SOMETHING DOING
NOVEMBER 2001; NUMBER 67
Rose Leaf Ragtime Club October Meeting (10/28/2001)
Reported by Gary Rametta
Well, we’re close to putting the ribbon around another
year’s worth of Rose Leaf Ragtime Club meetings. It’s truly been a bountiful
year for us, and all I can say is THANK YOU. To all of you who take part in our
get-togethers by coming out every month and supporting us, Thank You. To all
the performers who continue to cultivate your musical talent, amaze us with
your artistry, and keep the ragtime spirit alive, Thank You.
The continued success of our club causes me to reflect on
our founder, P.J. Schmidt, whom I miss dearly. The Rose Leaf club was his
brainchild, his labor of love. Phil’s generosity, compassion and dedication to
this unique American art form kept us going when it seemed like we were hanging
from a thread. There were other selfless contributors whose volunteer efforts
were also integral to our club’s growth. Among those fondly remembered is Gus
Willmorth, the former editor of this newsletter and audio chronicler of years
of meetings. Also, John Roache, whose pioneering work in MIDI played a major
role in spreading ragtime over the Internet and helped increase our club’s
visibility.
Other club members who’ve made and continue to make vital
contributions include Bill Mitchell, Ron Ross, Darrell Woodruff, Becky Todd,
Bob Kirby, Lee Roan, Eric Marchese and Fred Hoeptner.
When I visited P.J. in the hospital before he passed away, I
promised him that I would continue his work and keep the club going. Of course,
this would have been impossible if not for the involvement, encouragement and
support of all Rose Leaf Ragtime Club members. In this time of Thanksgiving, I
express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you.
____________________
Our October meeting began with the sounds of one of the
hallmark compositions of ragtime: James Scott’s 1909 classic rag “Grace and
Beauty,” played by Gary Rametta.
Bill Mitchell continued with a wonderfully-played piece by
Indianan May Aufderheide, “A Totally Different Rag” from 1910. Next was James
Scott’s “Quality Rag,” a 1911 composition in which the 26-year-old Scott’s
pianistic and rag-writing brilliance were in full bloom.
Bob Pinsker introduced us to some works by Ohio-born
ragtimer Clarence Jones. Jones lived most of his life in Chicago, where he was
a highly regarded pianist and teacher (one of his students was blues pianist
Jimmy Blythe). Bob’s first selection was Jones’ 1913 “Thanks for the Lobster,”
(subtitled “A One-step, Turkey trot, Fox trot, Tango, Two-step). It featured a
danceable rhythm, humorous vocal callouts and imaginative piano figurings. Next
was “Modulations,” an ambitious 1923 composition that showcased Jones’ novelty
rag-writing skill.
Following Bob was guitar/banjoist Phil Cannon, who gave us a
marvelous version of Joplin’s masterpiece “Gladiolus Rag,” then a yeoman’s
effort on Luckey Roberts’ difficult “Junkman Rag.”
Ron Ross came up next, announcing the release of his CD
“Ragtime Renaissance” and an upcoming appearance on radio station KSBR’s
ragtime show hosted by club member Jeff Stone. Ron played two original
compositions from his CD, first “Joplinesque—A Gringo Tango,” then “Sweet is
the Sound.” Both are lovely works—pretty, singing melodies accentuated by a habanera
rhythm.
Next, we were pleased to introduce our surprise guest of the
day, Nan Bostick, a nationally known ragtime author, raconteur and performer.
Nan is currently researching and writing a book on the history of ragtime in
Detroit, to coincide with that city’s 300th birthday. Her first performance was
of a rather obscure work by Louise Gustin, a Motown music educator, “X.N.Tric
Rag,” from the early 1900s. Next was “Hiawatha,” a popular 1901 “Indian” tune
penned by her Grand-Uncle Charles N. Daniels. Daniels was a
composer/arranger/publisher from Kansas City who worked in St. Louis and
eventually settled in Detroit, where he worked for the Jerome H. Remick
Company, the most prolific rag-publishing house in U.S. history. Daniels is
noted for bringing to market two seminal ragtime compositions, Scott Joplin’s
“Original Rags” and “Dill Pickles,” Charles L. Johnson’s smash hit from
1906-07. Nan closed her set with a charming rag from Detroiter Harry P. Guy,
“Pearl of the Harem.” Nan’s playing was a total delight; her touch, phrasing,
expressiveness and interpretations were first-rate.
