The Entertainers

Blind “Maple Leaf Rag”

Nick — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:52:24 +0000

From the depths of The Entertainers library of footage, I put this together to hopefully make your summer a little cooler. Martin Spitznagel and Bryan Wright withstand blindfolds and a little colleague shenanigans to bang out this two-piano masterpiece. Sorry if the camera is shaking too much. I enjoyed this one…and sort of forgot I was shooting.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRjh9BnzRw

More from Ragtime to Riches

Nick — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:46:25 +0000

Here’s two more clips from the Ragtime to Riches festival that was held in Omaha on July 10th and 11th. Sundays shows featured Adam Swanson, who set R to R’s modest attendance record for the six years of its existence, and Burns Davis, who performed rags composed by Omaha’s own Gil Lieby.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Cr9oN_Xhic

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE7FImg05zk

A view from Ragtime to Riches

Nick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:04:59 +0000

It was an honor and privilege to join Jim and the gang in Omaha last week for the Sixth Annual Ragtime to Riches Festival at the University of Nebraska -- Omaha. Jim busted his tail to put together some great shows featuring Adam, Marty, Burns Davis, and Jim himself rollicking the 1920s Steinway grand piano. And the lucky many who came also helped raise some respectable dough for Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

In case you weren’t able to join us, we’re here to make up for it with a few clips. Here is one each from the Saturday lineup of Marty Mincer and Jim Boston.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv8WpbXcOhs

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFg6189NNDE

Ragtime to Riches in Omaha this weekend

Michael — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 16:44:22 +0000

Check out the Ragtime to Riches Festival this weekend July 10-11 in Omaha, NE!

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 for some ragtime

Michael — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:56:34 +0000

I went to the Dodgers game last night. While they didn’t end up winning, it reminded me of one of the many little factoids we learned while out on the road making this film.

“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:

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

Carolina Contest Post-Game by Ethan

Michael — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:35:19 +0000

Contest founder and emcee Ethan Uslan shares his impressions of this weekend’s contest:

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:

Consolation Prizes

Nick — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 18:10:55 +0000

The sold-out-in-faraway-Charlotte (for most of us, anyway) Carolina Ragtime Contest is tomorrow. If you’re like me and wish you were there to see Ethan, Bill, Martin, and Russell rock that joint, perhaps you can take solace in a couple more tunes from the 2010 World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest in Peoria, again courtesy of Ragtime Press.

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

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:

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

Ethan Hosts the Carolina Ragtime Contest This Weekend

Nick — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:49:35 +0000

A lucky couple hundred folks in Charlotte are going to be treated to some old-time piano awesomeness this weekend. Four titans of ragtime will perform at the first ever Carolina Ragtime Piano Contest. One of our Entertainers, Ethan Uslan, is responsible for this event. He wanted to bring some of his friends into town to flex their tricky fingers in front of piano fans, and “Perfessor” Bill Edwards, Russell Wilson, and Martin Spitznagel obliged. The three will square off in two shows, where a contest winner will be determined by audience vote. Ethan will emcee.

Ethan has busted his tail to put these shows together, and, no surprise, they’re sold out already. I know I’m sorry I won’t be there. I’ve seen all these guys rock the bejesus out of a piano, and these shows are going to be fantastic.

To supplement our collective sorrow for missing out, here’s a clip of Ethan explaining why the piano is the best instrument:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=APAZCWCGPm4

And I’m going to link to clips of each performer in the next few days. Here’s Mr. Russell Wilson slaying “When The Saints Go Marching In” in Peoria just a few weeks ago, courtesy of our friends at Ragtime Press:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Legz2nbxpmc

“Perfessor” Bill on Disney

Nick — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:56:13 +0000

Michael’s post the other day on Disney’s role in ragtime made me want to dig up a couple of comments from “Perfessor” Bill Edwards, who should be a paid endorser considering the high esteem he holds for the Mouse. Here is a brief snippet from one of our interviews with him:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=chVZoTcTJWU

The Disney Connection

Michael — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:40:43 +0000

I just spent a day at Disney’s California Adventure with some friends, and it reminded me of the strong affinity for Disney shared by more than one of our Entertainers.

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.