Scott Joplin...

[John Coloccia]

IMHO, he defined a genre and it died with him. I've not heard anything that captures the magic of ragtime other than what Joplin has done. I play piano, and to make a long story short I was coaxed into playing some ragtime for some friends. By the end of the first song, they were actually sorta dancing a bit. I think this is the first time the guy has danced since his wedding. It's amazing to me that over 100 years later his music can still inspire people to move the same way it did when it was first conceived.

I'm a bit of a ragtime aficionado and I've yet to find anyone that's ben able to capture the magic that Joplin has captured. What am I missing? Surely someone has been able to pick up the torch by now, no? Educate me. Who am I missing?

[Greg Portland]

I think one issue is that the structure of ragtime doesn't allow for a lot of improvisation (versus later styles that became jazz) and that composers have moved on to new ideas. It's kind of like asking why there are not any new Baroque classical music compositions.... there is a feeling (right or wrong) that all the musical ideas in the genre have been covered.

Have you tried anything by Jelly Roll Morton, James Scott or Joe Lamb? You might also like "stride" piano compositions (James Johnson).


Googling found this -->
New ragtime compositions: http://www.wooster.edu/News-and-Events/News-Releases/2012/February/dyksta
Some midi files: http://www.perfessorbill.com/pbmidi6.shtml