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I love these rhythms!
My "Nana" would play them on her Baby Grand, along with Theatre and Movie Show tunes, plus she taught popular dance of her time (various Foxtrots) before she was married. Now, at my age I can better understand her need to play upbeat music and watch movies with happy endings.
So, easy to see who influenced my interest here, but on the fiddle, viola, cello?
Oh, YES!
First, I know there's "Country Rag", "Boogie-woogie" - that spills into the Blues, "Western Swing", etc... The lines get very blurry in these genres, for me.
Because "Country" has it's own separate genre spot on this forum, it would be nice to stay clear of "Country" tunes here - but I doubt if that's entirely possible. 😁
The iconic "Maple Leaf Rag"... well, maybe.🙄 Performed by David Reffkin.
"Red Apple Rag" - Jon Harkness.
"Maytime Swing" - Patti Kusturok.
If anyone's seen the fabulous movie, ''Swing Kids (1993)'' you'd know I have to include this one. "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) - the PGHS Chamber Orchestra with Violins, Violas & Cellos!
Btw, there's also a good thread elsewhere in this Genre - think title is "Lick of the Week - Swing" (great lick).
- Emily
This is all related to the Jazz genre... maybe except for the "Backwards Maple Leaf Rag" (lol)- so is this thread okay here?
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East Tennessee blues is the only one like these Ive attempted.
Heres another neat one you may like..
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I think it's important to understand a little about the roots, so I'll try to give it a go...
Ragtime originated in New Orleans as music for dancing.
- Ragtime showed up with "Prohibition", especially at Speakeasies - maybe also in response to WWI - adding polyrhythms to the popular Military March style music of "John Philip Sousa" (btw, originally a violinist). The earliest "Rags" were titled "Marches" and even called "jigs", until the mid-1890's
- Ragtime may have been influenced by "Cake Walk" dancing - popular in the South after Black emancipation.
- Ragtime had a big influence on early Jazz, fostered new dance steps - Vernon and Irene Castle refined the "Foxtrot". The Castles promoted it all in early Movies, on Broadway, Paris and in teaching - "Dance Bands" grew to "Dance Orchestras".
- Ragtime was the 1st African-American music to gain fame throughout the World.
- Ragtime written for piano - "It was usually written in 2/4 or 4/4 time with a predominant left-hand pattern of bass notes on strong beats (beats 1 and 3) and chords on weak beats (beat 2 and 4) accompanying a syncopated melody in the right hand." (Wikipedia)
Here's a crazy fast example of "Twelfth Street Rag" (Ivy Phillips).
...btw, Scott Joplin felt "Ragtime" should never be played fast!
"Swing" is an early form of Jazz, developed from "Ragtime".
- Swing was most popular during the 1930's - 1940's (btw, Hitler tried to wipe it out).
- Lois Armstrong (from New Orleans, but in Chicago Jazz scene), helped change the "Dance Orchestra", with emphasis on the off-beat and brought about the "Big Band/Swing Era".
- Swing later blended with other genres like "Blues" (shuffles/grooves) to make "Western Swing" and jazz violin to become "Gypsy Swing" (of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli)
- Hot Swing was crazy fun with "Jitterbug" dancing - started in the late 1920's with the "Lindy Hop".
- Swing Dance lived past the "Swing Era" with R&B and early Rock&Roll.
"Dill Pickle Rag" (with Swing rhythm) Fiddle Lesson by Mike Rolland.
- Emily
Thanx, @ABitRusty - Like them, but think I'm partial to the East Tennessee Blues!
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Two CDs I've bought recently: -
psc=1
http://www.oldhatrecords.com/cd1003.html
And a book, recommended for its small size and cheapness, although some would quibble with its content.
psc=1
A recommendation, but I'm too mean to spend $20 on a used CD: -
keywords=Good+for+What+Ails+You&qid=1599745761&sr=8-1
And all this stuff is on youtube if you look for it.
This track features the jug - my favourite instrument of all.
Andrew
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more of a swing vibe.. may not check the boxes for the topic...but cool
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@Gordon Shumway -
Thank you!
Great info at your Old Hat Records link & LOVE the "Jug Band" video!
So, "Jug Bands" originally played Jazz, Ragtime and Blues (Hokum?) - and Country Breakdowns(?).
They were big in the 1920's, but faded mid 1930's - later to be revived. Originally vaudeville and medicine show musicians, now they are popular - even "Jug Band Festivals" and "Competitions"!
"Chasin' Gus' Ghost" (2007) is a film documentary on Jug Bands that might be good - I haven't seen it, yet.
Ragtime has traditionally been mixed a lot with "Blues" and "Jazz" - making this very confusing at times!
"W.C.Hardy" was a classically train musician and arranger/composer, mixing Ragtime, Blues and Jazz - "Memphis Blues", "Saint Louis Blues".
Here's "Memphis Blues" performed by the Mobile Strugglers.
"Will Marion Cook" was a classically trained violinist as well as composer of Ragtime Theatre music - a student of Dvorák.
Here is the Overture to "In Dahomey" by Will Marion Cook.
- Emily
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@ABitRusty - I love it!