George McClellan stepped up to solo on an eminently
listenable rendition of the 1922 Braham/Furber staple “Limehouse Blues.” Next,
he premiered an original, untitled rag that came to him earlier that morning as
he popped out of bed. I’ll call it “Early Morning Rag,” which seems apt. George
improvised on its two themes, the first being a parade of eighth-note runs in
the ragtime tradition, while the second theme was colored with some really
thoughtful harmonies that seemed to draw inspiration from late-night,
smoky-roomed, solitary exploration at the keys.
Stan Long entertained us next with Joplin’s last-published
rag, “Magnetic Rag.” Unlike the majority of Joplin’s rags, this one
consistently changes moods from one section to the next. It is Joplin’s most
personal statement, and one of his most difficult to interpret. Stan followed
up with a new addition to his repertoire, a three-section rag by George Cobb
called “Feedin' the Kitty,” which Stan learned after coming across the piece on
the Internet as a MIDI file, downloading it and working on it. Sounded good!
Nancy Kleier chose a Halloween-themed set featured two
little-known works by New Yorker Ford Dabney, composer of the club favorite
“Porto Rico” which Bill Mitchell sometimes plays. This time, Nancy chose to
associate the rags with the trick-or-treat costumes worn by our mythical
ragtime couple, Raggedy Alfred and Raggedy Agnes. First was “Oh, You Angel,”
(1911) with a nod to Agnes’ halo-and-wings outfit. Alfred’s horns-and-pitchfork
costume invoked “Oh, You Devil,” (1909). It seemed to me that the “Angel”
number was more dissonant, with ominous-sounding, two-handed descending
chromatic scales. “Devil” sounded much more diatonic, thus pleasing to the ear.
Were the titles accidentally switched somewhere along the line, or was my
hearing off-base that day?
11 year-old Ruby Fradkin took over the keys, noting that it
was two years ago this month that she first played at the Rose Leaf Ragtime
Club. She thanked everyone for their support and encouragement. Ruby drew
unanimous cheers from the roomful of guests. It’s been a privilege and joy to
witness her incredible advancement in just two short years. For her set, Ruby
performed the first three sections of Joplin’s 1902 “Elite Syncopations,” quite
excellently. Next, she played Irving Berlin’s “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” which
gave her the opportunity to stretch out her growing improvisational skills.
As our brief intermission came to a close, Yuko Shimazaki
soloed on two Joplin numbers. First, his exquisite “Nonpareil” rag which she
played beautifully, then his masterful “Fig Leaf Rag—A High Class Rag,” in
which she was joined by Phil Cannon for an impromptu duet. Again, her playing
and delivery were outstanding, and Phil’s solid accompaniment added breadth and
body to the overall sound.
Gary Rametta returned to the keys with a new addition to his
play-list, Eubie Blake’s magnificent “Eubie’s Classical Rag.” The crowd seemed
to really like the piece, even though Gary hasn’t quite gotten the piece
entirely under his fingers. Yours truly resolves to continue working on this
piece, and will enlist Yuko’s help in smoothing out some of the tough-to-finger
phrases.
Yuko was invited back up by popular demand. This time she
chose a rag-tango from Argentina, circa 1900: “Velada Criolla” (Veiled Creole
Woman) by Domingo Perez. It’s a solemn, gently flowing story that combines
European classical, tango rhythm and a three-part rag-like structure. As usual,
Yuko’s touch, tempo, phrasing and dynamics were marvelous.
Next, we delved into a series of thoroughly enjoyable
piano-vocal duets. First was the husband/wife team of Judy and Bob Pinsker, who
gave us “Crazy for That Kind of Love” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.”
Judy’s vocal delivery and presence were really engaging, while Bob contributed
some great keyboard accompaniment and soloing.
Bill Mitchell then returned to the keys, this time with
enthusiastic newcomer Gwen Girvan, a local piano teacher and performer who was
really tuned-in to and turned-on by the music she’d been enjoying during her
first visit to our club. They hit the road running with W.C. Handy’s “St. Louis
Blues,” featuring soulful vocals by Gwen and great keyboard work by Bill (and
Gwen as well, who dueted with Bill during his solo). They followed up with
another golden-age gem, “Lazy River.” Great fun!
