Search - Fats Waller :: Definitive - His Rhythm His Piano

Definitive Fats

B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 04/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For once the title of the CD is not hype - this IS definitive Fats Waller.These two discs are made up primarily of the recordings from two mammoth sessions in 1934 and 1939 which Waller undertook to produce a set of discs on mini-radio programmes which stations could use to fill up the time.The 1934 Associated Session is split between discs one (tracks one to seven) and disc two (tracks one to twenty four) and finds Waller at the peak of his powers. Four of the disc one tracks feature Waller with clarinetist Rudy Powell, but the rest of the session is solo Waller, piano and voice. He runs effortlesly through his greatest hits plus some popular songs of the day. Generally he sings in a more restrained way than on many of the Rhythm sides, although "Where Were You on the Night of June 3rd?" is a wonderful comic song. Waller's piano playing is magnificent throughout, if not up to the standard of his teacher, James P. Johnson. Hughes Pannasie felt that these were the only Waller recordings which resembled Fats live.The 1939 tracks feature Waller and his Rhythm (disc one, tracks 8 - 25), in excellent sound quality, and provide an interesting contrast with performances of the same pieces for RCA. Tracks 26 - 30 are solos, with Walller sounding a little worse for wear at points.Disc two is topped up with a number of miscellaneous Waller radio broadcasts: two ebullient tracks from Bluefield Virginia, two restrained tracks from London and a breakneck "Hallalujah" from the George Jessel show.The 1939 tracks are fine, and solo Waller is always worth hearing. What makes this disc an essential purchase for fans of Waller & stride piano is the 1934 tracks: these 31 pieces show Waller at his finest. This IS, in fact, the definitive Waller."

Not Definative, but a Delight none-the-less.

Tom | Palatine, IL USA | 02/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Two great discs, wonderfully remastered for CD. If I have read the liner notes correctly, the first disc is a collection of Fats brilliant radio work, nicely demonstrating his awesome talent to fill air time between shows. Apparently, Fats could be told (live!) that he has 2:03 to fill, and would do just that precisely...and entertainingly.There seems to be no genre of music existant at that time that Fats could not roll comfortably into.This is a charming and addictive collection of music from one of the first true piano entertainers.Other discs, such as "Let's Pretend There's a Moon" are probably more "definative" or at least represenative of Fats' typical work, but this disc is so much fun anyone who loves great piano would enjoy it."

Walk it on out

Thomas J. Bradley | Guilderland, NY United States | 08/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know if this is definitive (I was absent the day the word was defined in school) but it surely good. The quality is amazingly good for being over seventy years old.



I'd never heard "After You're gone" or "Sweet Sue" and was haunted by both because, you see, Fats singing tends to haunt me, as I am sure it will you.



Do you agree?



Well answer my question.



When you're not happy, play this and you will be.



Now a comment on the man, "his momma's 280 pounds of jam, jive and everything." What a giant in every way. When he died on a train, Louis Armstrong said "Maybe if we close our eyes and think he's not gone he won't be."



I close my eyes every day and think that. What a loss.



But what a gain by releasing new, good quality recordings like this."