I'm really getting confused, though. 🤪 Sounding early Rock'n Roll to me! Or, maybe RockaBilly?
Here's a "Swing" Fiddle tune from "Peakfiddler", worth trying.
"Hot Fiddle Club"
I couldn't resist this!
- Emily
...just correct me if I'm way off!😏
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@ELCBK id probably call my share more western swing ...not alot of western swing in my playlist though.. or ragtime for that matter so probably missing the classification... but i like it! ill call it great music! 
the swing cats rock!!.makes me wanna dust off the es.. and do..that music thing i never followed through on with it. 😂😁😏
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ELCB said
@ABitRusty - I love it!
I'm really getting confused, though. 🤪 Sounding early Rock'n Roll to me! Or, maybe RockaBilly?
Here's a "Swing" Fiddle tune from "Peakfiddler", worth trying.
"Hot Fiddle Club"
I couldn't resist this!
https://www.youtube.com/channe.....0H3VpECzyw
- Emily
...just correct me if I'm way off!😏
the hot fiddle club..hold my drink... i got this one!! yeah!
like that! good share there
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Emily @ELCBK you may like some old recordings of John Lusk..I think...it would be. I came across him looking for music for a recording of a tune called Christmas Eve the Stuart Brothers did. The Stuart Brothers version sounds more old timey to me but again i think..was based on an old version by John Lusk.. which is more swing type stuff this topic is about. I havent asked or found anything that says that..its just what I hear when I listen to both. It doesnt sound like the Isham Monday version if you go looking. at least not to me.sounds more Lusk 
and... found this page of resources for fiddle/banjo/mandolin
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@ABitRusty -
That is a FANTASTIC resource link!
Thank you!
- Emily
Christmas List started!
(paypal's my friend) 😁
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I love Ragtime and blues. There are some great ragtime books for those of you who read music. It would take considerably longer time to learn these tunes without help. Thanks for all the cool links.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I'm a little late, but still feels Christmassy - so here's a couple of unusual Xmas medleys to get your creative thinking going!
Lyle Hadlock's Ragtime Christmas
Haunted Christmas - Ragtime Robert at Disneyland!
...and a Happy New Year!
Well, this cartoon certainly holds true for this year, also!
- Emily
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Found a nice, SLOWER Rag for Violin and Piano, performed by Dominika Dancewicz!
Claude Bolling, Suite for Violin and Jazz Piano Trio, Ragtime
Sheet music available here:
Bolling Suite For Violin and Jazz Piano - PDF
Of all of the Rags, you'd think I'd be able to find this one played on a violin! (lol) Rolling sheet music (Sheet Music Singer) - melody line for violin & piano video score.
Ragtime Violin (1911)
Casey Willis' Texas-Style Fiddle Tutorials - makes Rags seem possible!
Here's TWO - sheet music is available at FIDDLEVIDEO!
Beaumont Rag - Contest/Texas-Style Fiddle Lesson by Casey Willis
Cotton Patch Rag - Fiddle Lesson by Casey Willis
If you're feeling really ambitious, how about learning to play this on your Fiddle for the next Birthday Party? Rolling sheet music (Jake Schembri).
...nothing scarier than me trying to play these!
- Emily
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I think when you hear a rag, your whole body feels it!
There's a strong underlying rhythm - but the syncopation just dances all around & over it!
Alexandrina Boyanova shows her body feels it!
"Paragon Rag" by Scott Joplin & arranged by Edward Huws Jones. Performed by Amy Piano and Violin.
Now, I felt compelled to post this one of Luther Caldwell playing the 12th Street Rag!
Luther Caldwell of Columbia, MO, and former champion of Boone County, was injured in a farming accident and his right arm required amputation. Legend has it friends of his in the trades shops at the University of Missouri built him the apparatus you see in this video, which allowed him to continue playing for many years. Luther is the father of the late Bobby Caldwell, another talented and influential fiddler from Boone County.
Can you imagine: your left hand and arm not only dealing with everything it has to, but ALSO compensating for all the nuances of bow pressure, bow position, etc... of your right?
- Emily
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Here's some inspiration - even Itzhak Perlman enjoys a little Scott Joplin!
The Ragtime Dance by Scott Joplin - Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman has a whole album of 10 rags!
"The Easy Winners & Other Ragtime Music of Scott Joplin - Itzhak Perlman Playlist
One of the 10 rags is, "Bethena" - a Waltz!
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I can't really keep Bluegrass or Texas styles of Ragtime excluded from this thread, so here's a couple of great Tutorials by Ian Walsh!
"Ragtime Annie" Tutorial!
"Black Mountain Rag"!
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Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" play-along Tutorial for VIOLA! (tocapartituras.com)
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Any film buffs?
Ragtime & Boogie Woogie are just plain FUN!
"Alexander's Ragtime Band"
Here's the Wedding Quartet playing Alexander's Ragtime Band!
Woo Hoo!
- Emily
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Here’s the Lovestruck Balladeers with the Black and White Rag. I’ve seen these guys a couple times, great musicians (this was recorded at one of the shows I went to). Fiddler is Aaron Jonah Lewis.
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