Une biographie de Fats Waller, écrite par Claude Carrière, illustrée par Serge Dutfoy, accompagnée de 2 compact discs. Le plus grand showman de l’histoire du jazz fut également l’un des génies du piano. Dans le grand style « stride » de Harlem, il a transcendé un répertoire qui allait de la plus banale rengaine à ses nombreuses et superbes compositions. Et ses vocaux burlesques emportaient l’adhésion de tous les publics. Fats Waller fut aussi un pionnier de l’orgue. Dans tous les domaines, il eut, sans révolution, une influence déterminante sur le cours du jazz et de ses musiciens.
CD 1 FATS WALLER - The pianist
1 CAROLINA SHOUT (Johnson) 2’40
13 May 1941, Fats Waller (p solo).
2 AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ (Waller, Brooks, Razaf) 3’59
23 Jan. 1943, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Benny Carter (tp), Slim Moore (tb), Gene Porter (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Irving Ashby (g), Slam Stewart (b), Zutty Singleton (d).
3 MOPPIN’ AND BOPPIN’ (Waller, Carter, Kirkeby) 4’22
23 Jan. 1943, same as 2.
4 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (Waller, Razaf) 3’28
13 May 1941, Fats Waller (p solo).
5 AFRICAN RIPPLES (Waller) 3’12
16 Nov. 1934, Fats Waller (p solo).
6 KEEPIN’ OUT OF MISCHIEF NOW (Waller, Razaf) 3’12
11 June 1937, Fats Waller (p solo).
7 PASWONKY (Waller) 2’37
8 June 1936, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Charles Turner (b), Arnold Bolden (d).
8 THE DARKTOWN STRUTTERS’ BALL (Brooks) 2’48
3 Nov. 1939, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Bugs Hamilton (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p), John Smith (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Slick Jones (d).
9 SQUEEZE ME (Waller, Williams, Razaf) 3’13
10 Aug. 1939, same as 8.
10 HANDFUL OF KEYS (Waller) 2’54
1 March 1929, Fats Waller (p solo).
11 NUMB FUMBLIN’ (Waller) 2’58
1 March 1929, Fats Waller (p solo).
12 VALENTINE STOMP (Waller) 3’26
2 Aug. 1929, Fats Waller (p solo).
13 SMASHIN’ THIRDS (Waller)3’12
24 Sep. 1929, Fats Waller (p solo).
14 ST. LOUIS BLUES (Handy) 2’55
17 Nov. 1926, Fats Waller (pipe organ).
15 LENOX AVENUE BLUES (Arvey, Still) 2’38
17 Nov. 1926, Fats Waller (pipe organ).
16 JITTERBUG WALTZ (Waller)3’22
16 March 1942, Fats Waller and His Orchestra, featuring Fats Waller (Hammond organ), Gene Sedric (cl), Al Casey (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Arthur Trappier (d).
17 SWEETIE PIE (Loeb) 3’15
28 Sep. 1934, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Mezz Mezzrow (cl), Floyd O’Brien (tb), Fats Waller (p), Al Casey (g), Billy Taylor (b), Harry Dial (d).
18 ALLIGATOR CRAWL (Waller) 2’44
16 Nov. 1934, Fats Waller (p solo).
19 VIPER’S DRAG (Waller) 2’58
16 Nov. 1934, Fats Waller (p solo).
20 IT’S A SIN TO TELL A LIE (Mayhew) 2’58
5 June 1936, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Charles Turner (b), Yank Porter (d).
21 DREAM MAN (Ager, Young) 2’59
7 Nov. 1934, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Bill Coleman (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Billy Taylor (b), Harry Dial (d).
22 SWEET SUE (Young, Harris) 2’58
24 June 1935, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Rudy Powell (as), Fats Waller (p, voc), James Smith (g), Charles Turner (b), Arnold Bolden (d).
Durée totale : 69’31
CD 2 FATS WALLER – The entertainer
1 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS (Berry, Razaf) 2’55
1 Feb. 1936, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), James Smith (g), Charles Turner (b), Yank Porter (d).
2 (OH SUSANNAH) DUST OFF THAT OLD PIANNA (Caesar, Lerner, Marks) 2’36
6 March 1935, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Rudy Powell (cl), Fats Waller (p, voc, celesta), Al Casey (g), Charles Turner (b), Harry Dial (d).
3 BIG CHIEF DE SOTA (Arbelo, Razaf) 2’53
5 June 1936, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Charles Turner (b), Yank Porter (d).
4 TWO SLEEPY PEOPLE (Carmichael, Loesser) 3’08
13 Oct. 1938, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Slick Jones (d).
5 HOLD TIGHT (Kent, Brandow, Ware, Spottswood, Robinson) 2’17
19 Jan. 1939, same as 4.
6 I’M CRAZY ’BOUT MY BABY (Waller, Hill) 2’49
7 Aug. 1939, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: John ‘Bugs’ Hamilton (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), John Smith (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Slick Jones (d).
7 THE SPIDER AND THE FLY (Waller, Razaf, Johnson) 2’40
7 Aug. 1939, same as 6.
8 THE SHEIK OF ARABY (Snyder, Smith, Wheeler) 2’50
7 Aug. 1939, same as 6.
9 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (Waller, Razaf) 3’18
7 Aug. 1939, same as 6.
10 YOUR FEET’S TOO BIG (Benson, Fisher) 3’06
3 Nov. 1939, same as 6.
11 THE JOINT IS JUMPIN’ (Waller, Razaf, Johnson) 2’51
7 Aug. 1937, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Charles Turner (b), Slick Jones (d).
12 MY MOMMIE SENT ME TO THE STORE (Hecht, Boss) 3’04
16 July 1940, same as 6.
13 HEY! STOP KISSIN’ MY SISTER (Peyton, Coblin) 2’51
16 July 1940, same as 6.
14 EVERYBODY LOVES MY BABY (Williams, Palmer) 2’59
6 Nov. 1940, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: John ‘Bugs’ Hamilton (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), Al Casey (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Slick Jones (d).
15 ALL THAT MEAT AND NO POTATOES (Waller, Kirkeby) 2’48
20 March 1941, same as 14.
16 SWINGIN’ THEM JINGLE BELLS (Davis) 3’00
29 Nov. 1936, same as 11.
17 SOMEBODY STOLE MY GAL (Wood) 3’28
24 June 1935, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Gene Sedric (cl, ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), James Smith (g), Charles Turner (b), Arnold Bolden (d).
18 OH! FRENCHIE (Conrad, Ehrlich) 3’07
12 Jan. 1940, same as 6.
19 ANITA (Waller) 3’18
28 June 1939, Fats Waller and His Rhythm: Herman Autrey (tp), Chauncey Graham (ts), Fats Waller (p, voc), John Smith (g), Cedric Wallace (b), Larry Hinton (d).
20 NERO (Denniker, Davis, Razaf) 2’42
24 Dec. 1936, same as 11.
21 ABDULLAH (Lawrence, Jones) 2’57
10 Aug. 1939, same as 6.
22 UNDECIDED (Shavers, Robin) 3’39
9 March 1939, same as 4.