Definitive history traces the genre's growth and diversification from its 19th-century origins through its heyday and modern revival. Discusses 48 major composers and 800 rags. More than 100 photos.

Blesh published They All Played Ragtime as first major scholarly work on ragtime music in 1950, which sparked a ragtime revival. He founded Circle Records in 1946, which recorded new material from aging early jazz musicians as well as the Library of Congress recordings of Jelly Roll Morton. He sparked renewed interest in the music of Joseph Lamb, James P. Johnson, and Eubie Blake, among others.

A stunning, rhythmic picture book biography of African American composer Scott Joplin, whose ragtime music paved the way for jazz. There was something special about Scott Joplin… This quiet kid could make a piano laugh out loud. Scott, the son of a man who had been enslaved, became a king—the King of Ragtime. This celebration of Scott Joplin, whose ragtime compositions paved the way for jazz, will captivate audiences and put a beat in their step, and the kaleidoscope-like illustrations will draw young readers in again and again.

These rollicking, easy-to-play ragtime favorites include "Maple Leaf Rag," "The Entertainer," "Tiger Rag," and other melodies by such favorites as Scott Joplin, James Scott, Joseph Lamb, and Eubie Blake. All songs available as downloadable MP3s.

Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time Published in 1975, Ragtime changed our very concept of what a novel could be. An extraordinary tapestry, Ragtime captures the spirit of America in the era between the turn of the century and the First World War. The story opens in 1906 in New Rochelle, New York, at the home of an affluent American family. One lazy Sunday afternoon, the famous escape artist Harry Houdini swerves his car into a telephone pole outside their house. And almost magically, the line between fantasy and historical fact, between real and imaginary characters, disappears. Henry Ford, Emma Goldman, J. P. Morgan, Evelyn Nesbit, Sigmund Freud, and Emiliano Zapata slip in and out of the tale, crossing paths with Doctorow's imagined family and other fictional characters, including an immigrant peddler and a ragtime musician from Harlem whose insistence on a point of justice drives him to revolutionary violence.

Jazz, Rags & Blues, Book 1 contains original solos for late elementary to early intermediate-level pianists that reflect the various styles of the jazz idiom. An excellent way to introduce your students to this distinctive American contribution to 20th century music.

Ragtime, the jaunty, toe-tapping music that captivated American society from the 1890s through World War I, forms the roots of America’s popular musical expression. But the understanding of ragtime and its era has been clouded by a history of murky impressions, half-truths, and inventive fictions. Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural History cuts through the murkiness. A methodical survey of thousands of rags along with an examination of then-contemporary opinions in magazines and newspapers demonstrate how the music evolved, and how America responded to it.

The study of classic ragtime guitar is very challenging. For this set of lessons for the intermediate and advanced guitarist we have picked four ever-popular rags. You have the advantage in this series of learning from three different teachers, each with his own individual approach. 32 page tab/music book with three compact discs. LESSON ONE: The classic rag that started the "ragtime revival" was The Entertainer. This was used in the soundtrack for the film The Sting. It is a lyrical four part classic rag written by Scott Joplin. This lesson is taught by Stefan Grossman. LESSON TWO: One of the most popular classic rags written by Scott Joplin was his Maple Leaf Rag. Duck Baker teaches his arrangement to this highly syncopated and energetic classic rag. This is followed by Silver Swan. Stefan Grossman is your teacher for this beautiful classic rag. LESSON THREE: Our last lesson is a tour de force in ragtime arranging and playing. It is James Scott's Hilarity Rag. This is a four part classic rag taught by Leo Wijnkamp Jr.

The development of ragtime is examined in relationship to its creators and practitioners. Complete scores to several ragtime compositions are included.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Scott Joplin struggled on the margins of society to play a pivotal role in the creation of ragtime music. His brief life and tragic death encompassed a tumultuous time of changes in modern music, culture, and technology. This biography follows Joplin's life from the brothels and bars of St. Louis to the music mills of Tin Pan Alley as he introduced a syncopated, lively style to classical piano.