Thomas "Fats" Waller rolls are among the very best popular piano rolls. All Waller rolls are outstanding and highly recommended for any roll collector.

137374 Cryin' For My Used To Be /
played by James P. Johnson and "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 3800 / February 1927) - lyric sheet included with roll

Cryin' For My Used To Be is an exceedingly scarce roll (only one original has ever surfaced!) and one of only two duets issued by James P. Johnson and "Fats" Waller. It was reissued once by Mike Schwimmer and hasn't been available since. The tune is very lively and my ear tells me James P. is in the bass and Waller is in the treble. Mike Montgomery was kind enough to allow me to offer if for you again here.

137045 Papa Better Watch Your Step played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2286) - lyric sheet included with roll

137046 Haitian Blues played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2304) - lyric sheet included with roll

There is a ton of great piano playing on these two fine rolls. Papa has hilarious lyrics ("If you think of steppin' out with out your Mama, Papa better watch your step..." and "If I knock on your front door, just look about -- if I don't get in, nobody's coming out...") and features the fantastic hard-rocking, hard-swinging Waller rhythm that makes him so great. Haitian Blues is an unusually scarce roll (only two or three copies have surfaced), and while the lyrics are not the most imaginative, the piano playing is ! There are new variations of the verses and refrains all the way through each roll, and every bit of it is top-notch!

137304 Jailhouse Blues played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2670) - lyric sheet included with roll

Jailhouse Blues was written by blues legend Bessie Smith and performed by her in September 1923; this roll was issued in June 1924. This great "Fats" Waller roll hasn't been available since 1989. 'Nuf said!

137148 Last Go Round Blues played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2363) - lyric sheet included with roll

Now please pardon me for gloating a bit, but this Waller has never been recut before, and I believe this is the last great Waller roll that hasn't been reissued. It must be relatively scarce, or it surely would have been reissued before now (how many of you will be able to complete your Waller collection now?!). Anyway, Last Go Round Blues is another great Waller performance, with great lyrics as usual. This is first-class stuff!

137164 Laughin' Cryin' Blues played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2213) - lyric sheet included with roll

What do I need to tell you about this one? I won't waste your time with my comments, other than to say that this was carefully checked against the original to assure it is as near to perfection as possible on a recut. Fats' playing is just too tasty to deserve any less.

137219 A New Kind of Man With A New Kind Of Love For Me
(Clair & Flatow) played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on Standard 0677) - lyric sheet included with roll

Here is one of the rarest and finest of the rolls actually recorded by "Fats" Waller (as opposed to the Cook simulations which are good on their own level but just not the same). This is a wonderful, strutting roll with an unbelievable, extended verse where Fats plays a left-hand accompaniment of nothing but "tenth" chords on each beat, moving about as the tune dictates. When you hear the roll you'll recognize it's incredible and rare; I've never heard anything like it on another piano roll. This is choice "Fats".

137069 Your Time Now ('Twill Be Mine After a While)
(Spencer Williams) played by Thomas "Fats" Waller $13
(originally issued on QRS 2245) - lyric sheet included with roll

Here is a terrific "Fats" Waller rendition of this Spencer Williams tune. Fats plays the entire piece in his typical classy style (with all three choruses played differently, including walking bass and other exceptional patterns in the third chorus) then rips loose with a 16-bar double-time break that will really blow you away. This is the only piano roll Waller made which features this outstanding feature (My, my, my!).