For the 2nd year in a row, Ragtime Press sponsored a ragtime happening in New York City's Snug Harbor Cultural Center on Staten Island this past 4th of July weekend.
Concert organizer Sue Keller welcomes guests into the Veteran's Memorial Hall. This year she outdid herself, pulling together the most ragtime talent New York City has ever seen on one stage. Sue set the pace, opening with a blazing vocal of I Got What It Takes. |
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Tex Wyndham played and sang one of his signature tunes He's In the Jailhouse Now. Tex not only plays the piano, but also plays the cornet with 2 different bands: the Rent Party Revellers and the Red Lion Jazz Band. |
Mas Ikemiya is a classically trained pianist who has developed an interest in ragtime. He is the organizer of the Arcady Music Festival and the leader of the New York Ragtime Orchestra. Mas has the distinction of having been nominated for a Grammy Award for his 1st ragtime CD. At the concert, he literally attacked the piano with his rendition of Rhapsody in Blue which drew a standing ovation. |
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Although he publicly decried the luck of the draw of having to follow Mas, in truth Jeff Barnhart is much too modest. Jeff is generally considered one of the hottest ragtimers in the East. |
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Jeff also plays with his band, The Classic Jazz Epochs, and is a regular at the Moodus Jazz Festival. |
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The finale consisted of an 8-handed Maple Leaf. |
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| Regina Whitcomb also made a suprise appearance with a new dance partner. Look out Ian. | ||
The most common question we got in organizing this event was, "How do I get to Staten Island?" It's not really that far from Carnegie Hall. The way native New Yorkers do it, is they hop a free ferry ride at the tip of lower Manhattan, cruise for 20 minutes across New York Harbor past the Statue of Liberty, and voila! Staten Island awaits. See you there.
