Ragtime

Bob Greene made a name for himself as he expanded the legacy of Jelly Roll Morton. Growing up in New York and playing piano from an early age, Bob became a well-known jazz performer whose style was influenced by the composer and jazz pioneer, Jelly Roll Morton. Even decades after Morton’s passing, Bob provided seminars and musical programs showcasing the talents of his musical mentor. In the early part of his career he worked closely with clarinetist Bobby Gordon. The two men did not play together for over 40 years once Bobby moved to San Diego.

Leita Jolly was celebrating her 100th birthday the week she was interviewed in 2003. On the occasion, she played the piano for her friends with her ragtime flare. In 1917, while World War I was ending, Leita was hired as a song plugger. Her main job was to play the latest songs in the music store while ensuring customers had access to the sheet music of the song she was playing. As soon as the sheet music was sold out, she was required to switch the “hit of the day” to another tune that was well stocked. She lived to be 103. 

Hal Smith is a drummer deeply rooted in the traditional ragtime and early jazz styles. His performances are often a history lesson not just in sound but in the techniques of creative jazz musicians he admires such as Baby Dodds and Paul Barbarin. Hal’s musical hero is the pioneering pianist, songwriter and bandleader Jelly Roll Morton, whose innovative rags provided clever and sometimes intricate rhythms and tempo changes perfectly fitted to Hal’s interpretations.

This audio only interview was conducted for a radio program by Dan Del Fiorentino and donated to the NAMM Oral History program: Ralph Sutton learned the traditional stride piano styles of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, and brought it to post-War audiences around the world for over fifty years. He played with Jack Teagarden and Bob Scobey's Dixieland Band before joining the World's Greatest Jazz Band in 1968. Ralph recorded with many of his Jazz friends over the years including Eddie Miller, Jay McShann, Kenny Davern and Ruby Braff.  

Kris Tokarski is a skilled jazz pianist who has helped prolong the legacies of several early musical pioneers by not only playing their compositions, but by embracing their techniques and their approach to music. Among his heroes and for whom he also spoke about during his NAMM Oral History interview are Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and Teddy Wilson. Kris has recorded in early jazz traditions from ragtime to bebop as well as his own style and has been a driving force during several well-known musical festivals including The Montreal Jazz Fest, The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage

Allen Toussaint represented one of the quintessential New Orleans sounds. Toussaint’s compositions and songs seamlessly blend blues, jazz, ragtime, R&B, and funk to create an amalgam that is unique and readily identifiable to New Orleans. Starting on piano in the 1940s and initially influenced by Professor Longhair, Toussaint went on to develop a unique style all his own. The 1950s had Toussaint fronting and recording under his own name including the album The Wild Side of New Orleans featuring the tune “Java”. This continued into the 1960s and 70s, while in the 1980s Toussain