[Dixielandjazz] Wild Cat Blues

[John Farrell]

It might be of interest to add that in May 1928 this tune was released on a
piano roll - Automatic Music Roll A1418. There were some who claimed that it
was the work of Fats Waller however I do not believe that was the case.



WILDCAT BLUES was part of a program on what is known as an A-roll (so-called
because the letter A always prefixes the catalog number). They are large,
multi-tune rolls manufactured for use on a coin-slot instrument and may also
be played on a 65-note player piano.



A1418 is entitled "Queen of the Blues". Most authorities now agree that this
performance of WILD CAT BLUES (Waller's first published composition) is not
hand-played by Waller at all, but is the work of a roll arranger employed by
Automatic. It is a seductive argument - the piece on the roll appears to
have been transcribed quite literally from an early Clarence Williams sheet
music folio which contains among others Willie "The Lion" Smith's KEEP YOUR
TEMPER and the Piron/Lewis BOUNCING AROUND. Waller's ORIENTAL TONES is in
the same folio, and is also included on an Automatic A-roll in an arranged
version not unlike WILD CAT BLUES in feeling.



John Farrell
http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm





----- Original Message -----
From: "Louis Lince" <louislince at neworleansmusic.demon.co.uk>
To: <jakpiano at bluewin.ch>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>;
<Andy.Ling at Quantel.Com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Wil Cat Blues


> The original recording was by Clarence Williams' Blue Five in 1923
featuring
> a young Sidney Bechet.. The much later Monty Sunshine / Chris Barber
> recording was a simplified version. Can't help with the sheet music
however.
> Sorry!
>
> Louis