Tea for Two Comparison (Peterson, Costa, Tatum) 

Interesting that aliens also use a 12-tone system like we do. :) These three are not of our world, are they? Wonderful gifts they were given.

I wish the word "literally" we're better utilized. Maybe even underutilized. But thank you for glorifying support. I agree that competition is unnecessary. It is a wholly unnecessary ingredient. I am beginning to think under-utilized minds regal in the glory of it.

Tea for three, am I right? But alien tea. Probably tastes like glowing.

I don't think the perspective of some inane concept of competition between the three, literal or implied, has anything to do with this video.

Respect

Wowza! Thank you for this

White - that's probably right. Sadly.

The 3 gods of jazz. BTW, really incredible description of their 3 playing styles.

That's the order. Without Tatum there would be no Costa and no Peterson.

@@alexmourett Peterson's right hand e Peterson's left hand strongestly disagree this statement. In the 70's Peterson achieved untoucheble level in the Jazz piano dominance.

I couldn’t agree more.

The other 2 guys here are no slouches either, but hearing Art’s version last leaves little doubt about Art’s artistry and mastery stands alone. His version was the shortest of the three and taken from a scratchy old record to boot. Yet I say he delivered a gem of such exquisite musicality - the way he connects phrases, and throws in all manner of variety in a smooth seamless gesture - that he is unmatched, perhaps for all time since there’s not likely to be ever again an era like the 20th century where jazz was indisputably the champion of musical style and the piano its greatest proponent.

That's it.

If you or I had been popped out in the 1901 and walked up to Art and said: "I please want to hear you play "My Melancoly Baby". RIP Jennifer, still love you like 1940, The London Blitz destroyed my beautiful wife,60 years later. I saw a recovery on film from the embers. of London. Jen you were "To Marvelous for Words", and you wrote your last letter I received quoting this song. Tommy and Kelly though I'm 63 this life, I remember my two offsprings born in the late 20s and early 30's. I want to hug my children though they're about 30 years older than me now. Duty upon the HMS Thunderbolt as an officer, well we went to the bottom in 1943, all hands on board. Love to Tommy and Kelly, my children. We squids served, it was an honor, but the anquish in our personal lives, undescribable anquish especaillly when we lost those who'd we give everything, even our souls if our Lord approved.

2 Versions by Nat King Cole -ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OCEcDhF2LSo.html

Tim, I feel the same way. I've never heard of him til today. And I have Billy Taylor's 'jazz piano' book which to me is the definitive book on jazz piano. I don't think Costa was ever mentioned in it. I wonder why...

He was supposedly referred to as “The White Art Tatum” by Tatum himself, so apparently he had a reputation! But yea, he was always just “The Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Guy” to me too until adulthood…strange.

If this is Johnny Costa he was the pianist from Mr Rogers Neighborhood. Unfortunately jazz is like my other love, boxing, too complex and intelligent for the low IQ masses that prefer Springsteen and the Beastie Boys. Even the trivia community of which I am a part (I was a former contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire with ambitions of getting on Jeopardy) pays short shrift to the American songbook let alone the giants of Jazz. To me, even as an MIT alumni, Music in general and Jazz in particular is up there with Math and Languages as extremely high level mental activity

Oszkár egy geniusz

Agreed! I fell in love with Cost after realizing he was the pianist from Mr. Rogers!

They are all great. But they are not Liberace!!!!!!

with all due respect, liberace was classically trained and never displayed a "feel" for jazz as do these three. don't get me wrong. "lee" was a great talent, just not in this genre.

thank you for your considered comments. for me, what sets costa apart, was his incredible ability to "cue" the action of "mister rogers neighborhood", day after day, LIVE to video tape, playing both the piano and celesta. back in the day, many theatre organists were quite adept at cueing silent films. today, it is nearly a lost art. costa was a genius.

You just gotta get out of the mindset of competition. You don't compare to decide which one is "best." Each one gives you context to appreciate the other, and vice versa.

Johnny Costa was amazing on Mister Roger's Neighborhood.

#1 Costa, #2 Tatum #3 Peterson ...and I'm a huge Oscar Peterson fan!

I actually find Costa's interpretation to be very different to both Tatum's and Peterson's. You can certainly hear the French influence in his playing - impressionistic nuance, as well as a preference for a soft, graceful touch. Tatum used impressionist harmonies a lot too, but I don't think he played in a particularly Debussy-like manner.

