It's Ragtime!
Ragtime music was music for the people, by the people. It was widely accessible through sheet music, and was played in many Black households from 1896 – 1920. Ragtime music was also performed in cake walks, which allowed enslaved people to mock of slave masters without punishment. The masters would be judges, and the dance would be determined by type of cake. The cake awarded to winners of the cake walk. In addition to the glee it added to Black homes, ragtime was used to provide a soundtrack for minstrel performances. These performances made caricatures out of Black people, recreating typically Black features on white faces, and often portraying Black people as buffons.
- Upbeat
- Sheet music
- Typically piano and/or banjo
- Right hand syncopation, left hand, regular beat
- Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
- Eubie Blake (1887-1983)
- James Scott (1885-1938)
Click below to hear Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag"
Click HereThe Evolution of Coltrane
John Coltrane John Coltrane was one of the most versatile artists of his time. A dynamic saxophonist and composer, Coltrane revolutionized jazz at many points
Wayne Shorter and the Fusion Revolution
The Life of Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter is an American Jazz Composer and Saxophonist. Born August 25th, 1933 in Newark, NJ, Wayne Shorter helped pioneer
Thelonious Monk: Concert Report
Thelonious Monk was a jazz pianist and composer who performed in the Bebop style. Known for his eccentric performance style, Monk is a personification of
The Late Work of Louis Armstrong
The Late Work of Louis Armstrong Musical Characteristics The late work of Louis Armstrong moved out of the big band tradition, transitioning into a smaller
Let’s Talk About Techno
Let’ Talk About Techno What is Techno? Techno music was developed in Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s. It was primarily played in underground clubs. The
Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald Audra McDonald, born july 3rd, 1970 in West Berlin, Germany, is an American singer and actress. She is a classically trained Soprano, and earning
