This sick sad world can always use more
Fats Waller
reissues, especially if they are as cleanly reproduced as this bargain-priced
Naxos
release, the second volume in a series of transcription roundups. Unlike the 1935 transcriptions released on
Vol. 1
, which were mostly solo workouts arranged in medleys, the mighty
Fats
brought his entire nifty
Rhythm
combo into New York's
Associated Transcriptions
studio one fine day in August 1939. Also, these are all 78-rpm single-length tracks, adjuncts to the material that he was putting out prolifically on
Victor
and
Bluebird
78s. In any case, one perfectly turned, witty piano solo after another tumbles out of the keyboard, spelled by
John Hamilton
's trumpet and
Gene Sedric
's clarinet and tenor sax, driven by
' always jumping rhythm section. Two of
' imperishable
standards
come back to back, an exuberant
"Honeysuckle Rose"
and a hoked-up
"Ain't Misbehavin'"
(was
Fatsy Watsy
getting just a bit bored with his huge hit by then?). Listeners also receive larger helpings of
' irrepressible vocal asides and intros than on commercial releases; the one that precedes
"The Spider and the Fly"
is a real doozy. Then, for some reason, a wave of melancholy seems to overcome
. He dismisses his sidemen and, alone, knocks out five more piano solos -- four
plus his
"Handful of Keys"
-- the subdued mood fully lifting only in the latter tune. Excellent sound from the original acetates, with a full ample bass end. ~ Richard S. Ginell