Fats Domino – The Best Of Fats Domino

Fats Domino – The Best Of Fats Domino

The Best Of Fats Domino is a superb 15-track collection from one of the foundational figures of New Orleans rhythm & blues and early rock & roll. Featuring essential recordings from the height of Domino's Imperial Records career, this collection brings together the distinctive rolling piano, warm vocals and infectious New Orleans groove that made him one of the biggest recording artists of the 1950s and early 1960s.

The collection opens with perhaps Domino's most famous recording, “Blueberry Hill”, his 1956 interpretation of the standard originally written by Vincent Rose, Al Lewis and Larry Stock. The recording became his biggest pop success, reaching No. 2 in the US, and remains one of the defining performances of the first generation of rock & roll.

From there, the album moves through an extraordinary run of classic Domino performances. “Whole Lotta Lovin'”, “Blue Monday”, “I'm Walkin'” and “I'm In Love Again” showcase the combination of rolling boogie-woogie piano, infectious rhythm and relaxed vocal delivery that became Domino's trademark. His sound was rooted firmly in New Orleans R&B, but its rhythmic drive and accessible songwriting helped establish the blueprint for rock & roll.

The set also reaches back to “The Fat Man”, Domino's groundbreaking 1949 recording. Produced in collaboration with Dave Bartholomew, the track grew out of New Orleans rhythm & blues and is widely regarded as an important early rock & roll record. Domino and Bartholomew would go on to form one of the most successful songwriting and production partnerships of the early rock era, with the Imperial recordings backed by outstanding New Orleans musicians including drummer Earl Palmer and saxophonist Herbert Hardesty.

Other highlights include “Valley Of Tears”, “Be My Guest” and “When My Dream Boat Comes Home”, demonstrating Domino's extraordinary consistency as a hitmaker. His singles regularly crossed between the R&B and pop charts, helping bring the New Orleans sound to a huge international audience. Between 1955 and 1963 he amassed an astonishing 35 US Top 40 singles.

The closing stretch is equally strong, featuring “Let The Four Winds Blow”, “I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday”, “Walking To New Orleans”, “Ain't That A Shame”, “I Want To Walk You Home” and “My Blue Heaven”. “Walking To New Orleans”, written by Domino with Bobby Charles and Dave Bartholomew, became another major crossover hit in 1960, reaching No. 6 on the US pop chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart.

For collectors of Fats Domino CDs, 1950s rock & roll, New Orleans R&B, piano blues and early rhythm & blues, this is an excellent concise introduction to one of the genre's most important artists. Domino's relaxed personality and unmistakable piano style helped bridge the gap between post-war R&B and rock & roll, influencing generations of musicians while producing a catalogue packed with enduring classics.

Tracklist

1. Blueberry Hill
2. Whole Lotta Lovin'
3. Fat Man
4. Blue Monday
5. I'm Walkin'
6. I'm In Love Again
7. Valley Of Tears
8. Be My Guest
9. When My Dream Boat Comes Home
10. Let The Four Winds Blow
11. I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday
12. Walking To New Orleans
13. Ain't That A Shame
14. I Want To Walk You Home
15. My Blue Heaven