie may have had a "minimalist" style later in his career, but in his younger days in Kansas City he was a helluva stride player.

[@emils-j.3586]

I have this huge smile on my face listening to Peterson and Basie. There's this sense of relaxed enjoyment and immense time. Outstanding human beings. Wish I'd had the chance to hear Oscar play.

[@santih5043]

What a terrific interview. These guys were true masters of both their art and humanity.

[@randybailin4902]

Count Basie was so cool. During performances he used to be playing away while reading the racing form.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

Well he sure had enough time. Basie always played the _least_ piano!

[@markhodgkinson6649]

I saw Peterson play solo piano twice in England and also the Basie Orchestra twice too. Basie was a great band leader and of course he played swing and his band was amazing, and he was a showman. Peterson’s facility was as close to Art’s as makes no difference. Oscar may even have been a more rounded musician, but technically Tatum could do things nobody has yet manager to replicate. Doubters should try listening to various examples of him playing Elegy. It’s impossible not to feel awake at the mastery and brilliance. I so wish Tatum had not died so young. You listen to his records and realise what an astonishing technique he possessed and why he did intimidate even the great Oscar Peterson. If only Tatum had been born 30 years later when his kidney failure might have been treated and he could have lived longer. Tatum was an incredible player and from all accounts an amazingly decent bloke as well. He will never be forgotten.

[@trimntim]

That was soooo cool! I could have watched them for another hour! Anyone's love for Art Tatum is very well placed!!!

[@warrendoris9669]

trimntim For real! Game recognize game! Or as they say in Igboland HE WHO PAYS RESPECT TO GREAT PAVES THE WAY TO HIS OWN GREATNESS.

[@jayclarke9611]

Arts the Babe Ruth of solo jazz piano.

[@Sonic_Egg]

I watch the old Oscar Peterson interviews every 6-12 months and enjoy them just as much every time!

[@alandale581]

This is so beautiful. Thank God there were producers who felt that such content as this was worth televising and preserving. Thanks for posting.

[@stedebassett1523]

Art Tatum be in here man...that's gangster....

[@leonardschofield9913]

😆 old school warnings

[@veronicahislop8363]

We are so lucky to have these interviews with these two great geniuses of jazz

[@tonya5468]

I don't understand music well enough to shine these men's shoes but not only is it obvious that they are giants musically and intellectually but also that they are wonderfully humane.

[@warrendoris9669]

I love how all the greats have nothing but respect and admiration for each other! Take note haterz! 🎃

[@BirdYoumans]

When I watch these guys talk about Tatum with such respect, I love it. And these guys are arguably two of the best, and yet, there was Tatum who indeed was one of a kind. First time I heard him my jaw just dropped. On the other hand, 'bout the time I had picked my jaw up I heard Peterson and it dropped again. Don't know if I ever found it after that lol! So I've been jawless ever since. It humbles you if you think you can play piano. Les Paul said he was playing piano in groups until he heard Tatum. He said the first night he heard him he quit piano right than and concentrated on guitar from then on. Of course, the rest is history as they say in that regard as well. Us wannabees just have to sit and enjoy it.

[@cowboybob7093]

Right at the beginning, 0:00 he mentions a name I don't recognize "Matthew Vartizen?" Any ideas? Searching for variants had nothing but cold leads for me. The link in the description here to the whole clip is a dead end.

[@MrsWilliamTheBloody]

God I love Basie. Such a shit-stirrer and so sarcastic, yet still so loving.

[@BREN248]

Basie is soooo funny! This is amazing!

[@postatility9703]

Two absolute first-class musicians and, just as importantly,gentlemen whose work far surpassed their egos.Great video!

[@TimNelson]

If the Internet was invented for anything, just anything, THIS interview would be the one THING.

[@williamgregory1848]

“Art Tatum used to literally intimidate pianists.” That’s true. Many pianists attempted to copy him; others questioned their own skills after encountering him, and some even switched instruments in response to hearing him play. Art Tatum was *that* good of a pianist.

[@marcorval]

Yeah I read that Les Paul switched from piano to guitar after hearing Art.

[@DanielSmith-ee6gm]

I heard a story when Oscar heard Art for the first time on a record he said, “ Man those guys sound great!”

[@bigPianist99]

3:59 and following is the classiest "rekt" in history

[@brucekuehn4031]

This is so wonderful - reminiscing about a time gone by. Wow - where are we now? They are talking about friendly competition and pushing each other, driving each other to new achievements - to new heights in their own playing. Today the bar is so low - so sad. Can you imagine that night Basie is talking about? Artie Shaw playing with Tommy Dorsey and then add Art Tatum? What could that have been like?

