The Joy of Joplin

Marcus Roberts

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The Joy of Joplin Review

by Scott Yanow

This is an odd solo piano recital by Marcus Roberts that is sure to upset ragtime purists. Instead of really conveying "the joy of Scott Joplin," Roberts merely uses some of the ragtime composer's melodies as vehicles for his own improvising. The results are often quite jarring, as Roberts feels free to change notes in the themes, alter the speeds, and just use chordal improvising. In addition to eight of Joplin's songs, Roberts contributed eight of his own that mostly have little to do with the structure of ragtime. Hearing his renditions of "The Entertainer," "Maple Leaf Rag," and "The Easy Winners" is analogous to hearing a classical pianist "take off" on a Beethoven symphony, playing spontaneously whatever he thinks fits. This CD is therefore only for listeners with very selective tastes.

Track Listing

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	The Entertainer Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	03:43
2	Maple Leaf Rag Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	03:03
3	Everything's Cool Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	03:11
4	Hidden Hues Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	02:27	Spotify Amazon
5	From Rags to Riches Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	03:15
6	The Easy Winners Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	02:49
7	Bethena's Waltz Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	04:35
8	Play What You Hear Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	05:22
9	Play What's Written Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	05:08
10	The Joy of Joplin Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	02:56
11	Magnetic Rag Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	02:55
12	Elite Syncopation Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	02:37
13	Before the Party Begins Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	04:33
14	After the Party Is Over Marcus Roberts	Marcus Roberts	03:46
15	Gladiolus Rag Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	03:56
16	A Real Slow Drag Scott Joplin	Marcus Roberts	03:11