[…] I went there [to 'a buffet flat' where Art Tatum played after hours] and waited for Art to come.

[…]

Art arrived at two o'clock sharp. I got up from the piano and greeted him. He asked me if I was the Joe Turner who had made a reputation with a fine arrangement of "Liza". I said it was me and begged him to play piano for me. After he had refused to play before hearing me (and, of course, with Art I lost the argument), I played first "Dinah" for warmin' up and then my "Liza".

When I had finished, Art Tatum said, "Pretty good." I was offended because everywhere else I played "Liza" it was considered sensational, and there was Art saying, "Pretty good." After that Art sat down and played "Three Little Words." Three thousand words would have been an understatement! I had never heard so much piano in my life.

We became the greatest of friends after that. Art came to my home the next morning and, even before I left my bed, I heard him in the parlour play my arrangement of "Liza", note for note, after hearing it only once the night before.