Check out the new contest radio spot.

We are making lots of progress on the editing and, although we announced this on our Facebook page (if you don’t already “like” us, you should!), we’ve been taken on as a client by the USC Law School’s IP and Technology Clinic.  They are going to help us with our music rights issues and figuring out some of the thornier IP-related legal problems we might run up against.

They don’t take on a whole lot of clients, so we feel very grateful for their help!

Organized by our own Jim Boston and the Great Plains Ragtime Society, it’s going to be quite the ragtime extravaganza.

Scheduled to appear at the festival are: Adam Swanson, Marty Mincer, Burns Davis, and of course Jim himself. Hope you can make it. Our intrepid director/producer/editor Nick Holle will be there, too. So stop by and say hello, give Nick’s cheeks a squeeze, and enjoy some ragtime.

For more info, check out the festival’s website or call the Great Plains Ragtime Society at 402 556-3340.

“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is actually a Tin Pan alley song — one of the most popular of 1908. We learned this while attending a lecture of Ethan Uslan‘s at UNC-Charlotte, where he was teaching a course on music history.

Check out this version of Adam Swanson playing it with Jeff Barnhart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mqAtV__wdo

The Carolina Ragtime Contest was a big success. We did two shows, and the first show was so packed, the museum had to stop letting people in. The building was filled to capacity. I played duets with New Orleans trumpet master Kevin Clark, and vocalist Wayne Powers sang “I Love a Piano” to thank Steinway for lending us a glorious Steinway.  (Wayne Powers has had an illustrious career as an actor, radio host, and voice-over artist. He’s been on Murder She Wrote and Laverne and Shirley and he does the voices of the birds for those Windex commercials).

Anyway, the main part of the event was that Perf Bill, Russell, and Martin played a few songs each and brought the house down, and then did it again for the second show. There were a lot of kids there so Martin played a Mary Poppins medley and that went over very well. The audience voted by pulling out ballot-tabs in the programs, and then the ushers collected and counted.

Russell has a certain je ne sais quois, as he won the contest both shows (but it was close!). I ceremoniously crowned him twice. It was a hoot watching him play encores in a robe and crown. Not something I’ve ever seen before.

Here are a few pictures from the show:

Here’s a gorgeous, swoon-inducing “Rockin’ Chair” from Carolina Ragtime host Ethan Uslan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoQjg6BZhTA

Or how about “Maple Leaf Rag” from “Perfessor” Bill? Guaranteed as a “Maple Leaf” you ain’t never heard before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8xnf-nuMXY

In addition to the early 1900s setting of Main Street USA, which was modeled on Walt Disney’s home town of Marceline, Missouri, Disneyland (and World) both feature quite a bit of ragtime music. In fact, Disney is one of the few places that employs a full-time ragtime piano player. (At least that’s what we heard.)

Check out this video of longtime Disneyland Ragtime Piano Player Rod Miller playing the Maple Leaf Rag. It’s pretty darn good.

It features, among others, our very own Adam Swanson. Also appearing will be Frederick Hodges, one of the most respected ragtime pianists out there, with whom Adam has made a new CD.

If you’re around, check out the show! It’s playing at the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts. Take a look at the schedule here.

The results from The Train Town Rag Contest at Sedalia.

Out of 26 entries:

4th place: William McNally

3rd place: Jack Rummel

2nd place: Brett Youens

1st place: Martin Spitznagel

Thanks for the update, Brett!  And congratulations to all who entered.