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Ragtime
• Originated in Sedalia, MO
• St. Louis became the Ragtime center around
1901
• General Public first exposed to Ragtime at a
series of World’s Fairs held in Omaha,
Chicago, Buffalo, and the 1904 World’s
Fair in St. Louis
• RAGTIME
• Chronologically New Orleans
Dixieland Jazz came first but no pianist
were included as this developed out of
marching bands
• Ragtime still has a profound effect on
the development of Jazz, especially
pianist.
• Ragtime players were both black and
white
RAGTIME
• Not considered true Jazz because it
is composed before it is performed
• Solo style
• Not improvised, but has
improvised feel
• RAGTIME
• Left hand bass and chords
• Right hand melodic parts
• Uses syncopation in left hand (bass
notes on 1 & 3 and chords on 2 & 4)
• Has a “ragged time feel” (one
possibility for the origin of the name)
• RAGTIME
• Composers of Rags sometimes “borrowed”
ideas, getting credit as the first to notate a
particular rag
• Somewhat Rigid Form
• Shows European influence with this
concern for balance
• Each Rag included Four themes (or
melodies) with equal stress or
importance within the composition
Scott Joplin 1868-1917
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Was a classically trained pianist
Composed a (1) Symphony & (2) Operas
Most prolific composer of ragtime music
“King of ragtime”
Composed 600 tunes, published 50
1973 the movie “The Sting” revitalized interest in
Joplin’s music & ragtime.
• Youtube – (The Entertainer)
• LISTENING JOURNAL
• Maple Leaf Rag
Jelly Roll Morton 1890-1941
• Best known ragtime player at the time
• Claims to have invented jazz in 1902
• One of first successful Ragtime Pianist to form
his own orchestra – “Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers
• First time in jazz that personality of the performer
was more important than the material
– Youtube -example
– Listening Journal
– “Maple Leaf Rag”
Ragtime and Dixieland Merge
• New Orleans Dixieland bands evolved from
marching bands
• Clarinet, cornet, trombone, banjo, tuba,
drums
• Piano could replace a couple of musicians
by playing bass in left hand, chords in right
Ragtime and Dixieland Merge
• Two major changes were
• 1. The melodic concept of Rags changed
• From 4 themes to two = Verse(1st theme) &
Repeated Chorus (4th theme)
• 2. The rhythmic aspects of the left hand of
the ragtime pianist influence the feel
• Dixieland band goes from a smooth 1,2,3,4
to the “ragged” 2 feel
Stride piano
• Not concerned with ragtime form
• Played popular tunes of the day no mater
what style
• Only a small portion of piece was composed
• Most Stride Pianist were proficient
improvisers
• More Intense, faster, more drive than
ragtime
James P. Johnson
• Famous stride pianist
• Composed famous tune
“Charleston”
• “Father of stride piano”
• Youtube = The Charleston
• LISTENING JOURNAL
“Carolina Shout”
Thomas “Fats” Waller 1904-1943
• Student of James P. Johnson
• Most exciting stride player of the day
• True stage performer but piano playing was
suburb
• In 1922 accompanies Blue Singers most notable
was Bessie Smith
• 1927 goes Solo
*Youtube-“Your Feets Too Big”
Art Tatum
• One of the most versatile pianist in
Jazz history
• Almost completely blind
• Stride playing is one of his favorites
• Played with small groups but usually
solo
• Virtuoso technique
Art Tatum
• Added advanced harmonies
• Was ahead of his time and influence
countless piano players to come
• Influence still felt today
• Collection of works won a Grammy
in 1973.
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YOUTUBE-example
LISTENING JOURNAL
“Elgie”
Boogie-Woogie Piano
• Great depression of the 1930s
• Solo Piano often replaced bands to save money
• Rent parties
• Ostinato Bass
– Eight beats to a measure
– Bass pattern repeated in left hand
– Right hand improvises using “rifts”
• BOOGIE-WOOGIE
• Reached its peak in the early 1930’s
• Word boogie first appears on a record in1928 by Chicago’s
Pine Top Smith
• *Youtube - Pine Tops Boogie
• *Youtube - Meade Lux Lewis
– LISTENING JOURNAL
Meade Lux Lewis’s
“Honky Tonk Train Blues”
• BOOGIE-WOOGIE
• Late 1990’s Boogie-Woogie & Swing revival
• Youtube
• The Dirty Boogie - Brian Setzer
• Zoot Suit Riot - Cherry Poppin' Daddies