Today in Music History May 21, 1904: Jazz legend and piano master Fats Waller was born. His creativity and innovations in the Harlem stride style of piano playing influenced much of the jazz that followed. During his career, he copyrighted over 400 of his compositions. He started playing piano at age six. As a teenager, he studied with the stride piano master, James P. Johnson. In 1926, he was kidnapped by Al Capone’s men and forced at gunpoint to perform for the gangster’s birthday party. In the early 1940s, he became the first African American songwriter to compose a hit Broadway musical.
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#workingclass #LaborHistory #jazz #fatswaller #mafia #alcapone #racism #harlem #BlackMastodon

Isn't it funny how the seemingly invincible gangster all seem to share the same Achilles' heel?

LOL

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For those that don't know: #AlCapone was caught because of his accounting (accountant). ;)

HistoPol (#HP) 🏴 🇺🇸 🏴 (@HistoPol@mastodon.social)

Attached: 1 image @GottaLaff Excellent idea. I second this, unless it were #Alcatraz. Donald is merely a 2nd rate gangster and doesn't live up to #AlCapone. #TrumpCrimeFamily

^Mastodon