Customer Reviews

Fats at the Organ

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
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This album is a curiosity. It's Fats Waller piano rolls transcribed to organ. It is a fairly recent recording. The fact that these are not original recordings of Waller gets a bit lost in the somewhat misleading description of this CD on ebay, and frankly I was kind of disappointed that it wasn't Waller's original recordings. Anyone intimately familiar with this phenomenal artist knows that organ, not piano, was his first love. For a true picture of how Fats lit up an organ, try Young Fats at the Organ, Fats Waller and his Buddies and Fats in London. With all that said, the utmost care was provided on this album to remain true to the Waller touch. It is obvious that this project is a labor of love. It sure sounds like Fats. The playing is hot, undulating and subtle. Especially memorable is "Squeeze Me," his very first composition. It's just too bad that the publishers and sellers of this CD found it necessary to mislead.

Many changes in the "Stop" settings while playing, keeps the selections interesting. Shows the many voices of the organ. Same tempo during most of the selections, could have mixed in some quieter/slower for a change of pace. (Try George Wright for example.) Consequently, this CD can get tiring if used as background musik while working or doing other activities. But, since I am an organ enthusiast, I am generally happy with this CD. It plays well on by car CD.

I am a collector of unusual [read: NON-classical]Theatrical Pipe Organ recordings, and when I obtained this CD in 1988, I listened with joy at the sound of real jazz being played with real flair, on the Compton Theatre Organ by the Master himself, Fats Waller, in real stereo sound! Others on this site have commented that they wished for more variation in dynamics and tempo, ala George Wright- but they don't realize that Fats and Mr. Wright were 2 different animals! Fat's keyboard style was not unlike that of George Gershwin, who gave Fats his start in the record business- both performers tended towards "fast and furious" playing - romping and striding through their musical numbers- it wasn't really their style to play in a more modern vein, ala George Wright - they were musicians of their time, the 1930s. That said, listening to this recording on its own terms, is a treat for the ears and a tonic for the ol' gray matter. The producers very cleverly managed to pull off a real "rabbit out of the hat trick," pulling Fats Waller out of the old hat of the past, and into the modern age of High Fidelity Sound. I want Organ fans everywhere to give this disc a proper listen!

This album is, apparently, the only one of Fats Waller's distinctive organ work. It is, simply, a MUST OWN for anyone who considers themselves more than a passing fan. Fats amazing left hand work is certainly better represented on this instrument then the 88s and if you know Fats, you know what I mean. I have owned "Fats at the Organ" on vinyl (borrowed-never returned) and disc (2 discs, stolen - by ppl who were in my home and were as taken by it as I was. So taken, they took them) and consider these recordings to be among my all-time favorite. These recordings are of piano rolls which were made live by Fats, then modified to control the organ registers and from what I understand, the organ used is the sister to the very one Fats himself played. It's possible that these tracks are as close as one will come to hearing a recording of him playing live. It is well-known to "Fatsophiles" that the piano fed his bank account but the organ fed his soul and this recording certainly feeds mine. I would love to know if there are any other recordings of his organ music but I wonder if they will be as good as this.

ALTHO THE RECORDING IS OF EXCELLENT QUALITY , I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT HAD I KNOWN THAT IT WAS RECORDED FROM GINKED UP PIANO ROLLS. I THOUGHT IT WAS REMASTERED 78'S WHICH GIVE A TRUE PICTURE OF HIS ORGAN TECHNIQUE.

THE SERVICE FROM THE VENDOR WAS.HOWEVER.EXCELLENT.

Most people know of Fats Waller as a piano player. However, he first started out on a church organ. This is a great collection of his Organ works. Definitely worth having!