Late in 1932 Fats Waller hired Phil Ponce as manager. Ponce promptly negotiated a contract with WLW, a powerful Cincinnati radio station which was heard throughout the Midwest. His show, “Fats Waller’s Rhythm Club”, was an instant success. When the WLW contract concluded in early 1934, Waller returned to New York where he broadcast the “Rhythm Club” show over the CBS network to a still larger audience.

For most of a decade Victor’s leading jazz artist had been Jelly Roll Morton and the various incarnations of his Red Hot Peppers, but Victor eventually declined to renew Morton’s contract as lagging sales reflected changes in the public taste. Victor needed a bankable star to replace Morton as the label’s featured jazz artist. Waller’s success on CBS convinced Victor to sign him to his first recording contract; Waller decided upon a six-piece band format. Maintaining the association with the “Rhythm Club” name, Waller and Ponce christened the band “Fats Waller and His Rhythm”. Between 1934 and 1942 the group recorded about 400 sides, well over half of Waller’s lifetime recorded output. Material ranged from downright lamentable to outstanding and Waller’s treatment of it ranged from brusque to brilliant.

The “Rhythm” was primarily a studio band, and recording dates had to be worked into the musicians’ different schedules. Waller’s genius carried the band, enabling them to record as many as ten sides in a single day, often consisting mainly of new material. Rarely did band members know in advance which tunes they would be recording! It is a testament to the collective musical talent of the group that they managed so well without rehearsal. This chaotic approach succeeded in part because of consistency in core personnel which included Waller, Autrey, Sedric and Casey. The chaos no doubt contributed to the spontaneity which characterizes many of the Rhythm’s recordings.

Many critics consider that the band’s best work was issued in 1935 and 1936, and many of these releases were million- sellers. In February, 1938 Victor extended Waller’s contract through May, 1944. It should be noted that Waller’s recording contract was not exclusive and that during this period he also recorded for Commodore. Victor issued some of the Rhythm sides on their Bluebird label. The last session with Fats Waller and his Rhythm took place on July 13, 1942 in Victor’s New York studios.

So, as Fats himself might say of these recordings, “My, My, My! Now here ’tis; Latch On!” -by Mike Donovan

A special thanks to Owen Miller and James Gallup for their help with the recordings on this page.<