@Numa, your evaluation is correct. Although Tatum's version presented here is not his best take on Tea for Two. There are better versions out there. And Peterson could play it in a much more sophisticated way if he really wanted. Tatum however set the pace for everyone. Both Peterson and Costa tried to emulate him to some extend, although in their own original ways.

Agreed

Well Im sure many generations of children got to really enjoy Johnny Costa!

@@sergiosaucedo5834 oh I still love John Costa

Personally I think it was Tatum who was the most underappreciated. Costa got recognition from Mr. Rogers, Oscar Peterson was Tatum's protege and achieved considerable financial & mainstream (jazz) success. (I believe Oscar hold the world record for most number of commercial recordings) Tatum was a pioneer, innovate & influencer. IMO he was about 10-15 years ahead of his time. I think there were a lot of jazz fans who couldn't fully appreciate his playing simply because their ears weren't accustomed to other wordly style. Tatum was like a machine. He was almost TOO good. Pure perfection. "tatum" is actually a musical term. "In 1993, an MIT student in the field of computational musicology coined the term "tatum", which was named in recognition of the pianist's speed. It has been defined as "the smallest time interval between successive notes in a rhythmic phrase", and "the fastest pulse present in a piece of music". Tatum's potential wasn't truly & fully appreciated until decades after his death. (like Bach, whose brilliance went unrecognized while he was alive, and wasn't fully appreciated until 2 centuries after his death) I don't think Tatum was as unappreciated while he was alive, as Bach was, but Tatum was definitely the most unappreciated of the 3 jazz gods. (Tatum, Costa, Peterson)

I like to make sure I always over appreciate him to balance the odds.

Different really not better or worse

Peterson and Tatum were both very capable of very complex riffs (not just in terms of speed). Just because they maybe didn't showcase it here doesn't mean they're not just as good if not better

@@dylanmcgaharn5676 and he didn't say that Costa is a better player than both

@@AsrielKujo actually he kind of did

There's no way to say that one of the three is better or plays more complex stuff. It depends on what day you hear them. It's subjective. Depends on which one does more for you personally. Hey is Costa the guy who was pianist for Mr. Rogers neighborhood?

For example they are each three of the greatest who ever played but as far as who I enjoy listening to more I'll take Ahmad Jamal. That's just me.

The best comment ... They all have different styles..

Yes, he completely destroyed the keyboard. Insane.

Os 3 são de um outro mundo! Incríveis! Não sei como o mr Rogers escondeu o Costa tão bem...

All other pianists? He would be nowhere near like Liszt or modern day marc andre hamelin. Volodos cziffra sokolov etc in classical

@@ciararespect4296your right he is nowhere near them in piano ability. tatum is way better then them

What's insane is that all of this is made up on the fly. It's all improvisation!

A name he was apparently given by.... Art Tatum himself!

If Costa was as good, how come people didn't say-"you're the black Costa Art!".

@@darrylschultz6479 Thatd because he wasn’t! In my mind Art Tatum was the most naturally talented and Oscar Peterson the most virtuosic of the three. I’m a jazz pianist myself. If you go listen to the version of Oscar during the early eighties NOBODY outplayed him not even Art Tatum!!

@@mrquick6775 I agree-and I'm also a jazz pianist with a love of Oscar's music for many years. Actually met him once while walking along Rundle mall in Adelaide the day after attending his show in the Festival Theatre. Was back in the late 70s. Told him I'd enjoyed his show, and asked when he'd be returning to Adelaide. He said,"maybe a year!".(Didn't happen unfortunately). He was with another tall black fellah just slowly walking along looking into shop windows. I took my chance, approached and shook hands, chat was no more than a minute-and that was that. Briefly thought of suggesting we go to the nearby Pancake Kitchen where they have a piano-just to play him a few bars to see what he thought, but thought it unlikely he'd agree, so kept that idea to myself.(Anyway, don't like big fellahs with hands the size of my head lunging for my throat 30 seconds into my performance!).But I'm glad I found the nerve to approach.

