The first man to pay public homage to the late, great jazz pianist, Thomas Wright ("Fats") Waller, who died last week (see p. 70) was just the man to do it. He was Fat's great friend and prime pianistic inspiration, James Price Johnson. Genial, blue-black Jimmie worked out on a Steinway at one of Guitarist Eddie Condon's rousing jazz concerts in Manhattan's Town Hall, played a medley of Fats Waller's tunes including Honeysuckle Rose, Clothesline Ballet, Ain't Misbehavin'. He played them the way Fats would have wanted them played.
Jimmie Johnson should know how. It was he who became Fats's favorite mentor...