School of Syncopation - Jazz, Stride, Novelties & the Like

[fhimpsl]

Canada produced a number of fine pianists who played and composed ragtime and novelty ragtime during the teens and 20s. Of these the names Harry Thomas and Willie Eckstein reign supreme. About 1916 Thomas and Eckstein collaborated on two original, technically brilliant ragtime compositions entitled "Delirious Rag" and "Perpetual Rag." Thomas recorded both numbers on Aeolian piano rolls (Universal and MetroArt labels), and in addition he made a 78rpm record of "Delirious Rag" for Victor. Neither of their compositions was published in sheet music form originally. Here is my transcription of Harry Thomas' piano roll performance of "Delirious Rag," which is a dizzying piece of music meant to be played at fast tempo. I also have "Perpetual Rag" transcribed and will post that as well in the coming weeks.

All best,

Frank

Thomas-Eckstein - Delirious Rag - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Charles Luckeyth Roberts, a.k.a. "Luckey Roberts" was a giant among the Harlem stride piano players, which included such greats as James P. Johnson, Thomas "Fats" Waller, and numerous others. Luckey Roberts made only a few 78rpm/33rpm disk recordings (although what survives is wonderful), and recorded a total of six player piano rolls; all of his compositions. Four were recorded for the Vocalstyle company of Cincinnati, Ohio and the other two for QRS in New York. Here is my transcription of one of his Vocalstyle rolls, recorded ca. 1919, entitled "Blue Fever Blues." It is very likely that this piece exists only as a piano roll recording, and was never originally published in sheet music form.

Frank

Roberts - Blue Fever Blues - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Phil Ohman was one of the novelty piano greats of the 1920's, and with Victor Arden (pseudonym of Lewis J. Fuiks) he recorded extensively, both as four-hand artists "Arden and Ohman," and eventually with their very popular dance orchestra. He also recorded many popular songs on piano roll. What is not generally known is that he composed an original ragtime composition entitled "Dixie Kisses," and this piece was only issued as a QRS player roll. The piece reflects Ohman's technical brilliance and is quite difficult to play. My transcription of his "Dixie Kisses" is attached.

Frank

Ohman - Dixie Kisses - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[thalbergmad]

Top marks old chap, especially for the Waller.

Thal

[fhimpsl]

Thank you Thal, I'm happy you like the transcriptions! Here is another one by the wonderful Ms. Vee Lawnhurst, recorded on Ampico piano roll in 1923, the title of the song is "Ev'ry Night I Cry Myself To Sleep Over You." She uses just about every novelty trick one could think of in this performance. Enjoy

Frank

Lawnhurst - Every Night I Cry, etc. - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[alpha]

Does anyone have either Waller's Piccadilly Suite or notations of the Raie da Costa versions of Auf Wiedersehn, My Dear or The Big Pond Medley?

[fhimpsl]

Hi Alpha,

I have the published version of Fats Waller's "London Suite," which is where the individual piece "Piccadilly" derives from. Will be happy to scan and post this as soon as possible. On the Raie Da Costa transcriptions you mention I have no knowledge of these having been published or distributed in any form.

Frank

[alpha]

Great, thank you. I typed the message late at night and confused London and Piccadilly.

[fhimpsl]

Another composer of numerous novelty piano solos during the mid to late 1920s was William C. James, a.k.a. "Billy James." His first published composition was a rag published in Philadelphia around 1918 entitled "Break The PIano." Several years later it was purchased by publisher Jack Mills and released as "Breakin' The Piano." This is a pretty good tune, enough so that Ms. Vee Lawnhurst made her first 78rpm recording this piece, at the ripe young age of about 17 years. The other three Billy James novelty piano solos are also attached below. Two of them; "Mad Fingers" and "So Restful" date from 1930, which in terms of the first wave of novelty piano ragtime was a very late date.

Frank

James - Breakin' The Piano.pdf

James - Fishin' For Flats.pdf

James - Mad Fingers.pdf

James - So Restful.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Edward Elzear Confrey, a.k.a. "Zez Confrey" was a true genius, and the most innovative composer in the novelty genre in the US. He is best known for his 1921 "Kitten On The Keys" and 1927 "Dizzy Fingers," but actually Confrey continued to compose dozens of wonderful, highly individual pieces until the mid 1960's.

In the early 1980s, I assisted a young lady by the name of Ronnie Schiff to assemble Confrey's complete works. This was done to the best of our knowledge at the time, but a few mistakes were made along the way. Two of Confrey's finest works; "Sport Model Encore" and "Sunshine From The Fingers" had been obtained from the Library of Congress only in their highly abbreviated lead sheet form, and this is how they were published. In fact both scores were fully typeset and had been published around 1936 by Joe Davis Music. I was able to track down photocopies of these extremely rare scores after the Confrey collection was published....and here they are. These are a must for any novelty piano enthusiast, and I only wish the copies were of higher quality, but at the least they are quite readable.

I had the privilege of knowing the Confrey family personally back in the 1970s, but had missed meeting Zez who passed away in 1971. Just didn't realize the composer was living but a few miles away from me until a lead led me to the family. But, I had the honor of playing all the Confrey pieces for Mrs. Confrey and their son Paul whom I have known for many years now. I mention all this only because one of these pieces, "Sunshine From The Fingers" was far and away Mrs. Confrey's favorite piece of all her husband's work. She would have me play it first each visit. There is so little personal information available on so many composers I thought some of the PP members might like to know that fact. As all of Confrey's music, the piece is supremely catchy and lots and lots of fun to play. Enjoy 'em!

Frank

Confrey - Sport Model Encore.pdf

Confrey - Sunshine From The Fingers.pdf