[@baalatzvuv]

Precious. Thank you.

[@superloose5632]

Thank goodness for technology, to forever witness two icons intimately speaking casually, candidly and hilariously about another maestro. Oscar: “you just can’t voluntarily hate someone.” Basie:”I can... !” LOL. Wonderful thankyou for posting.

[@WildBillCox13]

What a pleasure to hear two greats pick each other's brains about a man who might just be the greatest pianist ever born. I feel that way about Art, too . . . and Oscar, Basie, Cole, Evans . . . all kinds of guys . . . (sigh). I'll never be allowed to play in the same halls, but, at my best, I can get close enough to smell the ivory burning.

[@33uptempo]

Oh, man.....I stumble on great stuff like this on youtube and there goes my whole day!

[@warrendoris9669]

Wow. As awesome as both of them are the respect and admiration for Mr Tatum is palpable. Classy.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

A jam session of Art Tatum, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. Damn.

[@CortezBurt]

RIGHT!!!!

[@ShelbyBryant]

I love Count Basie's minimalism & clean style

[@777jones]

Young people: these are real men of accomplishment. Masters at what they did. Humble and dignified.

[@eddiebills6569]

Art Tatum- piano God.

[@singlesideman]

This is insanely perfect. Just more yes...

[@jpjpjp453]

This is pure gold.

[@Warstub]

I loved this interview. Thanks for uploading :-)

[@SamIAm-kz4hg]

Holy crap. I didn't read the title right. And then the camera is on Count Basie. Two of the very best.

[@ernietollar407]

As we get better we become increasingly humble.. I'll never be that humble. Love these gents.

[@skierpage]

Sometimes. The whole point of this interview is they were humbled by Art Tatum, who wasn't humble. He enjoyed and supported other musicians but he still ended up terrifying and "destroying" them and "wasting" the piano! Also Miles Davis didn't seem humble...

[@y34r]

This video is priceless, ty for uploading

[@leemarvin2991]

I'm used to hearing these wonderful musician's play. This is the first time that I've heard them speak in a conversation. It adds some perspective.

[@joe-e-geo]

Precious. F!cking precious. Smithsonian Institution: please preserve this for all of eternity, for the betterment of mankind, and for the promotion of peace. All musicians and music lovers: Enjoy yourself. Enjoy others. Enjoy.

[@marblemanda]

Oh please we need more!

[@TheRomeerome]

Thank you Emile for this post

[@MrRea112]

Basie defines cool because he’s the very embodiment of it

[@lettyguerra371]

Count Basie was as cool as a summer breeze!

[@darrylschultz6479]

@@lettyguerra371 W-W-W-WHUTT??!! Summer breezes are hot. Like, it's summer! You know-90°F(32°C) and up!!

[@mikedeveau7075]

That was wonderful. Thank you.

[@doctorgarbonzo2525]

The great Vladimir Horowitz once said that if Art Tatum has decided on playing Classical instead on swing & Jazz that he would have quit playing altogether!

[@johnbishop5316]

There is a story too about some pianist saying "It's a good job he's black or we'd be out of work."

[@vova47]

Doctor Garbonzo - You are full of crap! Horowitz never said that and NOBODY would have made him quit. Instead, everybody was in awe of HIM, including Tatum and THAT is well documented contrary to your story.

[@johnbishop5316]

@@vova47 There is a story about Art and Horowitz. It is convincingly conveyed on here by Andre Previn if you check out the 70s BBC programmes on here featuring Oscar and Andre. BTW, I doubt that using Anglo Saxon rather coarse words ever made anyone sound more convincingly correct. Try more words of Romance origins. They sound far nicer. And there is no need to SHOUT some words out. It just reflects your frustration at being inarticulate.

[@Dubickimus]

@@vova47 obviously the phrase "I will quit if..." is used with tongue in cheek.

[@RockSpoon123]

@@vova47 There is a story of Horowitz with that. There's also the case of Les Paul who switched to guitar from piano after hearing Art Tatum's album!

[@MrKeys57]

Oscar was never old, he had the joyful spirit of a child!

[@richardadamson8312]

Thank you, Emile.

[@martinplatt5928]

Incredible interview...just incredible. I love them both.

[@andyhudgins9443]

What a treasure of a recording. Thank you to someone.

[@joelhenderson4450]

Everyone should be so lucky to find that relationship that Oscar found with Art Tatum.

