Gladyse
Here's my complete transcription of Fats' classic novelty piano solo Gladyse from 1929.
This commercially released version was actually Fats' second take and it's interesting to compare the two versions and gain an insight into the genius of Fats' improvisational skills.
On one prolific Friday afternoon, Fats produced this stride gem as well as five other now classic piano solos: the songs Ain't Misbehavin', Sweet Savannah Sue, I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling, Love Me Or Leave Me and another stride piano solo novelty Valentine Stomp.
This is Fats at the peak of his pianistic creativity, overflowing with personality and boundless imagination.
The piece is essentially in three contrasting parts:
The first section has Fats playing a cute, almost overly sweet repeating motif with a light triadic left hand, material that he later reprises in African Ripples in 1934. There is a lovely, soulful blues note in the middle part of this melody but overall this section is (deliberately) pretty restrained and "straight" and not particularly "jazzy". Fats is almost overdoing the cuteness here as if lulling us into a false sense of sweetness.
In typical Fats fashion, for the next section, Fats completely turns the tables with loud, rousing, full-stride music featuring jazzy, teetering, syncopated right-hand 4ths and swinging forward and backward left-hand tenths. Blues notes/clusters and harmonies abound.
In part three, he reprises the beginning section but in its final repeat, joyfully transforms this previously "sweet and innocent" piano music into a bluesy and foot-stomping celebration!
Here are the notes as best I can make out. The original performance must be used as a reference here. The accents Fats uses are just impossible to replicate with digital software. Nothing can replicate the swing and momentum of Fats Waller!
Here is the original performance:
Youtube.com noteman
