Musical taste is such a subjective, personal thing and few are the people who like everything that they hear. I myself will listen to anything once and judge it after that. I used to say I would never listen to rap but now I find that I have and there have been times when I didn’t even change the radio station.

But I find that most people generally favor one kind of music over all others and so perhaps to them the foremost composers of that genre would claim their vote for the greatest composer of all time.

So I guess it is my opinion that there is no right answer to this question. One might say that J.S. Bach is a good candidate due to the experimentation he did with the intervals of scales and tuning in his “well-tempered clavier.”

Or some might argue Ludwig Van Beethoven due to the power of his compositions and role in bringing about the transition from the classical period to the romantic. And his struggle to keep working even as the ability to hear left him adds to the picture of greatness.

Aaron Copland is among the best modern composers, in my opinion, successful in making modern music in which you can hear the classic and romantic influence and yet is a very “listenable” modern blend, simple enough to be accessible to an open ear, and yet sophisticated enough to please most modernists.

One might say something similar about Duke Ellington’s jazz making the transition from the romantic composers. Many Jazz composers were/are schooled in the classical repertoire and familiar with Ravel and other classical/modern composers.

Willie Dixon has got to be one of the greatest composers of all time, his blues have moved millions. If you know a blues song, chances are pretty good it is by Willie Dixon. And if it isn’t by him the composer was probably influenced by him.

For some Elvis Presley is the crown of creation, for others Michael Jackson. What about Lennon/McCartney? Ever tap a toe or cut the rug to a Beatles song? I think it could be said that the lads from Liverpool shook the music world and that it is still rippling from them.

But I guess I am looking for a personal opinion and so I will give mine and you are welcome to take it for what it is worth. I think that the greatest composer of music ever was Thomas “Fats” Waller.

And for no reason other than the fact that he is my all-time favorite Musician. When I hear Fats I think of My Friend and Mentor Joe O’Connell, who identified for me and probably introduced me to Fats’ music. I was first exposed to Fats when I was quite young, I just can’t remember where or when. And when I say Fats I also partially include the lyricist that he often worked with, Andy Razaf, who provided some extraordinary moments in jazz history with the his flow of words.

I hear the joy in the music, and the sadness. But I have to say that I have a hard time listening to his music and staying sad. It is simple enough for me to understand and yet complicated enough to keep me interested. I think of dancing with my wife to “Yacht Club Swing” which he used as his theme song for his radio show. I think of “Your Feet’s Too Big” and a thousand little moments and asides which you hear in Fats’ recordings, like little “winks” at the listener and shouts at the singers.

I’ve been listening to Fats for about 30 years and I’m not tired of him yet. He brings me joy and good memories. If you have never heard Fats Waller I recommend that you check him out. He is the sort of musician that I feel comfortable recommending to anyone. To me, that makes him the greatest ever.

Dave Cofell
February 6th, 2003