Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Face the Music 5.30.13  Fats Waller - chapter V

The fifth installment in your extended tour of Fats Waller’s humongous recorded output finds Mr. Waller on the cusp of two fully loaded decades. The playlist contains recordings from the years 1929-1932; note that Waller didn't begin recording as leader of his famous Victor/Bluebird "Rhythm” band until 1934. In addition to several tasty piano solos, (one of which indicates where he was heading as a vocalist) this playlist traces Tom Waller’s peregrinations as sideman & featured “character” in Billy Banks’ Rhythmakers, Red McKenzie’s Mound City Blue Blowers and the jazz band/orchestras of piano wizard Jimmy Johnson, vaudevillian Ted Lewis & trombone ace Jack Teagarden. All of this manifests as an exciting prologue to Waller’s better-known and well-loved material from the middle 1930s.



Draggin’ My Heart Around
Fats Waller piano & vocal 1931

I’m Crazy ‘Bout My Baby
Fats Waller with the Ted Lewis Orchestra 1931

That’s What I Like About You
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Dallas Blues
Fats Waller with the Ted Lewis Orchestra 1931

I Got the Ritz from the One I Love
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Valentine Stomp
Fats Waller piano solo 1929

Chances Are
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Egyptian Ella
Fats Waller with the Ted Lewis Orchestra 1931

Mean Old Bedbug Blues
Fats Waller with Billy Banks’ Rhythmakers 1932

Royal Garden Blues
Fats Waller with the Ted Lewis Orchestra 1931

I Would Do Anything For You
Fats Waller with Billy Banks’ Rhythmakers 1932

You Rascal You
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Yellow Dog Blues
Fats Waller with Billy Banks’ Rhythmakers 1932

Arkansas Blues
Fats Waller with Red McKenzie’s
Mound City Blue Blowers 1931

China Boy
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Turn On the Heat
Fats Waller piano solo 1929

You’ve Got to be Modernistic
Fats Waller with Jimmy Johnson
& his Orchestra 1929
vocal by the Keep Shufflin’ Trio

Tiger Rag
Fats Waller with Jack Teagarden & his Orchestra 1931

Wednesday, May 22, 2013


Face the Music
5.23.13
Fats Waller IV

This installment focuses exclusively on the year 1929. The playlist includes Thomas Waller’s first recordings as leader of his own groups, his historic collaborations with Don Redman and McKinney’s Cotton Pickers, an orchestra led by his mentor James P. Johnson and a fine ensemble billed as the Chocolate Dandies. A piano solo and a pipe organ solo were added in order to round out this portrait of young Fats Waller.

Ridin’ But Walkin’
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929

Harlem Fuss
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929

Gee, Ain’t I Good To You?
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929
vocal by Don Redman

Six or Seven Times
The Chocolate Dandies 1929

That’s All
Pipe Organ Solo 1929

Looking For Another Sweetie
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929
vocal by Orlando Roberson
{shortly afterwards, this song was hijacked &
retooled as “I’m Confessin’ That I Love You”}

Waiting At the End of the Road
piano solo 1929

The Way I Feel Today
The Chocolate Dandies 1929

That’s How I Feel Today
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929
vocal by Don Redman

Wherever There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929
vocal by Don Redman

I Need Someone Like You
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929
vocal by the Four Wanderers

I’d Love It
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929

Lookin’ Good But Feelin’ Bad
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929
vocal by the Four Wanderers

Peggy
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929

Won’t You Get Up Off It Please?
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929

You Don’t Understand
Jimmy Johnson’s Orchestra 1929
vocal by the Keep Shufflin’ Trio

Minor Drag
Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929

Plain Dirt
Mc Kinney’s Cotton Pickers 1929


Tuesday, May 14, 2013


potentials & probabilities
Face the Music 5.16.13
Fats Waller III

Please Take Me Out of Jail
Thomas Waller
with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

Fats Waller Stomp
Thomas Waller
with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

Won’t You Take Me Home
Thomas Waller
with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

Sweet Savannah Sue
piano solo 1929

Beale Street Blues
accompanying Alberta Hunter
on the pipe organ, 1927

Willow Tree
Louisiana Sugar Babes 1928

I’m Goin’ to See My Ma
accompanying Alberta Hunter
on the pipe organ, 1927

‘Sippi
Louisiana Sugar Babes 1928

Sloppy Water Blues
pipe organ solo 1927

Love Me or Leave Me
piano solo 1929

Handful of Keys
piano solo 1929

What’s the Use of Being Alone?
Dunn’s Original Jazz Hounds 1928

Dunn's Original Bugle Blues
Dunn’s Original Jazz Hounds 1928

Ain’t Misbehavin’
piano solo 1929

Thou Swell
Louisiana Sugar Babes 1928

Persian Rug
Louisiana Sugar Babes 1928

Chicago Blues
Jimmy Johnson & his Orchestra 1928

Mournful Tho’ts
Jimmy Johnson & his Orchestra 1928

Tuesday, May 7, 2013


Face the Music 5.09.13 Fats Waller II

Do It Mr. So and So
player piano roll 1924

You Get Mad
vocal by Rosa Henderson 1926

Loveless Love
pipe organ solo 1927

Cryin’ For My Used To Be
duo player piano roll
with James P. Johnson 1927

What’s the Matter Now?
vocal by Rosa Henderson 1926

Blue Black Bottom Stomp
piano solo 1927

Henderson Stomp
Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra 1926

Whiteman Stomp
Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra 1927

The Chant
Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra 1926

I’m Coming Virginia
Fletcher Henderson’s Orchestra 1927

Sugar
vocal Alberta Hunter 1927

Numb Fumblin’
piano solo 1929

Red Hot Dan
{Waller’s first recorded vocal!}
Thomas Waller with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

Savannah Blues
Thomas Waller with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

He’s Gone Away
Thomas Waller with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927

Beale Street Blues
pipe organ solo 1927

Geechee
Thomas Waller with Morris’s Hot Babies 1927



Thursday, May 2, 2013


Face the Music 5.02.13
Fats Waller part 1  
Young Fats in the Twenties

Muscle Shoals Blues
piano solo 1922

Birmingham Blues
piano solo 1922

Haitian Blues
player piano roll 1923

T’aint Nobody’s Bus’ness If I Do
vocal by Sara Martin 1922

St. Louis Blues
pipe organ solo 1926

Stingaree Blues
vocal by Alberta Hunter 1923

Lenox Avenue Blues
pipe organ solo 1926

Your Time Now
{‘Twill Be Mine After a While}
player piano roll 1923

Sister Kate
vocal by Anna Jones 1923

What Do You Know About That?
vocals by Clarence Williams & Joe Sims 1927

I’m Cert’ny Gonna See About That
vocals by Clarence Williams & Sara Martin 1923

Shut Your Mouth
vocals by Clarence Williams & Joe Sims 1927

Soothin’ Syrup Stomp
pipe organ solo 1927

Squabbling Blues
vocals by Clarence Williams & Sara Martin 1923

In Harlem’s Araby
vocal by Porter Grainger 1924

You Don’t Know My Mind Blues
Jamaica Jazzers 1924

West Indies Blues
Jamaica Jazzers 1924

Wild Cat Blues
player piano roll 1928