Fats Waller: African Ripples

Fats Wallers combo sides sound like primal party music, recorded at the heat of the festivities, just before the police arrive at the door. But Wallers solo piano music is from another world entirely, with moments of delicacy, and rich with nuances that demand close listening. African Ripples ranks among Wallers finest solo outings, a heady mixture of Harlem rent party and concert-hall fare. In just three minutes, Waller explores a range of tempos and moods, closing with a powerful burst of stride piano that leaves us begging for more. A masterpiece of 1930s jazz that deserves to be better known today.