1942-1943

1942-1943 features Fats Waller's last recording sessions.
Personnel includes: Fats Waller (vocals, piano, organ); Ada Brown, The Deep River Boys (vocals); Gene Porter (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Joe Thomas, Benny Carter (trumpet); Herb Fleming (trombone); Gene Sedric (clarinet); Irving Ashby, Albert Casey (guitar); Slam Stewart (bass); Zutty Singleton (drums).
Recorded between March 16, 1942 and September 16, 1943. Includes liner notes by Anatol Schenker.
Personnel: Fats Waller (piano, organ); Ada Brown (vocals); Irving Ashby, Al Casey (guitar); Gene Sedric (clarinet, tenor saxophone); George James, Jackie Fields (alto saxophone); Gene Porter, Bob Carroll (tenor saxophone); John "Bugs" Hamilton , Herman Autrey, Nathaniel Williams, Joe Thomas , Benny Carter (trumpet); Herb Flemming, George Wilson, Alton Moore (trombone); Arthur Trappier, Zutty Singleton (drums).
Recording information: 1942-1943.
These are the last recordings in the Fats Waller legacy. The 22 tracks are drawn from sessions recorded in March and July of 1942 and January and September of 1943. Featuring the last recordings with his rhythm, a version of "That Ain't Right" with Ada Brown on vocals and V-disc recordings made for soldiers overseas during World War II. It is the V-disc material that proved Waller wasn't just a jovial clown, which he makes obvious on his version of "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" performed on organ. Anyone only familiar with the Waller hits like "Ain't Misbehavin'" (included here in two separate versions) should hear this to gain perspective on his career. ~ Al Campbell