[@philpryor7524]

This is rare, excellent, much needed. If only we had such as Bach and Handel conversing, or Vincent and Picasso, or Dickens and Shakespeare, or Dylan Thomas and Blake. But, it cannot happen, and has not happened, Luckily, we have some correspondence of Freud and Einstein, especially on war and its possible prevention. We long for pure truth and will happily take explanation and anecdote, like this humorous and joyous talk.

[@artherladett442]

Always glad to see comments from humanists and lovers of wisdom. peace be with you brother

[@philpryor7524]

After a few years, it still is a wonderful, humorous, entertaining, informative, memorable conversation.

[@zivaray]

Beautiful conversation

[@terrybader8595]

You can feel the love/admiration Peterson has for the Count.

[@StrategicWealthLLC]

Thanks Emile. Wonderful conversation.

[@podgesaxpiano]

What a wonderful video, thank you for sharing.

[@martinplatt5928]

Probably the most wonderful interviewer.....interviewing Mr Basie.....doesn't get any better. Fantastic.

[@johnniepaul685]

Wow!! what a wonderful conversation by two musical geniuses about god sitting at the piano. lol! Thanks for sharing.

[@manabozho]

Marian McPartland described a wealthy jazz fan's home where she'd go from Tatum's gigs to after-parties. She said Art, who was blind, would get a cabbie to stop and pick up a couple of cases of beer on the way to the party. He'd sit at the piano playing and drinking beer until the sun came up.

[@fifthbusiness1678]

Great story, thanks! Tatum was the man.

[@seventhwaves]

wow im in awe in a lost for words beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@louispearson8306]

wow.. what a golden piece of footage, two greats hear talking, im enchanted by how informative real and humorous this exchange was

[@Bird_Coltrane_Monk_Dizzy1113]

Thank you Thank you Thank you for posting this. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@rufffamily9439]

I could just listen to them talk. such good humor and genuine nature.

[@timjester8555]

" I just had to ignore him.....and much as you can ignore .....Death." The ultimate compliment from the greatest jazz pianist of my time.

[@dennispearson9287]

This Interview Is Priceless !!!.....

[@genedanes3505]

Oscar is infectious in so many ways. What a talent and what an infectious smile and laugh

[@oughtssought1198]

what a treat this is thank you

[@ericw751]

This is precious!

[@FAlex-gj5uq]

"When I get through, you can have it." LOL!

[@coulombedon]

7:00 when Basie salutes the playing of Tatum I literally cried

[@barracuda7018]

Two icons together....

[@CaesarDarias]

Great conversation. And so much fun.

[@mrbeedoze]

I just adore these LEGENDS..

[@jefolson6989]

Met Count Basie in Kansas City after his birthday concert. He was staying at the hotel I worked at. He was surprised someone my age knew who he.was. He gave me a cigar. Must have been 1980 or 81.

[@FAngus-ly8lk]

Peterson has an innate modesty about him that is so appealing. This exchange with Basie confirms for me what I have seen in every conversation and interview with OP on KZbin. He was a giant talent who possessed the gift of being unaffected by ego or pretension. He knew his worth as an artist, but he remained at heart a student of his instrument and of Jazz. It's a pleasure to see the respect and enthusiasm - the sheer joy - he took from what he did.

[@hayleycomet8029]

What an amazing conversation about Tatum :D

[@garufimusicgroup4318]

Awesome interview 😎👌

[@coastrider9673]

Great men from a great era. And Tatum, untrained, half blind, little recognition and less money, marginal health, and short lived - all that, and he stands alone, unmatched, cannot be bested, the greatest piano playing genius of all time. Martha Argerich a very close second, and best of all time in her genre. Both in another universe light years ahead.

[@bblegacy]

I would LOVE to see this entire conversation between these two GIANTS of music.

[@rbgreatestunknownartists9611]

I love this!!!!!!!

[@lettyguerra371]

Two greats discussing a great from an era that has no equal. We will never see this again.

[@maurizioghezzer4302]

Mi dispiace non capire, adoro questi musicisti !

[@frankbubble2922]

Excellent 👍

[@1099231]

I love this

[@chopperdeath]

This is fantastic.

[@abevillanueva1974]

Oscar and Count...love not only their music but their stories..and they had the BIGGEST smile!!!

[@rolandgerard6064]

Great musicians....awesome

[@Gifiti]

That was spectacular. Would love the whole thing if possible

[@MultiDansk8]

I agree with most of you. I can't help but smile.