Title	Recording Date	Recording Location	Company
Abdullah (Neal Lawrence / Slick Jones)	8-10-1939	New York, New York	Bluebird
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller / Harry Brooks)	8-2-1939	New York, New York	Victor
Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller / Harry Brooks)	1-23-1943	New York, New York	Jazz Selection
A Little Bit Independent (Lesile / Burke)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor
All My Life (Mitchell / Stept)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
All That Meat And No Potatoes (Ed Kirkeby / Fats Waller)	11-29-1936	Chicago, Illinois	Bluebird
A Porter’s Love Song To A Chambermaid (Andy Razaf / James P. Johnson)	5-16-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Armful Of Sweetness (Alex Hill)	5-16-1934	New York, New York	Victor
A Rhyme Of Love (Robin / Rainger)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor
A Sweet Beginning Like This (Young / Ahlert)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	Victor
A Thousand Dreams Of You (Webster / Alter)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25483
A Thousand Dreams Of You (Webster / Alter)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25490
Baby Brown (1) (Alex Hill)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Bach Up To Me	6-8-1936	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 25536
Baby Brown (3) (Alex Hill)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Beat It Out (Bernier / Emmerich)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Because of Once Upon a Time (Bernard Maltin / Harry Stride / Joseph Young)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Believe It, Beloved (Nat Burton / J.C. Johnson / George Whiting)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Big Chief De Sota (Andy Razaf)	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Black Raspberry Jam (Fats Waller)	6-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Blue, Turning Grey Over You (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	6-11-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Blue Because Of You (Charles Carpenter / Louis M. Dunlap)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Bluebird
Boo Hoo (Heyman / Lombardo / Loeb)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Bluebird
Breakin’ the Ice (McCarthy / Kavanaugh / Weldon)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Bluebird
Brother, Seek and Ye Shall Find (Crum / R. Stewart)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Buck Jumpin’ (Ed Kirkeby)	6-8-1938	New York, New York	Victor
Buckin’ The Dice (Cedric Wallace / Tiny Parham)	11-29-1936	Chicago, Illinois	Bluebird
Bye Bye Baby (Lou Handman / Walter Hirsch)	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
By the Light Of the Silvery Moon (Hawley W. Ades)	7-13-1942	New York, New York	Bluebird
Cabin In The Sky (Lesile / Burke)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Christopher Columbus (Andy Razaf / Leon Barry)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Cinders	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Copper Colored Girl	9-9-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25409
Cross Patch (Seymour)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Cryin’ Mood (Andy Razaf / Chick Webb)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Darktown Strutter’s Ball (Shelton Brooks)	11-3-1939	New York, New York	Victor
Did Anyone Ever Tell You? (Adamson / McHugh)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25537
Did Anyone Ever Tell You? (Adamson / McHugh)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	RCA 17048
Do Me A Favor (Jeanne Cherdak / Richard Loring)	5-16-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Don’t Let It Bother You (Mack Gordon / Harry Revel)	8-17-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Don’t You Know Or Don’t You Care? (Kahal / Fahn)	6-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Dinah (Samuel Lewis / Joseph Young / Harry Akst)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Electrola
Dream Man (Milton Ager / Joseph Young)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Dust Off That Old Pianna (Irving Caesar / Sammy Lerner / Gerald Marks)	3-6-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Everybody Loves My Baby (Jack Palmer / Spencer Williams)	11-6-1940	New York, New York	Victor
Floatin’ Down To Cotton Town (Jack Frost / F. Henry Klickmann)	9-9-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Fractious Fingering (Fats Waller)	6-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Georgia May (Andy Razaf / Paul Denniker)	8-17-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Garbo Green (Fisher)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Georgia Rockin’ Chair (Fred Fisher)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Got A Bran’ New Suit (Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	Electrola Victor 25123
Halleujah! Things Look Rosey Now (1) (West / Flatow)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25478
Halleujah! Things Look Rosey Now (Instr) (2) (West / Flatow)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25489
Have a Little Dream On Me (Phil Baxter / Jack Murray / Billy Rose)	8-17-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Havin’ A Ball (Andy Razaf / James P. Johnson)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Headlines In The News (Milt Noel / Edgar Battle)		New York, New York
Hold Tight (Want Some Sea Food Mama) (Buddy Desylva /Jerry Brandow / Leonard Ware)	1-19-1939	New York, New York	Bluebird
Honeysuckle Rose (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor 24826
Honeysuckle Rose (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 36206
How Can You Face Me? (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	9-28-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I Adore You (Robin / Rainger)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor
I Ain’t Got Nobody (vocal) (Abel Baer / Samuel Lewis / Joseph Young)	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
I Ain’t Got Nobody (Abel Baer / Samuel Lewis / Joseph Young)	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
I Believe In Miracles (George Meyer / Samuel Lewis / Pete Wendling)	11-7-1934	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
I Believe In Miracles (George Meyer / Samuel Lewis / Pete Wendling)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
I Can’t Break The Habit Of You (Andy Razaf / Charlie Beal)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Victor
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby Vocal refrain by Fats Waller and Una Mae Carlisle (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Victor 20-1582-A
