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About Fats Waller

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Musician

Jazz music's first organist and one of the giants of piano jazz Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was born on May 21, 1904 in Harlem into a musical family. His grandfather was an accomplished violinist and his mother was the church organist. His family had moved to New York City from Virginia in the late 1880s and his father was the pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. His first exposure of music was in the form of church hymns and organ music, an instrument that he was taught to play by his mother and the church musical director. The latter introduced him to the works of J.S. Bach which he played on and off for the rest of his life

Article: Album Review

Burgamy-Hancock New Originators: Down in Honky Tonk Town

Read "Down in Honky Tonk Town" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
November 13, 2026

Most longtime jazz fans are well aware of what transpires Down in Honky Tonk Town: lively, high-stepping close- quarters classic jazz with a spicy New Orleans flavor. And that is precisely what banjoist Hunter Burgamy, cornetist Colin Hancock and the New Originators deliver on their bright and swinging debut recording for Turtle Bay Records.

Article: Reanimating Conversations Past

Woody Allen: All Stick, No Schtick

by John Ephland
November 3, 2026

When I look back nowadays, the timing of my interview with comedian/filmmaker Woody Allen ("All Stick, No Schtick"), now turning 91, couldn't have been worse. In fact, I felt that way from the beginning, when I pitched this story at DownBeat, published in their October, 1993, issue. But, I had been a fan of his movies ...

Article: Phil Schaap's Jazz Room

Franc Williams: Live From The West End

by Daniel Gould
October 14, 2026

Jazz will always be considered a soloist's music, and most fans know all the important names. But when the big bands ruled and swing was king, those groups leaned on personnel who could swing the band: Section leaders, particularly trumpeters, with the power and technique to move the music and the dancers. Francis (Franc) Williams was ...

Article: Album Review

Ran Blake: Voices

by Troy Dostert
October 8, 2026

Following closely upon another of his beguiling efforts with vocalist Dominique Eade, Roots & Byways (Sunnyside, 2026), Ran Blake proves he remains just as invested in his solo piano work on Voices. The 19 pieces, which possess Blake's distinctive blend of oblique lyricism and generous breadth, are gorgeous reflections that incorporate broad swaths of twentieth-century music ...

Article: Interview

The Art of Swing: A Conversation with Champian Fulton

by Mark Robbins
July 19, 2026

There are some musicians who seem completely at home in the language of jazz, and Champian Fulton is certainly one of them. As both a pianist and vocalist, she's built a career on bringing the Great American Songbook to life with elegance, swing, and an unmistakable sense of joy. Her performances feel rooted in the tradition, ...

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Rachelle Garniez, Virginia MacDonald, Jeff Lederer, Matt White's Dolly Parton Tribute, Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band & More

by Mary Foster Conklin
June 1, 2026

This broadcast includes new music from Rachelle Garniez, Virginia MacDonald, Jeff Lederer, Matt White and Julia Keefe, with birthday shoutouts to Jackie Cain, Ken Peplowski, Fats Waller, Rosemary Clooney, Jan Leder, Yoko Miwa, Cynthia Sayer, Sheryl Bailey, Carmen Souza, among others. Happy listening and please support the artists you hear--see them live, buy their music so ...

Article: Album Review

Kate Williams: On The Wing Of A Dragonfly

Read "On The Wing Of A Dragonfly" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
May 23, 2026

One of the many pleasures of a piano trio is that the pianist is freed from the need to complement or integrate with other harmonic voices, breathing more expansively, leaving gaps in the texture or venturing into unexpected tonal areas. The bass also benefits from this openness: it steps into sharper relief, freed from a reinforcing ...

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Pianists: Andrew Hill, Patricia Barber, and More

by Jerome Wilson
February 4, 2026

This episode from November 2021 focuses on pianists playing in every format from solo to large ensembles. Musicians featured include Andrew Hill, Patricia Barber, Horace Silver, and Fats Waller.Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Hassan ...

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Fats Waller, Joe Magnarelli, Alexa Tarantino & Rebecca Kilgore

by Joe Dimino
February 1, 2026

The 943rd episode of Neon Jazz opens with a heartfelt tribute to the mighty Rebecca Kilgore, the beloved Portland-based vocalist we lost in January 2026. We honor her artistry and enduring spirit with selections from her 2026 album Sings the Music of Fats Waller--a fitting celebration of joy, swing, and soul. From there, we turn to ...