This past weekend, Sacramento, California, hosted the 31st Annual
West Coast Ragtime festival.  While some may equate ragtime with
out-of-tune, rock-hammered pianos, this event was graced by a series
of Steinway grand pianos.  Many of these were seven feet or longer.
This was thanks to Richard Dowling, a Steinway artist who pulled some
strings to have these fine instruments brought in.  Richard has been
touring the country, including Carnegie Hall, playing all of Joplin's
piano works.

Sprinkled across the many rags played were some notable piano roll
transcriptions played by Dick Zimmerman and Nathan Bello.  Dick
Zimmerman played transcriptions of "Hunting The Ball" by Max Kortlander
and "Black Jack Rag" by Charlie Straight.  Nathan Bello played mostly
transcriptions, including Clarence Johnson's version of "Low Down Papa"
as well as "Carolina Stomp" and "Society Blues" by Jimmie Blythe.
All of these works received a warm reception.

Nathan has also been working up some transcriptions of recently
discovered 78 discs (unreleased) by Seger Ellis.

The West Coast Ragtime Festival is held annually and takes place the
weekend before Thanksgiving.

Paul Johnson