For Sale Soon

James Tatum (James Tatum Trio Plus), Contemporary Mass on private press jttp records.  VG++/VG++ (close to NM), super clean. 

In addition to playing the jazz piano, James Tatum holds a masters in music education from the University of Michigan, and is a composer, lecturer, and lifelong educator and promoter of jazz music.  In 1987, Tatum formed the James Tatum Foundation For The Arts, which provides funding and support to Detroit area youth who are involved in music and art.  James is a true ambassador of jazz music and education who deserves as much recognition for those contributions as he does for his incredible talents as an innovative jazz pianist.

We recently found this record by him, Contemporary Jazz Mass.  The intro was comped by Jazzman, off their “Spiritual Jazz: Esoteric, Modal, and Deep Jazz From The Underground 1968-1977″.  At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this record, but I was in the right mood this evening and I really got it.  You have to concentrate, you have to be alone, and you have to really listen, and then it takes off.  It’s perfectly and painstakingly arranged, but it’s still free and features plently of improvisation.  It’s extremely sacred and serious, yet it’s still funky and spaced-out.

The back of cover explains the album well:

“…Having converted to Catholicism some ten years ago, Tatum was deeply moved by the reverence, and the impressive beauty of the music.  As he became more involved with the church, it’s parishoners, and it’s music he recognized a chance to further explore the ‘Mass’ through a jazz interpretation.  Mr. Tatum believes the ‘jazz form’ of music could add another dimension, by using instrumentation and vocals to relate emotional feelings.  In composing the Mass, he attempted to convey the amicable, harmonious feelings exhibited by his parishoners: poetry of family living and brotherly love set to music.  James Tatum was commissioned by St. Cecilia Roman Catholic Church of Detroit, Michigan to compose the mass.  The premiere performance was presented May, 1973 marking the first time in the United States that a Jazz Mass was celebrated by a Cathoic Priest from the Archdiocese of Detroit…”

I’m not sure how many of these were pressed, but it’s a pretty rare and sought after LP that we’ve never seen before.  It’s another one of those records that I hate to give up, but at least I got to enjoy it once before we have to sell it.  Check out a few samples from the album, and look for it go up for sale soon.

Intro:

Alleluia:

Offertory:

Kiss of Peace: