Home » Search Center » Results: Fats Waller

Results for "Fats Waller"

Advanced search options


About Fats Waller

Results for pages tagged "Fats Waller"...

Musician

Fats Waller

Born:

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

11

Article: Phil Schaap's Jazz Room

Franc Williams: Live From The West End

Read "Franc Williams: Live From The West End" reviewed by Daniel Gould

by Daniel Gould

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 ...

7

Article: Album Review

Ran Blake: Voices

Read "Voices" reviewed by Troy Dostert

by Troy Dostert

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 ...

17

Article: Interview

The Art of Swing: A Conversation with Champian Fulton

Read "The Art of Swing: A Conversation with Champian Fulton" reviewed by Mark Robbins

by Mark Robbins

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, ...

4

Article: Radio & Podcasts

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

Read "Rachelle Garniez, Virginia MacDonald, Jeff Lederer, Matt White's Dolly Parton Tribute, Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band & More" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin

by Mary Foster Conklin

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 ...

5

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

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 ...

2

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Pianists: Andrew Hill, Patricia Barber, and More

Read "Pianists: Andrew Hill, Patricia Barber, and More" reviewed by Jerome Wilson

by Jerome Wilson

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 ...

2

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Fats Waller, Joe Magnarelli, Alexa Tarantino & Rebecca Kilgore

Read "Fats Waller, Joe Magnarelli, Alexa Tarantino & Rebecca Kilgore" reviewed by Joe Dimino

by Joe Dimino

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 ...

5

Article: Album Review

Ramona Horvath: Absinthe

Read "Absinthe" reviewed by Artur Moral

by Artur Moral

How could one not connect with someone who, from her debut album as a leader, Lotus Blossom (Black & Blue, 2017), demonstrated such knowledge and admiration for Billy Strayhorn's timeless compositions? Or who, in the liner notes of her new project, counts among her supporters fellow pianists of the stature of Giovanni Mirabassi, Ignasi Terraza and ...

1

Article: Radio & Podcasts

Marcus Roberts: Jazz Piano And Technology's Promise

Read "Marcus Roberts: Jazz Piano And Technology's Promise" reviewed by Lawrence Peryer

by Lawrence Peryer

Today, we're putting The Tonearm's needle on pianist Marcus Roberts. Roberts plays jazz piano like he's lived through its entire history. His style pulls from Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller as much as it does from bebop. He spent years in Wynton Marsalis' band, has performed piano concertos with Seiji Ozawa, and today ...


Engage

Publisher's Desk
This & That, Part 9... plus, Newsletter News!
Read on...
The place for jazz polls and surveys!
Reader Polls
Which jazz venues deserve to be on top?
Cast Your Vote Today
The Big Question
Some of the freshest and most innovative music in the current day is coming from the jazz world. Why isn't this better known?
Post Your Comment

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletters highlight our top stories, top album reviews, website news, free songs, radio & podcast shows, news, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.