Turn on the Heat: Fats Waller Piano Solos

Fats Waller | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (April 23, 1991)
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00000ETDC
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,729,440 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Blue Black Bottom

2. Handful of Keys

3. Numb Fumblin'

4. Ain't Misbehavin'

5. Sweet Savannah Sue

6. I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling [Take 2]

7. I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling [Take 3]

8. Love Me or Leave Me [Take 1]

9. Love Me or Leave Me [Take 3]

10. Gladyse [Take 1]

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Smashing Thirds

2. My Fate Is in Your Hands

3. Turn on the Heat

4. St. Louis Blues

5. After You've Gone

6. African Ripples

7. Clothes Line Ballet

8. Alligator Crawl

9. Viper's Drag

10. Keepin' Out of Mischief Now

See all 13 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars turn it on, April 30, 2004

By 

"antcol83" (New York City, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Turn on the Heat: Fats Waller Piano Solos (Audio CD)

It's all here...gospel feeling, the whiff of the cocktail (lounge), artistry, entertainment and the finest combination of creativity and technique in the history of Stride Piano. If Johnson and Willie the Lion are unquestionably deeper, more searching artists, Waller is the most consistent. Highpoints for me are mostly on the second disc - aficionados, go there first! ( but skip those duets - tracks 4 and 5 - trivia!). Alligator Crawl is a manneristic masterpiece, possessing ( besides "the secret of joy" ) l'air de rien...you try playing it. Those hints of Boogie - Woogie certainly bring to mind Waller's cited distain for that idiom...he only uses it as a jumping off point. If you're feelin' nerdy, try following Keepin' Out of Mischief Now with Andre Hodier's analysis in the groundbreaking book Jazz, Its Evolution and Essence. Anyway, all of the 1937 solos are definitive. For all the great music Waller recorded, it's criminal that there are only 3 solo sessions between 1934 and his death in 1943! Carolina Shout (the originally issued, better take) is more technically assured than any of the composer James P. Johnson's versions...ah, i could go on and on...Just one thing, though - ( a cavil ): mastering is better than earlier reissues on Bluebird, but it ain't all that...those of you who have never experienced a John R. T. Davies or Lionel Risler or Steven Lasker remastering job need to check them out!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accept substitutes, May 13, 2006

By 

Keith (Silver Spring, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Turn on the Heat: Fats Waller Piano Solos (Audio CD)

This disc has been deleted by RCA, and $41.97 is currently the low price asked by sellers of used copies, but the same tunes are available on Jazz Archives' "Piano Masterworks, Vols. 1 & 2" at about half that price.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest jazz pianists in history!, October 5, 2000

By 

Bob Martinez (Brooksville, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Turn on the Heat: Fats Waller Piano Solos (Audio CD)

Waller was underappreciated as a jazz pianist in his day. He was usually clowing around and the emphasis was placed more on his singing. These cuts show off his instrumental prowess and it is awesome! His playing swung delicately and intricately. He also displayed a poignant harmonic beauty to all his works. It's like trying to describe a beautiful sunset or sunrise to someone who's never seen one. You have to experience Fats' playing to truly understand it's beauty. It's easy on the nerves. Ideal for driving through the road rage of life! One CD I'll always cherish. All his classic solos (1929-1937) are here for the ages!