@@darrylschultz6479 Lol, yeah I heard he was a very BIG MAN!! I actually think he might have listened to you if you seemed like the type that would’ve been quick and too the point!!! 😊

The best (only?) jazz on television for years -- the last 40 seconds of Mr Rogers, when Costa took off on the theme song. Always different, always swinging, always beautiful. Tuned in every day just to the last 40.

Yes, this version here is not the most impressive.

He's the iconic jazz musician and music director of the children's show Mr. Rogers, absolutely brilliant. All 3!

You don't know, but you already do... Mister Rogers' Neighborhood... the guy behind the piano.

Johnny Costa was performing in a club and Tatum walked in and said “ good you are playing my recording “ and the host replied “ no that is Johnny Costa “ from then Tatum named Johnny “ the whit Tatum “

Listen to Costa playing “ holiday for strings “ and you will throw all other piano records away

Hahahaha! Great! He’s amazing!

lmao... But Peterson would disagree. Watch his take on Tatum online.

@@metaviewx2091 where? I've never seen Oscar Peterson do or say anything other than acknowledge how titanic Tatum is. Maybe he got drunk and said what he really thinks? OP swings better, but Art Tatum's relentless rapid reharmonization is on another level.

@@skierpage I think I misread or meant to post this elsewhere. Tatum's talent is transcendent, and I'm in agreement with your assessment. Tatum is a beast, although I am a Monk fan.

@Bob Jones Calm down genius.

@Cosmic Dissonance I'm not sure that you read Jam C.'s comment correctly. He was pointing out that the recording of Peterson was an early one and that Peterson improved with age.

@Cosmic Dissonance not all person has to be better than the ones they're criticise

@Jam C., you are correct. Peterson could do better than that, we all know this.

I found Tatum while researching Costa some years ago. Then I actually found Jazz altogether!

Autumn Leaves I agree, I am so blown away by these 3 players, but my favorite to listen to is Errol, such an intense swing

Johnny Costa is the musical director of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood if you've seen it. He played live each taping of the show. ^_^

Not a true story, but an amusing one, nevertheless. 😺

Johnny Jones two Red Bull’s for one!

8:12

La filigrana y “dexterity” de un genio!! OP faraón del caribe: orgullo de Saint Kitts y Las Islas Británicas: Dr. Oscar Peterson. Uno de los más grandes músicos y pianistas del planeta!!!

Red Bull for one...Hilarious.... Hahahaha. But true...!

Art

Have you listened to Stephanie Trick ?

There's your proof for everyone who truly is the underrated one among the three.

Classical is far better than jazz a pale copy. With a few tunes but boring after a few minutes

ragionate troppo,cercate probabilmente,come MOMIGLIANO,di fare letteratura con le vs recensioni..romanzieri mancati..ascoltate,riascoltate..e imparate a star zitti!

Bellissima citazione

This makes me want to go and formally arrange my '3 hand' version of Tea for Two that I do, which is kind of a showoff piece. Of course I'm no genius like these guys, but it's still fun to play. The real trick is to play tasty, logical and actually melodic things in the treble (not just noodling) while keeping the melody going in the left hand. It's so easy to just put junk in the right hand to show off the '3 hand' effect, but more impressive if there's real music up there. That said, I don't hear junk in these, and they are great influences, together with all the piano rolls. The Bob Zurke big band version is cool too.

i think costa plays with an extremely similar style, with better touch and some very original ideas. I'm not saying he's the best pianist, but in this case i gotta say he's got some pretty cool things going on. 6:20 to 7:00 is all crazy

how can you ignore costa? please explain...

@@Treex319 He definitely has a great touch. I don't exactly know about 'better'. You have to realize most of Mr. Tatum's famous records were made in the 1930s/40s using older electrial recording / microphone technology that does tend to cut out the highest pitches, and thus, some of the 'crispness'. The condenser mics (I think) from the 1950s onward make more of what we consider a 'high fidelity' sound. Thus, the sound of the piano is different. However, I do think that based upon his 50s recordings, Mr. Tatum had a fantastic touch and I don't hear anything lacking.

@@andrewbarrett1537 Great comment. I had a question about the overall development of the pieces. Tatum often improvised his pieces on the spot. I hadn't thought of the role recording equipment would play.

What are you saying? What you said made no sense what so ever. A jazz pianist more creative than Arthur Tatum? Can you give me the name of the drug you used.