Jitterbug Waltz

Last updated
"Jitterbug Waltz"
Single by Thomas "Fats" Waller and His Rhythm
RecordedMarch 16, 1942
Songwriter(s) Fats Waller

"Jitterbug Waltz" is a 1942 jazz composition by Fats Waller and initially recorded the same year by Fats Waller and His Rhythm. It was also recorded by Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Chet Atkins, Vince Guaraldi, Butch Thompson, Al Hirt, [1] Eric Dolphy, [2] and David Murray.

Contents

Composition and recording

The song is in the key of E♭ major and in 3/4 time. When Waller composed "Jitterbug Waltz" he was 38 years old and at the high point of his career as a veteran recording artist for RCA Victor, making the occasional movie appearance, broadcasting on radio, and traveling the United States and Europe on a hectic and tiring schedule. It is notable for being one of the first jazz records recorded with a Hammond organ, an instrument that gained popularity in the genre soon after.

In the 1985 British television documentary Fats Waller - This Joint is Jumpin' , Waller's son Maurice claims that Jitterbug Waltz was the first jazz waltz ever written.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fats Waller</span> American jazz pianist and composer (1904–1943)

Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, and singer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz piano. A widely popular star in the jazz and swing eras, he toured internationally, achieving critical and commercial success in the United States and Europe. His best-known compositions, "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose", were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1984 and 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Dolphy</span> American jazz musician (1928–1964)

Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist, Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence during the same era. His use of the bass clarinet helped to establish the unconventional instrument within jazz. Dolphy extended the vocabulary and boundaries of the alto saxophone, and was among the earliest significant jazz flute soloists.

<i>At the Five Spot</i> 1961 live album by Eric Dolphy

Eric Dolphy at the Five Spot, Vols. 1 and 2, is a pair of jazz live albums documenting one night from the end of multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy and trumpeter Booker Little's two-week residency at the Five Spot jazz club in New York. This was the only night to be recorded. The engineer was Rudy Van Gelder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One O'Clock Jump</span> Song

"One O'Clock Jump" is a jazz standard; a 12-bar blues instrumental, written by Count Basie in 1937.

"Laura" is a 1945 popular song. The music, composed by David Raksin for the 1944 movie Laura, which starred Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, is heard frequently in the movie. The film's director, Otto Preminger, had originally wanted to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" as the theme, but Raksin was not convinced that it was suitable. Angered, Preminger gave Raksin one weekend to compose an alternative melody. Raksin later said, and maintained for the rest of his days, that when, over that weekend, his wife sent him a "Dear John" letter, the haunting theme seemed to write itself.

<i>Iron Man</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1968 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Iron Man is an album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy, recorded in 1963 and released by the Douglas International label in 1968. The album was reissued on disc two of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records.

<i>Oscar and Benny</i> 1998 studio album by Oscar Peterson, Benny Green

Oscar and Benny is a 1998 album by Oscar Peterson and Benny Green. Peterson and Green are accompanied by Ray Brown on double bass, and the drummer Gregory Hutchinson.

Maurice James Simon was an American jazz saxophonist.

<i>Far Cry</i> (album) 1962 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Far Cry is the third album by jazz musician Eric Dolphy, released in 1962 on New Jazz Featuring a quintet co-led with trumpeter Booker Little, it is one of the few recordings of their partnership. Pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Roy Haynes all return from earlier Dolphy albums. This was a busy time for Dolphy- he took part in Ornette Coleman's Free Jazz session and recorded this album on the same day, and had participated in the Jazz Abstractions project the previous day.

<i>Svingin with Svend</i> 1987 live album by David Grisman, Svend Asmussen

Svingin' with Svend is an album by American musician David Grisman and Danish musician Svend Asmussen, released in 1987. It is attributed to the David Grisman Quintet featuring Svend Asmussen.

<i>Conversations</i> (Eric Dolphy album) 1963 studio album by Eric Dolphy

Conversations is a 1963 album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist, Eric Dolphy first released by the FM label and later reissued by Vee-Jay as The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album the following year. The album was reissued on disc one of Musical Prophet: The Expanded 1963 New York Studio Sessions, released in 2018 by Resonance Records.

<i>Cornell 1964</i> 2007 live album by Charles Mingus Sextet, with Eric Dolphy

Cornell 1964 is a live album by jazz bassist and composer Charles Mingus, featuring multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy. It was recorded at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, on March 18, 1964.

<i>Dizzy Gillespies Big 4</i> 1975 studio album by Dizzy Gillespie

Dizzy Gillespie's Big 4 is an album by Dizzy Gillespie recorded in 1974 and released on the Pablo label.

<i>Happy Time</i> (Junior Mance album) 1962 studio album by Junior Mance

Happy Times is an album by jazz pianist Junior Mance which was recorded in 1962 and released on the Jazzland label.

<i>Hes the King and His Band</i> 1961 studio album by Al Hirt

He's the King and His Band is the first album by Al Hirt to be released by RCA Victor. The album was recorded at RCA Victor's Studio A in New York City.

<i>The Iron Men</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Woody Shaw and Anthony Braxton

The Iron Men is an album led by trumpeter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1977 but not released on the Muse label until 1980. The Iron Men was reissued by Mosaic Records as part of Woody Shaw: The Complete Muse Sessions in 2013.

<i>All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller</i> 2014 studio album by Jason Moran

All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller is an album by Jason Moran paying tribute to pianist/composer Fats Waller which was released on the Blue Note label.

<i>Jazz Waltz</i> (Les McCann and the Jazz Crusaders album) 1963 studio album by Les McCann & the Jazz Crusaders

Jazz Waltz is an album by pianist Les McCann with the Jazz Crusaders recorded in 1963 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.

<i>The Ruby Braff Octet with Pee Wee Russell & Bobby Henderson at Newport</i> 1957 live album by The Ruby Braff Octet with Pee Wee Russell / Bobby Henderson

The Ruby Braff Octet with Pee Wee Russell & Bobby Henderson at Newport is a live album by Ruby Braff's Octet with Pee Wee Russell and solo pianist Bobby Henderson recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957 and released on the Verve label.

<i>Ephemera</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Pepper Adams Quartet

Ephemera, is an album by baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams which was recorded in London in 1973 and originally released on the Spotlite label.

References

  1. Al Hirt, He's the King and His Band, Discogs.com. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
  2. Horricks, Raymond (1989). The Importance of Being Eric Dolphy . D J Costello. p.  38. ISBN   0-7104-3048-5.