Fats Waller turned stride piano into pure joy, his rolling left hand and puckish sense of humor making even his most virtuosic playing feel like an invitation to dance. A composer, singer, and organist as much as a piano dazzler, his songs like Ain't Misbehavin' became jazz standards almost the moment they were written. His playful, big-hearted showmanship set a template for entertainers who wanted virtuosity and warmth in the same breath.

the sound in question

1929

Ain't Misbehavin'Fats Waller