Strange as it seems, pianist Dick Hyman was not present at the recording session that resulted in this CD.
Months earlier, Hyman performed 15 Fats Waller songs on the Bosendorfer 2905E reproducing piano in New York.
A computer floppy disc of the date was sent to California where it was recorded direct to CD.
But more important than the technology involved is the music itself.
Sometimes Hyman seems to take these pieces a little too seriously, treating "African Ripples" and "Viper's Drag" as if they were classical music but, to his credit, his treatment of the Waller compositions (mixing in the familiar with obscurities such as an enthusiastic "I'm Goin' To See My Ma" and a very complex version of "Bach Up To Me") does not attempt to copy Fats' style.
A surprisingly uptempo version of "Stealin' Apples" and a thoughtful rendition of "Ain't Misbehavin'" are among the highpoints.
Recommended.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bach Up to MeFats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:37 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 2 | Ain't Misbehavin'Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 05:54 | 13 MB | 21 MB |
| 3 | African RipplesFats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 03:42 | 8 MB | 14 MB |
| 4 | Honeysuckle RoseAndy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 07:00 | 16 MB | 25 MB |
| 5 | Viper's DragFats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:57 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 6 | Willow TreeAndy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 03:59 | 9 MB | 14 MB |
| 7 | Stealin' ApplesAndy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:27 | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| 8 | I've Got a Feeling I'm FallingHarry Link, Billy Rose, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 03:47 | 8 MB | 13 MB |
| 9 | Handful of KeysMurray Horwitz, Richard Maltby, Jr., Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:36 | 5 MB | 10 MB |
| 10 | My Fate Is in Your HandsAndy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 06:08 | 14 MB | 21 MB |
| 11 | Jitterbug WaltzRichard Maltby, Jr., Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:45 | 6 MB | 10 MB |
| 12 | Sweet Savannah SueHarry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:21 | 5 MB | 9 MB |
| 13 | Squeeze MeFats Waller, Clarence Williams | Dick Hyman | Play | 06:16 | 14 MB | 21 MB |
| 14 | Keepin' Out f Mischief Now | Dick Hyman | Play | 03:52 | 8 MB | 14 MB |
| 15 | I'm Goin' To See My Ma | Dick Hyman | Play | 02:54 | 6 MB | 11 MB |
| 59 mins | 135 MB | |||||
| 59 mins | 221 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Brooks | Composer |
| 2 | Robert Harley | Mastering |
| 3 | J. Tamblyn Henderson | Liner Notes, Producer |
| 4 | Murray Horwitz | Composer |
| 5 | Dick Hyman | Liner Notes, Piano, Primary Artist |
| 6 | Keith O. Johnson | Engineer |
| 7 | Jeff Kaufman | Photography |
| 8 | Harry Link | Composer |
| 9 | Richard Maltby, Jr. | Composer |
| 10 | Marcia Martin | Executive Producer, Producer |
| 11 | Wayne Pope | Design, Graphic Design |
| 12 | Andy Razaf | Composer |
| 13 | Steve Rickmon | Mastering Assistant |
| 14 | Billy Rose | Composer |
| 15 | Beck Rowell | Mastering Assistant |
| 16 | Wayne Stahnke | Liner Notes |
| 17 | Hal Vincenty | Editing |
| 18 | Fats Waller | Composer |
| 19 | Clarence Williams | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |