Harlem Stage Sets THE FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY for 7/28

Commissioned by Harlem Stage and created by Jason Moran, this concert looks back at the legacy of Smalls Paradise, where, aside from its regular nightly sets, it was famous for its after hours jams and rent parties.

Among the many artists Smalls hosted, Fats Waller was a regular who set the joint jumpin’ with late night jams and rent parties. It also took its inspiration from the stride tradition and music for which Waller was a seminal figure and how it presents itself in the musical innovations of contemporary forms. Fats Waller is a recognized genius hailing from the stride piano tradition. He is noted for developing a unique piano technique and his prolific compositional history.

Conceived as a dance party, a re-envisioning of the importance of moving to this music, Jason Moran and special guest will rework Waller’s music to create a dance event that has a current feel but uses Waller’s music. They will be joined by a 6-7 piece band. To help them out, we will engage dancers to get the crowd going.

THE FATS WALLER DANCE PARTY
5:00 pm at the Annunciation Plaza/Bruce Paltrow Field at PS 161
Tickets: FREE