Ragtime Music

This CD is drawn from live recordings of a jazz piano concert given at the New School in New York in 1972. It was originally recorded by students, but the sound quality is of less than professional standards only for Hammond's introductions and for Eubie Blake. The music is excellent throughout. A number of additional tracks have been added to augment the original LP release.

Teddy Wilson and Dill Jones are in fine form, but the standouts are Claude Hopkins and Eubie Blake. Hopkins, better known as the leader of a swing orchestra in the 1930s, reveals himself to be a fine stride pianist, tearing into "Three Little Words" in particular with great vigour, and giving his old theme song "I'd Do Anything for You" a fine workout. Chiaroscuro recorded a solo LP of Hopkins around the same time which deserves CD re-issue on the basis of this performance.

Eubie Blake, 89 years old at the time, plays magnificently, and demonstrates his vaudeville skills in wooing the audience. "Tricky Fingers", aptly named, is the standout track, but listen too to the concert style arrangements of his big 1930s hit "Memories of You" and Cole Porter's "You Do Something to Me".

All lovers of ragtime / stride / mainstream piano should consider this a required purchase.

Ok..I am a flower child fromthe 60's...But, you have to agree,
they are the greatest...As are Richard and Mimi Farina!
I dont know if the jug band still exists with the original
members..But, if they do, would travel a few miles to see them!

This an outstanding collection and overview of Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band; it recalls the best of the 20's and 30's good-time whoopie music, refreshingly, and with a bit of modernism (Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" for example,) thrown in for good measure. This CD compiles selections from all three of Kweskin & the Jug Band's 60's Vanguard records, though regretably, it contains *all* the same tunes as "Greatest Hits!" (and "Greatest Hits!" has four *additional* songs on it, and, lamentably, NONE of them are "Coney Island Washboard"). Just as you'll find a lot of influences from the great 1920's Jugbands like "Cannon's Jug Stompers" or "The Memphis Jug Band", you'll find a LOT of Jim Kweskin & The Jugband influence on a number of bands and acts to follow them--off the top of my head--Tiny Tim, The Captain Matchbox Whoopie Band, Leon Redbone, the Fugs, Country Joe & The Fish, Mike Gross, Loke E. Coyote, all show some heavy signs of Kweskin & Jug Band exposure! The Grateful Dead's proto-band, "Mother McCrea's Uptown Jug Champions", for example, [available directly from GDM Inc.] had a repitiore that was largely swiped straight from Kweskin's 1st LP.

This is a very accessible collection, play it at any party and watch the smiles! Kweskin's Jug Band doesn't touch some of the more "difficult" traditional subject material (often a problem in these politically correct times) that some might find overly risque, or racist, but it doesn't miss a thing when it comes to the double-entendre, and you'll hear this in tunes like "Borneo" and "Beedle Um Bum." Frankly, the *only* reason this collection doesn't get five stars, is (as I said) it has essentially the same track list as the CD "Greatest Hits" minus four tracks.

I have loved JoAnn Castle for a lot of years. I used to watch her on Lawrence Welk. I am glad to have her music so I can listen any time.n Song choices are great.

The music and songs are excellent, anytime, not just at ragtime. Jo Anne is one of the best, if not THE BEST!

Jo Anne is the best when is comes to ragtime. She really knows her piano and ragtime.

I am a great fan of Joann Castle ever since she was on the Lawrence Welk Show. This is the first time that I have ever seen Joann's CD's for sale. This album is really great nnd we
need more albusm like this on the market.. Dean Belknap

Jo Ann is a really good rag time player, but I agree with the other reviewer that she plays the tunes too fast, especailly Maple Leaf Rag. Alas, that is her style. She ain't going to change it just because we are critical of it. Despite that criticism I still like this record.

Songs Include : "Fig Leaf Rag" / "Rose Leaf Rag" / "Sycamore - A Concert Rag" / "Sunflower Slow Drag" / "Euphonic Sounds" / "Heliotrope Bouquet" / "Gladiolus Rag" / "Palm Leaf Rag" / "Pleasant Moments" / "Weeping Willow" / "The Chrysanthemum And Afro American Intermezzo" / "Maple Leaf Rag"

this is an excellent performance and selection of stride and ragtime piano solos. Lisa not only methodically plays these pieces well, but also invests emotion and ambience into each piece. It's a delightful album to listen to closely or to play in the background. A real upper.

This is the most enjoyable c-d on ragtime that I have ever had. It is WONDERFUL. There are no words to describe the enjoyment that i have had listening to this c-d,

From first to last, this is the best cd of ragtime played by people who know ragtime. Unfortunately, the tunes continue to play in my head for hours after.

It's difficult to explain the feeling one gets when they first listen to that perfect period recording. It's a split between true happiness, excitment, and subtle comfort, the feeling as if you have been propelled into the past, the feeling as if you can see what has long been forgotten, just by closing your eyes. It's pretty difficult for an orchestra to achieve this, but I think it is safe to say that the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra or 'PRO' does.

The PRO embodies the essence of the era in which it's music (a colaboration of marches, rags, cakewalks, one steps, waltzs, and so on) came from. All of the music preformed was written for ragtime orchestra (including Pine Apple Rag, for all of you Scott Joplin fans out there) and are part of the Arthur Pryor music collection that was recently rediscovered in Atlantic City by the founder of the orchestra, Rick Benjamin.(Arthur Pryor was a member of the Sousa band, and the conductor of his own orchestra at the turn-of-the-century)

Utilizing superb training, enthusiastic sound, and chamber orchestra polish, the PRO succeeds in bringing a long forgotten musical genre back into light. And rest asured this is not a Dixieland recording, this is not a brashy, low class, bordello band. It is what can only be described as the band that would perform in the park every Sunday after church, at a high class social event, or the departure of the latest luxury liner. It is the embodiment of an era that will never come again, but is still firmly implanted in our memories.

I strongly recommend Knockout Drops to any music fan who is looking for an extraordinary ragtime recording that dosen't have a hint of piano in it. This also goes for the orchestras other recordings (That Demon Rag!, The Whistler and His Dog, and On the Boardwalk) and their video (Charlie Chaplin Moving Picture Show).

This is a great album for anyone who like ragtime music. For people who have seen the 2004 film The Deserter by Eric B. Borgman and wondered where you could find the music, some of these exact tunes can be heard in it! Borgman cut a deal with Rick Benjamin and used several tunes from this CD and That Demon Rag!

This CD is highly recommended by me I truly believe that this is the best ragtime orchestra going on the planet!