Ragtime Music

Phillip Dyson is certainly an excellent pianist, and the selection of Joplin tunes on this album is pretty good. But when listening to album, I find myself frustrated at the number of embellishments and liberties that Dyson takes with Joplin's original music.

It's a matter of taste, I guess, but I much prefer renditions of the music that are true to what was written by Joplin. For more faithful performances of Scott Joplin, get Joshua Rifkin's album instead.

This recording is first class in every respect. The performances are all quite brilliant!! They retain the true classic ragtime and authenticity but with a wonderful modern day sound and an originality which is pure Phillip Dyson.

Here is music by the most prominent American ragtime composer, Scott Joplin, performed in a manner (11-12 instruments) slightly different from the usual (solo piano). The program contains 60 minutes of the familiar (and, in a couple instances, the unfamiliar) Joplin music that became popular at the turn of the 20th century, then fell into oblivion, and had a revival in the early 1970s.

This cd brings together two lps released by EMI/Angel during that '70s revival: "Red Back Book" containing 8 selections performed by students from the New England Conservatory conducted by Gunther Schuller; and "Elite Syncopations", which includes 8 pieces featuring pianist Ralph Grierson with the Southland Stingers.

All of the music is well performed and recorded. This listener especially likes track 6 ("Easy Winners") because of the numerous solos and track 13 ("Bink's Waltz") because, as a waltz, it is a nice departure
from the rag format and also because it was unfamiliar.

Although I think it is sad that Scott Joplin died at the age of 48 with his musical goals not totally achieved, his toe tapping music lives on and never fails to cheer me up.
Tim Koerner July 2008

I am enjoying this CD, though I hadn't expected the recordings to be so old. The sound quality is good, nevertheless. Good choice for a ragtime fan.

Any fan of ragtime music will enjoy this!! It's interesting and enlightening take on ragtime piano.

I, too, grew up listening to an old castte tape of this recording. I have been looking for the cd for many years. Why didn't I look for it at Amazon before ?!

This is a recording that makes any moment a pleasant and joyful time. You will never stop listening to it for years and still enjoy every track as the first time. It is so light... You will also enjoy the charming sound of each instrument, and you'll shurely discover a whole new aproach to Joplin's music as a band, rather than the original piano. Of course, the piano versions stand for themselves, but the deep bass lines, the charming flutes, the rithm of drums, you could almost belive it could have originally been written for a band.

Two words..."Bink's Waltz" worth the price of admission here. While an entire CD of these songs begins to feel strident, this music is very evocative--a brave wash of gaiety over sadness. A good addition to any collection of "American" music. Hope the Ragtime Conservatory records more. J. Makil

I purchased this CD for the cute rendition of "Teddy Bears Picnic" since it is difficult to locate recordings of this children's lyric. Several of the other tracks are entertaining also, but I'd suggest putting the CD player on "shuffle" to intermix other CD tracks too.

As a child I listened to "teddy bear's picnic" and I wanted to have a cd to hear it again. What a bonus to also get these other songs!! They are all playful music...happy tunes which lift your mood. Some remind me of music from old cartoons. I am very pleased with this cd.

Elegant, sprightly music that recreates the 1900s-1910s in authentic arrangements that don't sound creaky to modern ears. Audiophile-quality sound, as well. Highly recommended!

I have owned this recording previously in its vinyl LP format. It was one of the most natural sounding records I had ever heard -- of the highest quality audiophile sound. The new CD follows as a sonic equal to the LP. The music of mostly popular tunes of the Victorian era is magnificently played and most enjoyable to listen to from start to finish. Absolutely superb!

I purchased this CD for the cute rendition of "Teddy Bears Picnic" since it is difficult to locate recordings of this children's lyric. Several of the other tracks are entertaining also, but I'd suggest putting the CD player on "shuffle" to intermix other CD tracks too.

As a child I listened to "teddy bear's picnic" and I wanted to have a cd to hear it again. What a bonus to also get these other songs!! They are all playful music...happy tunes which lift your mood. Some remind me of music from old cartoons. I am very pleased with this cd.

Elegant, sprightly music that recreates the 1900s-1910s in authentic arrangements that don't sound creaky to modern ears. Audiophile-quality sound, as well. Highly recommended!

I have owned this recording previously in its vinyl LP format. It was one of the most natural sounding records I had ever heard -- of the highest quality audiophile sound. The new CD follows as a sonic equal to the LP. The music of mostly popular tunes of the Victorian era is magnificently played and most enjoyable to listen to from start to finish. Absolutely superb!

The title of the CD indicates that these are recordings made by such greats as James Reese Europe--they are actually rather bland modern re-recordings. Look for the originals--they do exist--and bypass this flat second-generation rehashing.

This CD captures all the energy and optimism of the early Harlem Renaissance...you'll think you've been transported back in time.

Ragtime music is probably most familiar to people through two contemporary movies: The Sting, which brought Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" to public awareness, and Ragtime, with a score by Randy Newman. In my opinion, Newman's score pales in comparison with these originals. The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra faithfully interprets original orchestral scores of composers like James Reese Europe and Will Marion Cook so if, like me, you're used to hearing this music on scratchy old mono recordings, you're in for a real treat.

It's easy to see why this music took the country by storm at the turn of the century...I played this CD three times the first night I got it, because it captivated me. There's not a song here I don't like and there's such a good mixture of styles that it doesn't become repetitive.

As with all releases from New World Records, this one includes a booklet packed with historical and biographical information. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Curator, AfroAmericanHeritage dot com

Yes, why is it so difficult to find this outstanding record when I look under Paragon Ragtime Orchestra"... it's another gem of those 1900-maniacs! Well, SPECIALISTS sounds maybe a little more polite. And I love those extensive liner notes: we get lots of entertainment and information at the same time! All of a sudden, the efforts of today's popular musicians to mess around with heavy and sempre out-of-balance P.A. equipment seem so useless... hahaha!