I’d Rather Call You Baby (Seymour / Lawhurst)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor
If It Isn’t Love (Val Burton / Will Jason)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I Hate To Talk About Myself	5-8-1935	New York, New York	HMV
I Just Made Up With That Old Girl of Mine (Little / Pease / McConnell)	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
I’ll Dance At Your Wedding (Joe Davis)	12-7-1938	New York, New York	Victor
I’m Always In The Mood For You (Davis / Coots)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor
I’m a Hundred Per Cent For You (1) (Oakland / Parrish / Mills)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I’m a Hundred Per Cent For You (3) (Oakland / Parrish / Mills)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I’m At The Mercy Of Love (Benny Davis / J. Fred Coots)	9-9-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25409
I’m Crazy ‘Bout My Baby (And My Baby’s Crazy ‘Bout Me	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25374
I’m Gonna Put You In Your Place (And Your Place Is In My Arms) (Bob Rothberg / Joseph Meyer)	6-11-1937	New York, New York	Victor
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (Fred Ahlert / Joseph Young)	5-8-1935	New York, New York	HMV
I’m On A Seesaw (Desmond Carter / Vivian Ellis)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	Victor 25120 Electrola
I’m Growing Fonder Of You (George W. Meyer / Pete Wendling / Joseph Young)	11-7-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I’m Sorry I Made You Cry (N.J. Clesi)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie (William P. Mayhew)	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor
It’s No Fun (Newman)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
I’ve Got A New Lease On Love (Young / Ahlert)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25580
I’ve Got A New Lease On Love (Young / Ahlert)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25571
I’ve Got My Fingers Crossed (Ted Koehler / Jimmy McHugh)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor 25571
I Wish That I Were Twins (1) (Edgar De Lange / Frank Loesser / Joseph Meyer)	5-16-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I Wish That I Were Twins (2) (Edgar De Lange / Frank Loesser / Joseph Meyer)	5-16-1934	New York, New York	Victor
I Used To Love You (But It’s All Over Now) (Lew Brown / Albert Von Tilzer)	6-28-1939	New York, New York	Bluebird
Just As Long As the World Goes Round and Round (Woods)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	HMV
La-De-De-La-De-Da (Sam Lewis / Peter De Rose)	9-9-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25430
Latch On (Fats Waller)	6-8-1938	New York, New York	Victor
Let’s Pretend There’s a Moon (Jack Stern)	9-28-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Let’s Sing Again	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25398
Little Curly Hair In A High Chair (From the MGM film “Forty Little Mothers”) (Charles Tobias / Nat Simon)	4-11-1940	New York, New York	Victor
Loafin’ Time (Milton Ager / Arthur Altman)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Louisiana Fairy Tale (Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie / Mitchell Parish)	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Lounging At The Waldorf	6-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25430
Lost Love (Andy Razaf / Fats Waller)	6-11-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Lulu’s Back In Town (Al Dubin / Harry Warren)	5-8-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Mandy (Irving Berlin)	9-28-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Moon Rose (Rose / Fisher)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
My Very Good Friend, The Milkman (Johnny Burke / Harold Spina)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Bluebird
Nero (Andy Razaf / Paul Denniker / Joe Davis)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Night Wind (David Pollack / Bob Rothberg)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Oooh! Look-A There Ain’t She Sweet (Todd / Lombardo)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Old Grand Dad (Fats Waller)	4-11-1940	New York, New York	Bluebird
Old Plantation (Redmond / David)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
One In A Million (Mitchell / Pollack)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Our Love Was Meant To Be (Alex Hill / Fats Waller)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	HMV
(Oh Susana) Dust Off That Old Pianna (Irving Caesar / Sammy Lerner / Gerald Marks)	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Oooh, Look-A-There, Ain’t She Pretty?	8-2-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Original E-Flat Blues (Thomas Morris / Clarence Williams)	6-16-1940	New York, New York	Victor
Paswonky	6-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25359
Pardon My Love (Milton Drake / Oscar Levant)	3-6-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Please Keep Me In Your Dreams (byTot Seymour / Vee Lawnhurst)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Rhythm and Romance (Nat Burton / J.C. Johnson / George Whiting)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Ring Dem Bells (Duke Ellington / Irving Mills)	5-13-1941	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
Rosetta (Earl Hines / William Woode)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 88781-1
Rosetta (Earl Hines / William Woode)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 88782-1
Rump Steak Serenade (Fats Waller)		New York, New York	Bluebird B-11296-B
Sad Sap Sucker Am I (Fats Waller / Ed Kirkeby)		New York, New York	Bluebird B-11296-A
San Anton’ (Andy Razaf / Paul Denniker)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25579
San Anton’ (Andy Razaf / Paul Denniker)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25565
Serenade For a Wealthy Widow (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh / R. Forsythe)	9-28-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Scram! (Leonard Geoffrey Feather)	11-6-1940	New York, New York	Bluebird
She’s Tall, She’s Tan, She’s Terrific (Davis / Coots)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Sing An Old Fashioned Song (Young / Alhert)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Smarty (Freed / Laine)	6-11-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Somebody Stole My Gal (Leo Wood)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Camden
Spreading Rhythm Around (Ted Koehler / Jimmy McHugh)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Spring Cleaning (Samuels / Whitcup)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Squeeze Me (Clarence Williams / Fats Waller)	8-10-1939	New York, New York	Victor
