[Dixielandjazz] This Is Ragtime

[Don Kirkman]

On Sun, 15 Dec 2002 13:46:40 -0600, Dan Augustine wrote:

>     I wrote earlier that i had bought Terry Waldo's book _This Is 
>Ragtime_ (Da Capo, 1976) that Leon Oakley had mentioned as having 
>some quotations by Lu Watters. But it has a lot more than that, 
>obviously.
>     I'm now immersed in the flow of other ideas and other kinds of 
>'jazz' musics that were mentioned in that book.  While i've been a 
>ragtime fan for over 30 years (i arranged 20 of Scott Joplin's rags 
>for brass quintet in the early 70's), i didn't know much about where 
>ragtime came from or about its early and modern practicioners.  I'm 
>now paying more attention to the music of our ragtime brethern (and 
>sistern--wait, that doesn't sound right).

[. . .]

You're probably already aware, then, that rec.music.ragtime is a great
place to hang out, almost as good as DJML though not nearly as busy.
Many players, several academics, and lots of us wannabes spend a good
deal of time in there.  If you're not aware of sources of ragtime
history, I'm rereading Ed Berlin's _Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural
History_ [paperback ISBN 0-520-05219-6] and also own his _King of
Ragtime:  Scott Joplin and His Era_ [ISBN 0-19-508739-9].  Ed is one of
the most informed contributors to rmr but some others are his close
competitors.  The Waldo book is also great, as is (if you can find a
copy) Blesh and Janis (DJMLer Conrad's kin, but I don't know the
relationship) _They All Played Ragtime_ and a book dealing more with the
technical aspects of ragtime, Schafer and Riedel _The Art of Ragtime_
[ISBN 0-306-80057-8]/

Sorry if I've waxed too enthusiastic about ragtime, but JR Morton
couldn't have invented OKOM if he hadn't been steeped in ragtime when he
was but a lad.  :-)

>     The study of ragtime is full of surprises.  I'm sure that reading 
>any good book on jazz history would also lead one out on multiple 
>side-journeys, but that's my point.  My interest in "tickling the 
>ivories" led me to discover an elephant-full of associated musical 
>pathways.
-- 
Don
donkirk@covad.net