Fats Waller at the BBC Theatre Organ 1938

Thomas Wright Waller, better known as "Fats" Waller, visited England in 1938, when he made a number of records on both piano and organ at EMI's Abbey Road studios. This is not from that session, but finds him in St George's Hall playing the BBC Compton, together with singer Adelaide Hall, who appears on a couple of his EMI sides. I had been aware that Fats had made a broadcast from St George's Hall, and after many years of fruitless enquiry, eventually tracked down a Fats Waller devotee in Thailand who had a copy of the broadcast. The broadcast was never heard in Britain, so this is a UK premiere! It was transmitted to the USA on the short wave at 1245am on 10 September, 1938, where, because of the time difference it was heard the previous evening! Fats played both piano and organ, but to save time I have included only the piano sign-on and the items featuring the organ. Fats and Adelaide recap the two items they recorded together at EMI, but with different versions, and the cream on the top is a fantastic “Flat Foot Floogie with the Floy Floy”, that knocks one's socks off. As it is a short wave broadcast, there is some cross-talk, drop-out and frequency drift, which have been eliminated as far as possible. This broadcast is some superb cabaret jazz of the highest calibre, and it's one of my favourite recordings - I love it more each time I hear it.

[@BrowardHeron]

I genuinely want to thank you so much for sharing this, history should always be preserved.

[@olwencarolan5490]

Really important recordings. Well done to you !

[@roganms]

Wow what a find thank you so much for uploading this bit of history .

[@5riverboat]

I think he also referred to his favorite instrument as "the God box"

[@LarcR]

Fats loved playing the pipe organ. He called it a "groan box."

[@JuanFecit]

Thanks for sharing!

[@gg5488]

Ain't Misbehavin'

[@jorgeedgardo6602]

Historica grabación con la exquista Adelaida Hall. Un regalo para la BBC, para la pacifica Inglaterra de ese año, el año del Pacto de Munich, de las luchas por sobrevivir de la Republica española, a un año del comienzo de la guerra mundial, a dos años de los bombardeos nazis...