Ragtime’s upbeat style is perfect as a happy and inspiring backdrop for
playtime!
This collection focuses on ragtime, an American music style from more
than 100 years ago, a long time before the invention of CDs and iPods.
Back then, sound was recorded into things like wax, resin, paper and
metal. The paper recordings were played by machine instruments. The most
popular was called a player piano, and most songs here are recorded
from player pianos.
The selections in this release were recorded from cylinders, 78 rpm
records and player pianos by tomrjim and Jonathan Aizen. Zachary
Brewster-Geisz recorded "Maple Leaf Rag" using orchestra software.
more info, cover art, biographies, and make-it-yourself paper piano model
Ragtime originated in African American musical communities, in the
late 19th century, and descended from the jigs and marches played by
bands in Northern cities with black populations. By the start of the
20th century it became widely popular throughout North America and was
listened and danced to, performed, and written by people of many
different cultures. A distinctly American musical style, ragtime may be
considered a blend of African rhythms and European classical music.