Search - Fats Waller :: 1935 Transcriptions

Essential Stride

B. D. Tutt | London, UK. | 10/11/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This disc collects for the first time on one CD all 31 radio transcription tracks recorded by Fats Waller for Associated in 1935. This session found Waller at the peak of his powers. Four of the 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 - listen to his relaxed solo performance of "Honeysuckle Rose", very different to his 1941 RCA recording, his beautiful rendition of "Feeling I'm Falling", a frenetic "Handful of Keys" or the lively stride of "California Here I Come", Waller's only recording of this piece.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 he didn't record elsewhere. Waller's piano playing is magnificent throughout, if not up to the standard of his teacher, James P. Johnson. Hughes Panassie felt that these were the only Waller recordings which resembled Fats live, and they certainly show a rather more intimate side of Fats than that at the forefront in the far better known RCA "Rhythm" tracks.Naxos is to be congratulated for issuing these tracks at such a bargain price. These 31 pieces show Waller at his finest, and are an essential purchase for all lovers of stride piano"

Nice.

Tom | Palatine, IL USA | 10/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apart from an extraordinarily obtuse system of listing three cuts (and in one case four!) on each track, this is a great collection of some of Fats' most prollific radio work.Very clean, lots of fun. Nothing new here, but nicely mastered."