Following Gwen and Bill were Alan “The Great Bramanovich”
Bremer on vocal and Ron Ross at the piano. They kicked off with “Put a Nickel
in the Nickelodeon,” during which Gwen was so excited she rushed the stage to
harmonize with Alan on the as-written and as-Bramanovized vocals. The duo then
segued into “Toot-toot-Tootsie,” then finished off with “Hello My Ragtime Gal.”
As usual, the Great Bramanovich was in fine form, adding a bit of levity and
hilarity to the proceedings, while Ron’s piano accompaniment laid a solid
rhythmic foundation and provided harmonic support. Overall, the performance had
many of us in stitches.
Moving toward the close of the meeting, we continued with
some piano duets. First was the ad-hoc duo of Nan Bostick and Nancy Kleier,
playing Charles Daniels “Cotton Time,” then his “Borneo Rag,” which they
performed vaudeville style, i.e., with physical comedy accompaniment to
highlight the music. Lots of fun and very well played.
Gary Rametta and Bill Mitchell then dueted on Joplin’s “Original
Rags,” followed by Bob Pinsker and Bill on George Botsford’s “Black and White
Rag.” Next were Ruby, Bill and Phil, combining on a happy, folksy version of
the Joplin/Marshall classic “Swipesy Cakewalk.” Gary and Bill put the wraps on
the duets with the Joplin/Hayden collaboration, “Sunflower Slow Drag.”
Bob Pinsker then returned to put the bookends on another
great Rose Leaf Ragtime Club meeting with a down-and-dirty Southwest rag from
Dallas, circa 1914: “Majestic Rag,” by Rawls and Neel.
This month’s meeting takes place on 11/25. We’ll be focusing
on Joplin rags, waltzes, marches and syncopations, so there is sure to be
something for everyone to enjoy. See you then!
THE NEW GROVE DICTIONARY OF JAZZ – SECOND EDITION
A Book Review by Floyd Levin
The long-awaited Second Edition of the New Grove Dictionary
of Jazz, originally scheduled for release last year, has now appeared. In Three
impressive hardcover volumes, with almost 3000 pages, the tome updates and
doubles the size of the original edition published thirteen years ago. It is,
however, priced accordingly - $550.00 compared with $295.00.
The elaborate expanded reference work covers every facet of
jazz from Buddy Bolden, the first acknowledged New Orleans cornet “king” and
the Crescent City’s earliest brass bands, to 1500 biographies covering
musicians who came to prominence since the first edition appeared.
The 7750 articles include 2750 new entries representing the
collective scholarship of over 300 experts from all parts of the world. They
carefully survey and evaluate the careers of performers, producers, composers,
arrangers, writers and bands.
While the abundant illustrations are mostly from the noted
Frank Driggs collection, scores of photos are credited to additional
photographers. Bibliographical and discographical references are also included.
Articles, covering jazz people, places, and things, date
back to the earliest forms – New Orleans, Chicago, Kansas City, Dixieland Jazz,
Traditional Jazz, Boogie-Woogie, Swing, Bop, and its derivatives. Included are:
jazz terms, record labels, instruments, night clubs, films and videos, poetry,
societies, festivals, archives, and libraries. Each article is painstakingly researched,
and individually signed.
The new edition is again expertly edited under the firm
direction of Barry Kernfield, well-known jazz authority and scholar, who also
wrote hundred of the articles. His Associate Editors, Gary Kennedy and Howard
Rye, additionally contributed a broad range of the biographical material.
The Grove firm claims that this is “the most comprehensive
jazz reference work ever published.” It would be difficult to entirely refute
that elaborate mandate
Like the first edition, however, there will probably be
quibbles from pedantic readers and omissions noted. After the earlier
publication, I called to the attention of Editor Barry Kernfield a list of 57
names I felt should have been included. I note that most of them now appear in
the new edition including several that Kernfield commissioned me to write.
Since 1988, the initial New Grove Dictionary of Jazz has
been a valuable tool occupying a handy place next to my desk for frequent referral.
It has now been replaced by the second edition volumes, which, I am sure, will
continue to provide substance and accuracy to my text.
