Pianophilia

Several piano solos by Mel Powell, pianist in the Benny Goodman orchestra during the 1940s...

Rudy Erlebach's version of "Kitten On The Keys" recorded on a Duo-Art piano roll...

Dear Benjamin,

Thank you so much for posting your transcription of Erlebach's arrangement of "Kitten On The Keys." Superb job! The Duo-Art roll of "Kitten" might well be the most exciting original piano roll version issued (including the composer's own version on QRS).

All Best,

Frank

Hello All,

This posting is dedicated to Luigi Ranalli, as a follow-up to one of our conversations on ragtime history.

One of the important ragtime composer/pianists, J.Russel Robinson, recorded with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and accompanied Al Bernard vocals on Brunswick records, and made over 100 hand-played piano rolls. Unfortunately, JRR apparently made no commercial piano solo recordings. However, on August 1, 1952 there was a reunion at the QRS Music Roll plant in the Bronx, New York City between two piano roll legends; J.Russel Robinson and Max Kortlander (who was also the owner of QRS). Each of these pianists sat down and recorded an acetate or two that day, and these records resided in the collection of Max's brother Herman Kortlander up until his passing in the mid 1980s. Just before his passing, Kortlander had given the acetates to a good friend of mine, Willard Burkhardt of Osceola, Michigan (situated very near to the original Kortlander homestead). Bill kindly dubbed me a tape of them at the time, and in the process of somewhat massive housecleaning I was just recently able to locate it.

So here I am posting what are almost certainly the only 2 piano solo recordings by J.Russel Robinson, as well as the only known solo recording by Max Kortlander. The quality of the recordings is not very good, because the home recording acetate blanks which were used had started to separate from their cardboard backing. However, these recordings are very important to both ragtime and player piano roll history.

J.Russel Robinson plays a tune of his own composition; "Ringtail Blues," and takes it at a surprisingly fast clip (faster than it should be played imho). He also performs an obscure Max Kortlander tune entitled "I Don't Care Who You Loved Before." Max plays a great ragtime solo on this same original tune of his.

My special thanks to Bill Burkhardt for generously allowing these recordings to be posted. I hope you all enjoy these rare privately recorded acetates!

All Best,

Frank

fhimpsl wrote:Hello All,

This posting is dedicated to Luigi Ranalli, as a follow-up to one of our conversations on ragtime history.

One of the important ragtime composer/pianists, J.Russel Robinson, recorded with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and accompanied Al Bernard vocals on Brunswick records, and made over 100 hand-played piano rolls. Unfortunately, JRR apparently made no commercial piano solo recordings. However, on August 1, 1952 there was a reunion at the QRS Music Roll plant in the Bronx, New York City between two piano roll legends; J.Russel Robinson and Max Kortlander (who was also the owner of QRS). Each of these pianists sat down and recorded an acetate or two that day, and these records resided in the collection of Max's brother Herman Kortlander up until his passing in the mid 1980s. Just before his passing, Kortlander had given the acetates to a good friend of mine, Willard Burkhardt of Osceola, Michigan (situated very near to the original Kortlander homestead). Bill kindly dubbed me a tape of them at the time, and in the process of somewhat massive housecleaning I was just recently able to locate it.

So here I am posting what are almost certainly the only 2 piano solo recordings by J.Russel Robinson, as well as the only known solo recording by Max Kortlander. The quality of the recordings is not very good, because the home recording acetate blanks which were used had started to separate from their cardboard backing. However, these recordings are very important to both ragtime and player piano roll history.

J.Russel Robinson plays a tune of his own composition; "Ringtail Blues," and takes it at a surprisingly fast clip (faster than it should be played imho). He also performs an obscure Max Kortlander tune entitled "I Don't Care Who You Loved Before." Max plays a great ragtime solo on this same original tune of his.

My special thanks to Bill Burkhardt for generously allowing these recordings to be posted. I hope you all enjoy these rare privately recorded acetates!

All Best,

Frank

Robinson, J.Russel - Ringtail Blues pbc 1952 acetate.mp3

Robinson, J.Russel - I Don't Care Who, etc. -1952 acetate.mp3

Kortlander, Max - I Don't Care Who, etc. pbc 1952 acetate.mp3

Dear Frank,
WOW!!!!!! That's fantastic!!! Theswe recordings are superb! Thank you very very much
I'm just listening and relistening to these great recordings and what great pianists Robinson and Kortlander were!!!
Thank you SO MUCH to you and to Bill Burkhardt!!!
I'll write more soon!
THANKS!
Luigi

A very big thank you from France also!

Your friend

Benjamin

Thanks again to Frank for those fabulous recording sof J. Russel Robinson and Max Kortlander!!!
Have you noticed the interesting differences between the two versions of "I Don't Care Who You Loved Before"?
I think one of the most fascinating things in ragtime music is those personal features that distinguished one pianist from another, they had such a personal style!
By the way those who are familiar with the piano rolls of Robinson and Kortlander, that were generally edited and exaggered, can hear how much the piano rolls sounded SIMILAR to their actual playing!
I think I could have recognized the Korltander version of "I Don't Care Who You Loved Before" as played by Kortlander even if I didn't know that.
What fantastic recordings and invaluable documents! Thanks, Frank!
Speaking of ragtime pianists playing ragtime music their own way, in their own style, I post here an interesting recording by Sid LeProtti (composer of "Canadian Capers"), who remembers the time when he had a band in the mid 1910s and the kind of music they used to play.
To give a sample of a rag they played, he start performing the famous "Weary Blues" by Artie Matthews.
I don't post the sheet music because it can be found on internet, you can download the score here:
http://contentdm.baylor.edu/cdm4/docume ... 5653&REC=4
The published version is not that bad, but LeProtti's own version of this blues (or blue rag) is really great.
It's just too bad that there aren't transcriptions of these kind of recordings.
I will try to have them transcribed by somebody, since I don'ty have that precious ability...
Enjoy the music!
Luigi