Thomas
« Fats » Waller was one of the greatest
personalities of
jazz. He was James
P. Johnson’s pupil but
quickly exceeded him in
notability and technique. The perfection of his "phrasé", the
originality of his game, his "swing", seem naturally obvious. He not
only was an unrivalled pianist. he also was a singer, a conductor, an
abounding successful composer and a great entertainer. An iron left
hand
supported a solid rhythmic, boldness, imagination and strange sounds
that we can often hear over « riffs » weaved in
the keyboard. Here is
what characterizes the spontaneity and exuberance of this big fellow,a
unique person and one of the finest musician in the history of
jazz music.
When You And I Where
Young, Maggie (1939)
The
young Fats was first drawn to music by listening
to the organ in his local church, his father being a clergyman. He
hence learnt to play the organ at a very early age and it was in
mastering such a complex musical instrument that he was subsequently
able to develop a strong command of the piano. He in fact remained very
fond of the organ for the rest of his life and was the first person to
use one in jazz sessions.
His
mother died when he was sixteen and he began to live to James P. Johnson,
a great figure of music in Harlem who will give him strong piano
lessons. However, this hard period of his life will be a trauma for
Fats and he will always have an ambiguous personnality, both joyful and
sometimes really depressed.
St.
Louis Blues (organ, 1926)
His first recording
session took place in 1922, when he was only
18 years old. He recorded Muscle
Shoals Blues and Birmingham
Blues, these
constituting his first solo piano pieces.
His relaxed technique and artistry already showed how he was “at home”
in the recording studio.
Subsequently,
but
before
becoming famous, Fats worked with
various blues singers (like Caroline
Johnson and Sara Martin)
and
produced a number
of piano “rolls”, a popular
way of listening to music in those days before
records came on the scene.
In the meantime, he began to enter in Harlem night live and play
in
'rent parties', organized by pianists in thiere own appartments to pay
their rents.
His
meeting with the lyricist Andy Razaf
will be decisive, and they will form a prolific duet in songs
composition. During the first years of their collaboration, they often
sold for almost nothing, songs wich would become
great hits. Today, many popular songs are supposed to be
Fats' composition.
You
Get
Mad (with
Rose Henderson - 1924)
His fame is growing but,
however Fats slowly deserts
the rent-parties to animate millionaires' evening parties. However, he
wouldn't worry about money and would play just for enjoyment and free
alcohol. He often left parties surrounded
by enthousiastic people
and sometimes a good cigar.
In
the
20’s, piano records had a great success although this instrument
was difficult to record. Fats was therefore able to record a lot in
1929. These recording sessions include some original compositions among
the most famous of the pianist. : or Handful of Keys,
Sweet Savannah Sue,
Smashing Thirds, Valentine StompNumb
Fumblin’.
During
the years of crisis, Fats recorded few pieces : two piano duets
with Bennie
Payne (who will become Cab Calloway’pianist) in 1930 and two solos in
1931, I’m
Crazy ‘Bout My Baby
and Draggin’
My Heart Around
where he sings for the first time. He also played with some popular
bands :
I
Would
Do
Anything For You (& 'Billy Banks Rhythm Makers', 1932)
In
1934, while he was playing the clown on the piano in a party organized
by Gershwin, a member of the Victor Studios noticed him. Fats signed a
contract and then recorded till the end of his life with these studios.
In the same year, he formed an orchestra with 5 or 6 musicians, Fats
Waller & His
Rythm.
They were a huge success. Thanks to his vigorous activity he was a very
good conductor. He appeared until the end of his life with the same
group and recorded more than 400 pieces.
All My Life (Fats
Waller
& His Rhythm, 1936)
Latch On (Fats
Waller & His Rhythm,1938)
Fats
Waller & His Rhythm maybe in 1938
Thanks to the
radio, Fats became a star. He was one of the first jazz musicians to
use this mass media and one of the first Afro-Americans to have a
regular radio show. The public loved him because he was a great
entertainer with great spontaneity. From 1935 he performed in a lot of
radio shows.
Go
Down
Moses (1941)
Whilst
alive, although being
much appreciated by the public, Fats
Waller was often seen more as a joker and an entertainer than a real
jazz
musician. This was always somewhat
upsetting to him. However, we can see through his many recordings that
he could
be very serious and was an inspired and talented musician who created
some
beautiful pieces of poetic music.
To A
Wild Rose / Don't
Get Round Much Anymore (1943)