Stay (Razah / E. Handy)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Sugar Blues (Clarence Williams / Lucy Fletcher)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	Montgomery Ward
Sugar Rose (Fats Waller / Ponce)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
S’Posin’ (Andy Razaf / Paul Denniker)	9-9-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Sweet Heartache (Washington / Stept)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25580
Sweet Heartache (Washington / Stept)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25571
Sweetie Pie (John Jacob Loeb)	9-28-1934	New York, New York	Victor
Sweet And Slow (Al Durbin / Harry Warren)	5-8-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Sweet Sue (1) (Will Harris / Victor Young)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	HMV
Sweet Sue (2) (Will Harris / Victor Young)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	HMV
Sweet Thing (Alhert / Young)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Swingin’ Them Jingle Bells (J. Hancock)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25483
Swingin’ Them Jingle Bells (J. Hancock)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25490
‘Tain’t Good (Like a Nickel Made of Wood) (1) (Whiting / Bernier / Haid)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 254878
‘Tain’t Good (Like a Nickel Made of Wood) (2) (Whiting / Bernier / Haid)	11-29-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25489
Take It Easy (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh)	6-24-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Electrola
That Never-To-Be-Forgotten Night (Tobias / Fain)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
The Girl I Left Behind Me (Edgar Leslie / George W. Meyer / Billy Rose)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	HMV
The Curse Of An Aching Heart (Al Piantadosi / Henry Fink)	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
The More I Know You (The More I Love You)	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25348
Thief In The Night (Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	HMV
The Joint Was Jumpin’ (Fats Waller / Andy Razaf / J.C. Johnson)	10-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor 20-1582-B
The Love Bug Will Bite You (Tomlin)	4-9-1937	New York, New York	Victor
The Meanest Thing You Ever Did Was Kiss Me (Al Lewis / Murrray Mencher / Charles Newman)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Electrola
The Panic Is On (Clark / Thard)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Then I’ll Be Tired Of You (E.Y. Harburg / Arthur Schwartz)	8-17-1934	New York, New York	Victor
There Goes My Attraction (Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet)	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25388
There’ll Be Some Changes Made (Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet)	6-24-1935	New York, New York	Bluebird
There’s Going To Be The Devil To Pay (Robert Emmerich / Billy Hueston)	6-24-1935	New York, New York	Bluebird
To A Sweet Pretty Thing (Young / Ahlert)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Truckin’ (Rube Bloom / Ted Koehler)	8-2-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Twelfth Street Rag (Euday L. Bowman)	6-24-1935	New York, New York	Bluebird
Two Sleepy People (Frank Loesser / Hoagy Carmichael)	10-13-1938	New York, New York	Bluebird
Until the Real Thing Comes Along (Sammy Cain / Saul Chaplin / Mann Holiner / Alberta Nichols)	8-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Up Jumped You With Love (Fats Waller / Ed Kirkeby)	7-13-1942	New York, New York	Victor
Us On A Bus (Seymour / Lawnhurst)	4-8-1936	New York, New York	Victor
West Wind (Ager / Newman)	2-1-1936	New York, New York	Victor
What’s the Reason (I’m Not Pleasin’ You?) (Jimmie Greer / Coe H. Poe / Pinky Tomlin)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 88784-1
What’s the Reason (I’m Not Pleasin’ You?) (Jimmie Greer / Coe H. Poe / Pinky Tomlin)	3-6-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 88785-1
When Love Is Young (Adamson / McHugh)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Victor
When Somebody Thinks You’re Wonderful (H. Woods)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor
Where Is The Sun? (Redmond / Davis)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Who’s Afraid Of Love (Mitchell / Pollack)	12-24-1936	New York, New York	Victor
Whose Honey Are You? (Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie)	3-6-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor 88779-1
Woe Is Me (James Cavanaugh / Robert Emmerich / Dick Sanford)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	HMV
Why Do I Lie To Myself About You?	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25353
Yacht Club Swing (Herman Autrey / J.C. Johnson / Fats Waller)	10-13-1938	New York, New York	Victor
You’ve Got Me Under Your Thumb (Livemash / Brooks)	9-7-1937	New York, New York	Victor
You Showed Me The Way (McRae / Chick Webb)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25579
You Showed Me The Way (McRae / Chick Webb)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor 25565
You Stayed Away To Long (Whiting / Schwartz)	11-29-1935	New York, New York	Victor
You’re Laughing At Me (Irving Berlin)	2-22-1937	New York, New York	Victor
Your Feet’s Too Big (Ada Benson / Fred Fisher)	3-20-1941	New York, New York	Victor
You Fit The Picture (Bud Green / Jessie Greer)	1-5-1935	Camden, New Jersey	Victor
You’re Gonna Be Sorry (Clarence Gaskill)	3-20-1941	New York, New York	Victor
You Look Good To Me (Billy Rose / Walter Donaldson)	10-13-1938	New York, New York	Bluebird
You’re Not the Kind (Burke / Spina)	6-5-1936	New York, New York	Victor 25353
You’re Not the Only Oyster In the Stew (Burke / Spina)	8-17-1934	New York, New York	Victor
You’re So Darn Charming (1) (Burke / Spina)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	Victor
You’re So Darn Charming (2) (Burke / Spina)	8-20-1935	New York, New York	RCA
You’re the Cutest One	5-8-1935	New York, New York	HMV
You’re The Picture, I’m The Frame (Irving Golden / Bob Rothberg)	6-24-1935	New York, New York	HMV
You’ve Been Reading My Mail (Meyer / Rothberg)	3-18-1937	New York, New York	Victor
You’ve Been Taking Lessons In Love (Winston “Winky” Tharp / Grady Watts)	5-8-1935	New York, New York	BRS
You Went to My Head (Meyer / Bernier / Emmerich)	3-11-1938	New York, New York	Victor

 

Artist	Instrument
Herman Autrey	Trumpet
Al Casey	Guitar
Bill Coleman	Trumpet
Harry Dial	Drums, Vibraphone
Mezz Mezzrow	Clarinet
Floyd O’Brien	Trombone
Rudy Powell	Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
Billy Taylor	Drums, Vibraphone
Fats Waller	Piano, Vocals
Charlie Turner	Bass
Eugene “Honey Bear” Sedric	Clarinet
Ben Whitted	Clarinet