Count Basie in Harlem - early 20th Century

from Hear Me Talkin' To Ya: The Classic Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It, pages 253-254:

The first time I saw Fats Waller, I had dropped into the old Lincoln Theatre in Harlem and heard a young fellow beating it out on the organ. From that time on, I was a daily customer, hanging onto his every note, sitting behind him all the time, fascinated by the ease with which his hands pounded the keys and manipulated the pedals. He got used to seeing me, as though I were part of the show. One day, he asked me whether I played the organ. "No," I said, "but I'd give my right arm to learn."

The next day he invited me to sit in the pit and start working the pedals. I sat on the …   more >>

cite as

Nat Hentoff and Nat Shapiro, Hear Me Talkin' To Ya: The Classic Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It (London, 1992), p. 253-254. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1435415728710 accessed: 6 November, 2024

location of experience: Harlem

Listeners

Count Basie
jazz pianist, Organist, Bandleader, Composer
1904-1984

Listening to

hide composers
Organ music
written by George Frideric Handel, William Crotch
performed by Fats Waller

Experience Information

Date/Time early 20th Century
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Originally submitted by 5011Henning on Sat, 27 Jun 2015 15:35:28 +0100
Approved on Wed, 31 Aug 2016 09:05:31 +0100