Ragtime Wizardry: 18 New Piano Rags Played by the Composers

Ragtime Wizardry may be Rivermont's most important recording to date: a first-of-its-kind collection of modern piano ragtime recorded by the composers themselves. Beloved ragtime supporter Danny Matson commissioned 18 of today's top ragtime pianist-composers to write and record a rag expressly for this special disc, and -- after three years in the making -- the result is an entertaining and wonderfully diverse sampling of ragtime piano today. While some of the compositions are firmly rooted in the structure and harmonic language of Scott Joplin, Joseph Lamb, and their contemporaries, others draw inspiration from novelty piano, stride, tango, and other idioms. Each is infused with the distinct voice of its composer. From the bouncy folk-flavored "Sierra Nevada Rag" to the gentle syncopations of "Spanish Autumn" to the introspective "It Gets Better," as publisher John Stark might say, here is ragtime that is different! The CD includes a handsome 28-page booklet with full program notes an