Customer Reviews

Very Best of Fats Waller

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This compilation is, in effect, a reissue of earlier Bluebird compilations; nevertheless, it is a fine selection of Thomas Waller. It's as good as the Time-Life LPs in presenting Waller, who is unfortunately dismissed as merely popular a pianist or quaint curiosity. There wasn't anyone writing popular lyrics in the 30s and 40s that had his gift for invention and for melody, to say nothing of the command of his playing and singing. And that certainly includes the Gershwins. Nor was there anyone as prolific--Fats tossed away pop masterpieces (or sold them to hacks for ready cash). What I love about him is the sense of whimsy and the mother wit and satire in the face of the purely commercial aspects of Tin Pan Alley and American racism of his time. He inverts the crass nonsense that the label foists on him and makes it his own with the irony that comes from genius beset by idiocy and the joy that comes from genius celebrating its gifts. This compilation of Bluebird material is representative, and it's a worthy introduction to one of America's musical geniuses. Despite Ken Burns' virtual dismissal, you can't get away from Fats. Just listen to Prairie Home Companion. Better yet, listen to this CD. Go find some others. Read Eudora Welty's short story called "Powerhouse." Then hear Pops play Fats.

Fats Waller was a brilliant stride pianist, fun singer, and all around great entertainer. This nicely-priced disc features a great selection of colorful, lively tunes with excellent sound quality. The recording dates range from 1929 to 1943.

The music of Fats combines astounding jazz virtuosity with a fun, swingin' mood that even the musically illiterate can enjoy. Just check out the jam-session version of Honeysuckle Rose and then the solo piano version of the same tune to witness the breadth of the man's talent. Waller was a great composer as well, and the first eleven tunes featured were either authored or co-authored by Fats. Some great jazz names show up throughout the course of the disc, including Benny Carter, Slam Stewart, Bunny Berigan, and Tommy Dorsey, and the performances within never result in anything short of pure aural joy. We are also treated to four solo pieces by Fats, played with such richness and exuberance that his piano sounds like an entire band. Not only is this a collection of important music by a true jazz giant, it also makes a great soundtrack for your hipper shindigs. Check it out.

The Clown Prince of Jazz was also a consummate stride pianist and songwriter of "Ain't Misbehavin'," ""Honeysuckle Rose," and "Your Feet's Too Big's" hilarious wordplay ("Your pedal extremities are colossal / to me you look just like an old fossil"). In "Powerhouse," a fictionalized version of Waller, Eudora Welty writes that he "played with outrageous force . . . then produced something glimmering and fragile, and smiled." Indeed: Pennies from Heaven.

As they sang in "Ain't Misbehavin", nobody else commands what I hold in these two hands. This man could PLAY! Genius in every note. And great good humor, joy in the sheer act of making great music. His band cooks, and Fats leads them on and lets them shine. A joy from start to finish. His piano variations on "Honeysuckle Rose" are in the same league as Mozart's variations. And I ain't kiddin', neither.

Fats Waller was an early pioneer of stride and waltz on the piano and created his own style. Fats helped the piano regain its popularity after ragtime lost its popularity in the early 20s, and used the basic pattern of ragtime to evolve it into stride. Ain't Misbehavin and Honeysuckle Rose or some of his most famous popular hits. I felt this CD has the best variety of Fats style and personality, as Fats would sing to accompany his playing. Fats included humor and sarcasm in his songs, which added to the depth of his songs and further expanded his style. Fats was also an early pioneer of the Hammond organ and one of the first performers to record on it, as seen on Jitterbug Waltz. Fats is probably one of the most well rounded and skilled pianists of the 20th century, and is up there with Gershwin and Beethoven. There is no other performer like Fats, and that is what makes his music unique.

As I write this review, there are five other 5-star reviews on the page, and all of them sum this album up beautifully. They also tell me things about Fats Waller I didn't know. I bought this album because of the song, "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter," which I had heard for years, here and there. I never knew who wrote the song, I simply knew I loved it. It was my husband (die-hard lover of golden-age jazz) who finally told me about Fats Waller.

So I bought this great sampler. I like Waller better than any other songwriter, past or present, except Hoagy Carmichael. Great songs truly are timeless, we've all heard this music performed by other artists. But it's Fats I love to hear the best, his perfect pitch, his confident style that makes it all sound so easy. Wit and virtuosity like his are rare, and I'm lucky to have this album.

If I get to heaven Fats would be one of the first people I'd look up. His music is a real joy - it always puts me in a good mood. This is one of those rare albums where every song is great!