THE NEW GROVE DICTIONARY OF JAZZ –SECOND EDITION in three
volumes, 2935 pp, illustrated.
From: Grove’s Dictionaries, Inc., Box 2244 Williston VT
05495. Order on line from: www.grovereference.com
ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
RAGTIME RADIO
Sundays, 2:05-3:30 pm PT, “Syncopation Station,” KDHX St.
Louis MO 88.l and www.kdhx.org; host, Jan Douglas.
Sundays, 4-6 pm PT, “Rags to Wishes.” KAZU, Pacific Grove CA
90.3 and www.kazu.org; host, Mike Schmitz.
Sundays, 8-10 pm PT, “The Ragtime Show,” KSBR Mission Viejo
CA 88.5 and www.ksbr.net; host, Jeff Stone.
Mondays, 9-10 pm PT, “The Ragtime Machine,” KUSF San
Francisco CA 90.3; host, David Reffkin. The KUSF stream is temporarily down
because of the current dispute over licensing fees for Internet broadcasting.
Thursdays, 7-8 pm PT, “Ragtime America,” KGNU Boulder CO
88.5 and www.kgnu.org; host, Jack Rummel.
CONTINUING GIGS AND UPCOMING EVENTS
Brad Kay Sunday
afternoons, 2-4 p.m. at The Unurban, 3301 W. Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica. Coffee,
etc. No cover charge
Jerry Rothschild Tues.
and Wed., 4:30-7:00 p.m. at Gunter’s Place, 16258 Whittier Blvd., Whittier.
(562) 947-3683
Fri. and Sat., 7-10 p.m. at Curley’s Restaurant, corner
Willow & Cherry, Signal Hill.
Mews and Her Fabulous Females, Dec. 2, 7 p.m. Vocal ensemble.
Spanning a century of popular music. Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El
Segundo. Admission $20. Phone 310-322-2592. E-mail oldtown;mh@aol.com.
Coyote Hills Jazz Band, Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Old favorites from
our yesteryears of Dixieland and jazz. Old Town Music Hall (see above).
Ragtime Trioarama, Jan. 13, 2002, 7 p.m. Robbie Rhodes, Bill
Mitchell, and Bob Pinsker. Solos, duets and trios featuring ragtime and jazz
piano. Old Town Music Hall (see above).
EDITOR’S NOTE
This month I am faced with a couple of problems. Because we
are involved in three music festivals in November Yvonne and I will be away
from home most of the month, and I am compelled to complete the newsletter much
earlier than usual. Today is the fifth and we leave on the seventh. I must have
Something Doing written, proofed, printed, addressed, franked and ready to mail
when we return for a couple of days between the Sacramento Ragtime Festival and
the San Diego Dixieland Festival. The second problem is that I have ended up
with four-and-a-half pages, leaving me with a blank page and a half. Being of
Scotch ancestry, I cannot bear to waste that space, so after fretting a few
minutes I have decided to pad this issue with some notes I took in Sedalia,
Missouri, in June of 1983 at the Scott Joplin Festival and Stamp Dedication.
(Remember the Scott Joplin commemorative stamp?) This will be an incomplete
account of that memorable event, but it may well be continued in the future
when space permits.
SEDALIA, JUNE, 1983
I flew out of Ontario the morning of Wednesday, June 8. The
plane touched down at Kansas City Airport at 1:52 p.m. Galen Wilkes, whose
plane arrived an hour earlier, met me at the exit gate, and a few minutes later
Paul Johnson, his friend from Oakland, arrived. I picked up the big Lincoln I
had reserved at Budget, and we were on the road about 3:00 p.m.
K.C. Airport is about twenty miles north of the city itself,
so the drive to Sedalia was actually about 100 miles, and took a couple of
hours. The rolling Missouri countryside was green with grassland and woods, and
looked quite similar to Oregon’s Willamette Valley near Salem. Galen, Paul, and
I talked ragtime unremittingly all the way to Sedalia.
