Waller,Fats Complete Recorded Works 1 CD

Thomas 'Fats' Waller was born in New York in 1904. His musical talents were obvious early - as was his charm - aged six, Fats talked his way into unlimited access to a neighbor's piano. His older brother Bob persuaded the family to buy their own instrument. Fats was sent to lessons, but soon dropped out - he could learn a tune simply by watching his teacher play it. It was at school that Fats first sensed the fun of playing to an audience. He found that he could easily work a crowd into a frenzy of stamping and clapping with a combination of humorous asides, knowing winks and artistry. By Fats' fourteenth birthday it was obvious that his destiny lay in music. He quit school so that he could get a job to finance piano lessons. Before long, he gravitated to a food delivery company that specialised in the discreet supply of booze. This gave him an entree into Harlem's clubs, where he was able to watch piano idols like James P Johnson. Fats inveigled himself into the Lincoln movie theatre. He sat in for both the pianist who accompanied the movies and the intermission organist. When the organist fell sick, Fats - then 15 - stepped in. Soon after, he was offered the job permanently. In 1920 Fats met James P Johnson who recognised the young man's talent. Johnson coached Fats, introduced him to the jazz fraternity and got him gigs. By the time the first two tracks here were cut, Fats had married. The producer on the session had brought the sheet music for Muscle Shoals Blues to the studio - so this might have been the first time Fats had seen it. Already the mature artist is on display. Fats was asked to improvise a B-side. Birmingham Blues was the result. Not a bad morning's work. Thus started a career in entertainment, which almost never faltered. Fats himself was in a continuous state of forward motion, his energy undimmed until shortly before the end. But that's the future. In the meantime we have a heap of supremely entertaining music to enjoy.

1. Muscle Shoals Blues 2. Birmingham Blues 3. 'Taint Nobody's Bus'ness If I Do 4. You Got Ev'rything a Sweet Mama Needs But Me 5. Mama's Got the Blues 6. Last Go Round Blues 7. Stingaree Blues 8. You Can't Do What My Last Man Did 9. Sister Kate 10. You Can't Do What My Last Man Did 11. Trixie Blues 12. I'm Cert'NY Gonna See 'Bout That 13. Squabbling Blues 14. In Harlem's Araby 15. You Don't Know My Mind Blues 16. West Indies Blues 17. Maybe Someday 18. (I'm Gonna See You) When Your Troubles Are Just Like Mine 19. You Get Mad 20. What's the Matter Now? 21. Nobody Knows de Trouble I See 22. Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray 23. Ain't Got Nobody to Grind Ma Coffee 24. Mama's Losin' a Mighty Good Chance 25. The Henderson Stomp 26. The Chant 27. St Louis Blues 28. Lenox Avenue Blues 29. What Do You Know About That 30. Shut Your Mouth 31. Soothin' Syrup Stomp 32. Sloppy Water Blues 33. Loveless Love 34. Messin' Around with the Blues 35. The Rusty Pail 36. Stompin' the Bug 37. Hog-Maw Stomp 38. Blue Black Bottom Stomp 39. Whiteman Stomp 40. I'm Coming Virginia 41. Preach the Word 42. I'll Just Stand and Ring My Hands and Cry 43. True Friendship 44. The Christians' Trouble Is Ended 45. Sugar 46. Sugar 47. Beale Street Blues 48. Beale Street Blues 49. I'm Going to See My Ma 50. 'Fats' Waller Stomp 51. Savannah Blues 52. Won't You Take Me Home 53. My Old Daddy's Got a Brand New Way to Love 54. Anything That Happens Just Pleases Me 55. I've Got the Joogie Blues 56. Florence 57. Gone But Not Forgotten 58. You Live on in Memory 59. Bye-Bye Florence 60. He's Gone Away 61. I Ain't Got Nobody 62. The Digah's Stomp 63. Red Hot Dan 64. Geechee 65. Please Take Me Out of Jail 66. Back in Your Own Back Yard 67. Nobody Knows How Much I Love You 68. What's the Use of Being Alone? 69. Original Blues 70. Willow Tree 71. 'Sippi 72. Thou Swell 73. Persian Rug 74. Chicago Blues 75. Mournful Tho'ts 76. You Can't Do What My Last Man Did 77. Trixie Blues 78. St Louis Blues 79. What Do You Know About That 80. Shut Your Mouth 81. Soothin' Syrup Stomp 82. Sloppy Water 83. Messin' Around with the Blues 84. The Rusty Pail 85. Stompin' the Bug 86. Hog-Maw Stomp 87. 'Fats' Waller Stomp 88. Savannah Blues 89. Won't You Take Me Home 90. My Old Daddy's Got a Brand New Way to Love 91. Anything That Happens Just Pleases Me 92. I've Got the Joogie Blues 93. He's Gone Away 94. The Digah's Stomp 95. Red Hot Dan 96. Geechee 97. Please Take Me Out of Jail 98. Willow Tree 99. 'Sippi 100. Thou Swell