Ragtime Review 6/8/16

This is where I update my fellow ragtime fans as to what is new on the internet (YouTube generally) in the world of ragtime, and my current progress with whatever I'm working on.  I said I would try to do this on or around the 5th and 20th of the month.  I have been busy but I'm not too far off.  There is a lot new on YouTube since last time, and much more I could post, but I can't post it all so I have to select some highlights.

In general this is my busiest time of year in the professional realm and I have had very little time to practice.  Let's see, last time around I said I was working on the following pieces:

• New Era Rag, by James Scott, I am still playing some, but as I said last time I doubt it will get much better at my current general skill level.
• Grace and Beauty, by James Scott continues to improve.  I can pretty much play the first half up to tempo now with only a couple blips.  (A video of a performance of this piece appears in a previous post.)
• Ethiopia Rag, by Joseph Lamb.  I'm having a tough time improving on this one, though I suppose I have practiced it a bit less than the others.  It's more challenging than it looks/sounds, and I prefer pieces to be less challenging than they sound.
• Ragging the Scale, by Ed Claypoole.  Well, it's coming along, and I seem to have the first strain memorized.
• Canadian Capers, I think I have only played once since the previous update, which doesn't really count as working on it.  At that rate I ought to drop it from my current list.

So let's add two more to the list that I am now working on.

• Two-key Rag by Joe Hollander.  More on that below.
• Over the Top by Tom Brier.  I had been working on this a few months ago.  I didn't get all that far but I ought to give it another shot.  It is catchy.

Two-key Rag is a recent discovery for me.  It is also very catchy, but it may take a couple listens to get used to.  One has to accept the premise that the first two bars (and bars 9 and 10) of the first strain are purposely in a key 1/2 step higher than the rest of that strain.  The second strain also modulates significantly, this time to a (non-relative) minor key, but is very well composed so it works; and the Trio section is also quite good.  Here Tom Brier and Elliot Adams provide a performance.

This is a recent performance of a very catchy piece by T. A. Duggan.  It is believed that a lot of New Orleans area ragtime did not leave New Orleans (at least not at first), and consequently sheet music for this piece is extremely rare.  I am fortunate to have a copy that Michael (one of the performers here) posted to Facebook.

This performance of an earlier James Scott piece was from several years ago, but recently posted.

This is a new one on me.  I like this guy's style.

Then in the really new department, we have this new composition in the classic ragtime vein by Vincent Johnson, hot off the presses:

Here's a loose end we may pick up.  Something sort of new but not as new as the rest.  This is not strictly ragtime but more of a fun, ambling piece by a stride composer.  I'm kind of wondering where everyone is getting sheet music for this.  I've seen a few versions online but I'm unsure which is the best.  None of them is free (that I have found), and while I don't mind paying for something like this, it's important in that case to make sure I have the best version.  Of course if I had more time, it would be fun to take a whack at learning it by ear.

And finally, a detour to what's old.  I mentioned 'Over the Top' by Tom Brier.  Here is what it sounds like.  As the description says this is slightly on the slow side but it still sounds great.  I'll be happy if I can play it at that tempo!