Bryan Cather wrote in 031008 MMDigest:

> Thomas Waller was the first true jazz organist, and to think of him
> only as a pianist is a sadly narrow view.  I have heard it said that
> the organ had a special place in his heart, while the piano laid claim
> only to his stomach.

Fats Waller is the only real jazzman I remember hearing on BBC radio
during the war [WW2], people like Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnett and
Artie Shaw not being "jazz" as they are now but "swing".  He loved
coming to England because there were so many church organs he was
given the freedom to play.

Alas, he couldn't very well play jazz on these even if he wanted to,
which I doubt, because a good half of the broadcasts were of him
playing hymns.  I can distinctly remember feeling incensed about this.
Why have such a fabulous swinger being encouraged to drone hymns at
us when we had quite enough people of our own to do that ?

(Sorry, Christians. I was never the religious sort.)

Dan Wilson, London

 [ I get the impression that Waller was quite melancholy at many solo
 [ organ recording sessions, probably aided by the bottle of gin in his
 [ pocket, and with no friends at his side.  Maybe he imagined himself
 [ alone in his father's church.  -- Robbie