Face the Music 7/10/14

featuring Fats Waller’s London Suite

Piccadilly

Chelsea

Soho

Bond Street

Limehouse

Whitechapel

solo piano 1939

Loch Lomond

piano & vocal 1939

St. Louis Blues

Hallelujah

solo piano broadcast transcriptions 1939

Hallelujah! Things Look Rosy Now

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

You Look Good To Me

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1938

I Simply Adore You

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

Remember Who You’re Promised To

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Ain’t Misbehavin’

Fats Waller & his Continental Rhythm 1938

Abdullah

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

The Sheik of Araby

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

Black Maria

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1940

Skrontch

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

The Moon is Low, Part II
Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Face the Music 7.03.14

Fats Waller - selected gems: 1935 -1939

This broadcast will include

the only studio recording

Mr. Waller managed to make

of his lively composition, "Zonky"

Medley {solo piano} You’re the Top/

Blue, Turning Grey Over You/

Russian Fantasy

broadcast transcription recording - 1935

I Ain’t Got Nobody

piano solo 1937

Until the Real Thing Comes Along

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

You Had an Evening to Spare

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

Don’t Try Your Jive On Me

Fats Waller & his Continental Rhythm 1938

Got No Time

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Medley {solo piano} “E Flat Blues”/

Alligator Crawl / Zonky

broadcast transcription recording - 1935

Sweet and Slow

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

Squeeze Me

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

I Believe in Miracles

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

West Wind

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

When You and I Were Young, Maggie

piano & vocal 1939

Bach Up To Me

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

Step Up and Shake My Hand

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Hold My Hand

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

Face the Music 6.26.14

Keepin’ Out of Mischief Now

piano solo 1937

Bond Street

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Star Dust

piano solo 1937

Night Wind

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

Basin Street Blues

piano solo 1937

Music Maestro Please

Fats Waller & his Continental Rhythm 1938

Tea for Two

piano solo 1937

Please Keep Me in Your Dreams

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Yacht Club Swing

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1938

The Sheik of Araby

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Pent Up in a Penthouse

Fats Waller & his Continental Rhythm 1938

Tain’t What You Do It’s The Way That You Do It

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

The Moon is Low

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

A Good Man Is Hard To Find

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

Paswonky

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

Take Me Back to the Wide Open Places

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1938

Nagasaki

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

You may recall a series of programs earlier this season composed entirely of songs whose titles were Questions. This week's show is called Fats Waller: Questionable Content. Each title is a question, and it's 100% Waller, as soloist, accompanist, sideman and leader.

Face the Music 6/19/14

Fats Waller: Questionable Content!

Baby, Oh Where Can You Be? {take two}

piano solo 1929

What’s the Matter Now?

Waller accompanying Rosa Henderson 1924

Won’t You Take Me Home?

Morris’ Hot Babies 1927

What’s the Use of Being Alone?

Dunn’s Original Jazz Hounds 1928

Won’t You Get Up Off It, Please?

Fats Waller & his Buddies 1929

Whose Honey Are You?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

How Ya, Baby?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Did Anyone Ever Tell You?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Why Do I Lie to Myself About You?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

What’s The Reason I’m Not Pleasin’ You?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

What Will I Do in the Morning?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Undecided (What Are You Going To Do?)

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1939

How Can I With You In My Heart?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Am I In Another World?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Why Do Hawaiians Sing Aloha?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Gettin’ Much Lately? Ain’t Nothin’ To It

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1941

Ooh! Looka There, Ain’t She Pretty?

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1936

Oh Sister, Ain’t That Hot?

Eddie Condon & his Band 1940

Face the Music 6/12/14

Fats Waller: “Honey on the Moon”

1934 Piano Recital:

African Ripples

Clothesline Ballet

Alligator Crawl

Viper’s Drag

Fats Waller & his Rhythm:

Latch On – 1936

You’ve Got Me Under Your Thumb – 1937

Fractious Fingering – 1936

You’re My Dish – 1937

You Went to My Head – 1938

I’d Rather Call You Baby – 1937

There’s Honey on the Moon Tonight – 1938

One in a Million – 1936

Georgia May – 1934

I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed – 1935

Spring Cleaning – 1937

12^th Street Rag – 1935

Nero – 1936

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra:

I Got Rhythm - 1935

Fats Waller & his Continental Rhythm, London 1938 -

Flat Foot Floogie 

What we have here is evidence that since the first Thursday in May I've been presenting records from the 1920s and '30s featuring Thomas Fats Waller (1904-1943) as soloist, accompanist, sideman or bandleader. Waller is the artist who caused me to get involved in radio many moons ago. 

Most people who know about him think of him as a vocalist with a boisterous sense of humor who also played piano. Thomas Waller was a gifted pianist and a prolific composer as well as the first-ever jazz organist. During his short life this amazing man recorded literally hundreds of songs, and I'm sifting through them for what I think are the best of the lot.

This retrospective is planned as a summer-long weekly feature, and will eventually include material emphasizing "parallel artistry" with records by the man's many friends and followers, and the eventual theme of "songs we wish Mr. Waller had lived long enough to interpret for the people".  

Face the Music 6.05.14

Fats Waller Instrumentals

Serenade for a Wealthy Widow

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1934

I Ain’t Got Nobody {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

Boo Hoo

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

What’s The Reason? {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

The Love Bug Will Bite You If You Don’t Watch Out

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Whose Honey Are You? {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

Blue, Turning Grey Over You

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Baby Brown {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

Functionizin’

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1935

Sweet Heartache {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

San Anton’ {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

You Showed Me the Way {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Rosetta {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

In the Gloaming

Fats Waller, his Rhythm & Orchestra 1938

I’m 100% for You {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1935

I’ve Got a New Lease on Love {instrumental take}

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937

Honeysuckle Rose

extended instrumental version with vibraphone solo

by drummer Wilmore Slick Jones

Fats Waller & his Rhythm 1937