The Behavin' Harlem Jazz of Fats Waller

Fats Waller

Source: Sooze Blues & Jazz

Born Thomas Wright Waller on 21 May 1904, Fats Waller was to became an enormously popular jazz composer and pianist, paving his way with stride piano. Stride was a method of keeping rhythm via bouncing chords with the left hand developed by James Johnson that bridged ragtime to swing. Growing up in Harlem, Fats began to play piano professionally at age fifteen in cabarets and theaters. He made his first ragtime piano recordings as Thomas Waller in Oct 1922: 'Muscle Shoals Blues' and 'Birmingham Blues' (Okeh 4757) issued in April of 1923 per Discogs. 'Muscle Shoals Blues' was composed by George Washington Thomas.

John Farrell's rollography at Pianola has Waller issuing his first piano roll in March of 1923 on QRS 2149: 'Got to Cool My Doggies Now'. That and other early piano rolls saw issue in 1970 on '1923-1924 Parlor Piano Solos from Rare Piano Rolls' on Biograph BLP 1002Q.

It's said that in January 1926 Waller was kidnapped after a performance in Chicago and taken to the Hawthorne Inn, a place owned by Al Capone (17 January 1899–25 January 1947). Upon arrival the joint was filled with guests who Waller was expected to entertain, persuaded at gunpoint. Turns out it was a birthday bash for Capone's 27th birthday, and "the boys" had made a "present" of Waller to Capone for the occasion. The story goes that Waller left three days later, drunk, weary and some thousands of dollars richer, tips in increments of hundred dollar bills [Brown / Fitzgerald].

February and March of 1927 saw the issue of piano roll duets w James Johnson titled 'Cryin' for My Used to Be' (QRS 3800) and 'If I could be with You' (QRS 3818). Waller's first original composition to be recorded, 'Whiteman Stomp', was for Fletcher Henderson in 1927. He also wrote 'Alligator Crawl' for issue by Louis Armstrong in 1927. 'Ain't Misbehavin' arrived in 1929 co-written with Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf. Razaf (1895-1973) was a major lyricist of the era who contributed to numerous Waller titles. Waller composed 'Viper's Drag' for issue by Cab Calloway in 1930. "Viper" was Harlem slang for someone who used cannabis. Waller also composed 'The Jitterbug Waltz' for issue by himself in 1942.

Music: Harry Brooks / Thomas Fats Waller   Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Trumpet: Bill Coleman   Clarinet / tenor sax: Gene Sedric

Guitar: Al Casey   Bass: Billy Taylor Sr.   Drums: Harry Dial

Music: Thomas Fats Waller   Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Trumpet: Teddy Buckner

Music: Jimmy McHugh   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

Music: Hoagy Carmichael   1927   Lyrics: Mitchell Parrish

Composition: Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh

See also 'Fats Waller On The Air: 1938 Broadcasts'   Tai Ping Records TPR-FW0102

Composition: Waller

Vocal: Myra Johnson (lip-synced by Vivian Brown)

Music: Harry Brooks / Thomas Fats Waller   Lyrics: Andy Razaf

'Jitterbug Waltz'   Hammond organ by Thomas Fats Waller

Thomas Fats Waller w His Rhythm & Orchestra

Composition: Waller

Vocal: Ada Brown

Trumpet: Benn Carter   Trombone: Alton Moore   Clarinet: Eugene Porter

Guitar: Irving Ashby   Bass: Slam Stewart   Drums: Zutty Singleton

Composition: Nat King Cole / Irving Mills

Trumpet: Benn Carter   Trombone: Alton Moore   Clarinet: Eugene Porter

Guitar: Irving Ashby   Bass: Slam Stewart   Drums: Zutty Singleton

Music: Harry Brooks / Thomas Fats Waller   Lyrics: Andy Razaf

Waller is associated with another song about marijuana per 'You're a Viper' below in which "mighty mezz" in the lyrics refer to Mezz Mezzrow, a clarinetist who was also a go-to for cannabis among jazz musicians in the thirties. 'You're a Viper' comes from Stuff Smith's 'You'se a Viper' of 1936.

From Stuff Smith's 'You'se a Viper' of 1936

The beloved Waller died of pneumonia on 15 December 1943 near Kansas City while traveling by train from Hollywood to New York. His funeral in Harlem was attended by some 4000 people. Cremated, his ashes were spread over Harlem.