Customer Reviews

The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra (finally) Plays 'The Entertainer'

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I have just bought my second copy of "The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra Finally Plays `The Entertainer.'" My original copy was stolen from my car when I was attending a Yankees vs Red Sox game. While the theft only mildly dampened my mood after a five game sweep by the Bronx Bombers over the hated Sox the larceny was mildly amazing.
The thief took the Paragon CD but left some fairly popular (modern) music CDs behind.
I can only rationalize this strange theft to the fact I parked on the street outside of Yankee Stadium at Babe Ruth Plaza.
It was probably the Babe's spirit that heisted the CD. After all Paragon's latest and arguably most wonderful CD is a treasury of music from the Babe's time, and if anyone knows just a little about Babe Ruth and the Ragtime era you know that this CD is Jumpin'.
"...Finally Plays The Entertainer" delivers a fine sampling of Scott Joplin's genius along with a couple of samples of the works of his "students" Arthur Marshall, Joseph Lamb and James Scott.
While familiar with some of Joplin's works this album has opened new vistas for me. While Joplin "101" favorites are here; the Maple Leaf (rag), The Easy Winners and of course The Entertainer - finally - pieces like Dixie Dimples, Eugenia and The Sycamore supplied me with some new smiles and a tapping foot.
Don't forget folks this scandalous music is the grandfather of Rock n'Roll, so if you buy "...Finally Plays The Entertainer" please make sure you supervise your children and grandchildren if they should happen to be listening. I hope this shocking music doesn't cause them to dance, or worse, break into my car and steal my other Paragon Orchestra CDs.

As usual the Paragon Ragtime orchestra has another hit. Wonderful Performance and very informative notes. My only didssapointment was that the Joplin pieces were period style arrangements by Rick Benjamin. Nevertheless, this is a wonderfully enjoyable album.

Scott Joplin played the piano solo and wrote many of the Rags we've come to know, but seldom is there a band today that can blow his music that way. Paragon Ragtime Orchestra can wail. Think of dancing the Charleston, Baltimore Buzz, Black Bottom, or perhaps the movie Sting, or Chicago it's America having some good old times. There's noting better to pick up your spirits on a gloomy day than a good old rag played by a full band at full blast. This is the "Cat's Meow" of a CD. So pick up your "Bees Knees" partner, slip in the CD and head for the Ritz

Nice artwork, as expected from Mr. Ware, but this time, the contents are not on the level! The liner notes explain the lack of orchestration skills surfacing regularly at those times, but is that a reason to play less carefully than on the other PRO recordings (the REALLY outstanding "More Candy" and "Black Manhattan", for example)? Especially the pretty rough drums playing is an annoying setback, compared to the fine balance those mucicians achieve in their other recordings. Still probably the best rendering possible of that music, I think...