Fats Waller and the Stride Tradition
Alyn Shipton 's four-part history of the stride piano style. 2: Harlem Fuss. At the Harlem rent parties of the 1920s and 30s, the entertainment was supplied by pianists like James P Johnson , Willie "the Lion"
Smith, Fats Waller , Donald Lambert ,
Joe Turner and Red Richards , who would try to outplay each other in "cutting contests".