Zenph Studios, Act Your Age, an album by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band

Art Tatum is Front Man in New Big Band Album "Act Your Age"

Zenph Studios collaborates with
Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band

Pianist Art Tatum was once described as "the greatest soloist in jazz history, regardless of instrument." He passed away in 1956. Now, imagine being able to collaborate with Tatum today, to have him as the front man for your big band in new arrangements and recordings. This was the dream of bandleader Gordon Goodwin, realized with his big band in their album, "Act Your Age."

2009 GRAMMY Nominations

Art Tatum was recorded anew as part of Gordon's arrangement of the song "Yesterdays, " using techniques developed by Zenph Studios. Our unique process turns audio recordings into virtual musicians, whose re-performances® precisely replicate how they played in the original recording. We capture the musical nuances of the original recording, with details about the pedal actions, volume, and articulations down to micro-second timings. This new data is played back on a state-of-the-art robotically-outfitted concert grand piano.

In September 2007, Jon Healey wrote in an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, "because of Zenph, we have a lot more useful knowledge about how Art Tatum played the piano - knowledge that could conceivably lead to a panoply of new creative works." Little did he realize how prophetic these words would become.

The song "Yesterdays" was first performed by Tatum at a live concert in Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium in 1949. Sony Masterworks and Zenph Studios went back to The Shrine in 2007 and re-recorded Tatum's playing. Our producer, Steve Epstein, and recording engineer, Richard King, placed our concert grand piano on the same stage in the same spot that Tatum played, and recorded a re-performance on modern equipment before a live audience. Gordon Goodwin hosted this September 2007 live concert, and was inspired to write a new arrangement for his Big Phat Band with Art Tatum front and center.

Meanwhile, Sony Masterworks new solo album of Art Tatum was released in June 2008, and has been enthusiastically received by the critics. "This is a crucially important release in musical history," said Stereophile magazine. JazzReview.com observed "If you buy only one solo jazz piano recording this (or any) year, make it Piano Starts Here." Tom Gibbs, in Positive Feedback Online, thought it was "nothing short of magnificent." "It's a really uncanny visceral sense that you are right there," raved John Sunier in Audiophile Audition. Gary Giddins, in JazzTimes, wrote "it blew my socks off."

About Gordon Goodwin: Having won a 2006 GRAMMY award for his instrumental arrangement of "The Incredits" from the Pixar film The Incredibles, as well as three Emmy Awards and five GRAMMY nominations, you would think that Goodwin had fulfilled his dreams and achieved all of his goals. Not by a long shot. He has yet another channel for success, as leader of L.A.'s most exciting 18-piece big band jazz ensemble, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Established in 2000, the Big Phat Band has quickly become one of the most hard-swinging large jazz ensembles, comprising L.A.'s finest musicians. It celebrates and personifies the best of the big band tradition with a contemporary and original sound. Gordon's witty and insightful arrangements propel the listener on a journey through a myriad of styles: blues, swing, classical, hard-hitting jazz, and even an homage to Looney Tunes. In addition to Art Tatum, "Act Your Age" features Patti Austin, Chick Corea, Dave Gruisin, and Lee Ritenour. For more information about Gordon Goodwin and the Big Phat Band on Immergent Records, visit www.bigphatband.com.