Earlier this week, Dick Hyman played a noontime recital at a church in Manhattan. Fellow artsjournal blogger Jan Herman was there with his camera and posted videos of Hyman playing Fats Waller’s “My Fate Is In Your Hands” and “Bach Up To Me.” To see Jan’s piece and hear Hyman, go here.
When you come back, if you want more Waller — and, of course, you will — click on these links to hear Fats play:
“My Fate Is In Your Hands,
” Valentine Stomp” (take one)
and
“Valentine Stomp” (take two), all from 1929.
There. Now, don’t you feel better?
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Any Fats Waller song — any at all, even if he’s not singing or mugging — is good for what ails you. My all-time favorite pianist. Especially the solo piano pieces. And I don’t care how corny that choice may seem.
Seeing Dick Hyman in that setting reminds me of a somewhat similar occasion when my wife and I were visiting New York and went along to a recital for ‘senior citizens’ by Dick Hyman at a Jewish Community Centre. It was delightful – and more especially because Dick’s audience were enjoying it so much although many were unfamiliar with both Dick and the music.
As we were leaving we overheard one senior saying to friends – ‘He is amazing – I wonder – does he do windows?’
I told Dick the story some years later and he said ‘I remember that afternoon and had no idea that even one person in the audience was a jazz fan’.
I’ll bet many were subsequently …..
(We had spotted it in a Village Voice listing of ‘music under $2.50’)
Economy, what economy? I feel better already!