Arrival in Sedalia was a thrill! This is a town of 20,000,
largish for Missouri, important for railroading, industry (Levi-Strauss has a
plant there, for example), farming, and the Missouri State Fair, whose home it
is. The outskirts were like any other prosperous and expanding community’s –
fast food stores, new motels, restaurants – but when we reached the old
business section, the downtown area, an ambiance of 1900 was apparent. Old
brick buildings, many of them now vacant, some still used for offices and
shops, caught the eye. The Bothwell Hotel, 4th and Ohio, is probably the
tallest structure in town, except for the huge water tower. The seven-story
Bothwell was built in 1927, and now has a faded charm reminiscent of the
Alexandria Hotel in L.A. My room, #505, was smallish, and minimally
satisfactory (not even a closet to hang clothes), but the price was right at
$15.00 per night. When I checked into the hotel, someone was playing good
classic ragtime on the second floor in the conference room. It was Paul Molens,
a young man from the East, who wore a fancy red ragtime vest and arm garters
everywhere during the four days of the festival. He played nicely, and had
written a few original rags.
After unpacking, I had a buffet supper in the hotel
restaurant on the ground floor, and then went for a walk on the quiet deserted
streets of downtown Sedalia on the eve of the Joplin stamp dedication and
festival. The Maple Leaf Club site on Main Street was occupied by a large open
tent with a couple of hundred chairs and a platform with an upright piano and
seats for the program’s participants on the morrow. All stores were closed, as
it was 8:30 p.m. in the evening, though it was still light. It was eerie to see
no one on the streets except for a police car in the area..
Dave Reffkin and I practiced at the Bothwell in the
conference room from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. It was hard work, with many weak spots
in my accompaniment. He was very patient with me, however. I was concerned with
getting the material under control by the following evening’s concert. I got to
bed about 11:00 p.m. Very tired!
Thursday I awoke before 6:00 a.m., too excited by the day’s
prospects for more sleep. I had breakfast downstairs about 7:30 a.m. I
practiced some by myself in the conference room, and then headed for the MLC
site early, since I wanted to be certain of getting a seat. I took along my
copy of They All Played Ragtime, in case I had some time to read. Crowds were
beginning to gather on Main Street. The block on which the tent was located was
closed to traffic, and it was a carnival midway of refreshment stands, souvenir
tables, art displays, etc. I went to the tent and sat in back of Rudi Blesh,
who was sitting up near the front. It was lucky I had brought my copy of TAPR
along, for I got him to autograph it for me. He was easy to talk to. He
mentioned that it was quite remarkable that John Stark, a Southerner from
Shelby County, Kentucky, had gone into partnership with Joplin, a black man, on
“Maple leaf Rag” in 1899. Blesh is now 85, walks with a cane, but is very sharp
and alert. We talked a little about Buster Keaton, who biographer Blesh is.
The Post Office Department was doing a brisk business
selling the new stamp and first day covers at tables set along the left side
under the tent. All available seating under the tent was soon taken, and a
crowd had to stand outside in the sun during the ceremonies, which got underway
about 11:00 a.m. The Spokane Falls Brass Band (two trumpets, two French horns,
and one trombone) played Joplin selections as a prelude to the ceremonies. It
was a moving program, with fine tributes to Joplin, and I caught it all on tape
with my new Sony Walkman stereo, a birthday gift from Yvonne. Near the end of
the program Bob Darch played “Maple Leaf Rag,” and Dick Zimmerman played “The
Cascades.” Four of Joplin’s relatives were present, and were introduced.
After lunch I drove out to Liberty Park, where Joplin once
played cornet with the Queen City Concert Band in the late 1890s, for a
run-through of the evening’s numbers with Dave Reffkin. I then came back to the
hotel and practiced some more.
Kathi Backus, David Gillespie and Bill Russell were staying
at the Bothwell too, and I drove them over to Liberty Park for the evening’s
concert, which was produced, as were all the concerts, by Dick Zimmerman. The
Spokane Falls Brass Band performed first, followed by Dave Reffkin (violin) and
me. We played Lamb’s “Contentment Rag,” “Non Profit Rag” (a Reffkin original),
and “A Coon’s Birthday,” by Paul Lincke, the German composer of “Glow Worm.”
The Et Cetera String Band was next, a trio of violin, mandolin and guitar.
They specialize in Kansas City folk ragtime, and are
delightful to hear. The St. Louis Ragtimers played several numbers in their
jaunty, captivating style. They have been together for 20 years now.
(To be continued in future issues.)
Bill Mitchell, Editor (714) 528-1534; Fax (714) 223-3886 E-mail jopscolam@home.com