This document provides a history of ragtime music and its evolution into early jazz styles. It traces the origins of ragtime from "coon songs" in the 1830s and cakewalks in the 1890s. Classic ragtime from 1897-1917 was a African American piano style defined by syncopated melodies and a "boom-chick" bassline. Scott Joplin was the most famous ragtime composer, known for works like "Maple Leaf Rag." Ragtime was adapted for bands and led to early jazz piano styles like stride and boogie woogie pioneered by artists such as James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and others.

1. Ragtime
African-American songs known as “Coon
Songs” (1830s-),“Cakewalk” (1890s)
Ragtime (1897)

2. Coon Songs 1830-1910
Used as Required Composition for the
“Ragtime Championship of the World 1900

3. Cakewalk
A Popular Dance, “high-steppin”
Competition: Madison Square
Garden 1892
Expression “That Takes the Cake”

4. Cake Walk Photo 1890s

5. Ragtime (1897-1917)
African American Piano Style
Definition:
• Syncopated piano music
• Two beats per measure, 16 measure sections
• Right hand plays syncopated melody often in the
pattern: 3-3-2, 2xs faster that left hand
• Left hand plays “boom-chick” (bass note-chord)
• Rondo form

6. Classic Ragtime: Scott Joplin
(1869-1917)
Term used to distinguish from “Tin Pan” alley
compositions
Most famous Ragtime Composer
“Maple Leaf Rag” (1900)
Also wrote a ballet and 2 operas
Most famous opera is “Treemonisha”

7. Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag
Form AABBACCDD
A - first melody
B - second melody
C - third melody
D - fourth melody

8. Ragtime Bands
Bands arranged piano rags
“At A Georgia Camp Meeting” (Sousa)
“Castle Cake Walk” (Europe)

9. James Reese Europe
Clef Club Orchestra
Chosen by Dancers Vernon & Irene Castle
WW I Conducted 369th Hellfighter’s Band,
brought “jazz” to France

10. James Reese Europe

11. Vernon & Irene Castle

12. Classic Ragtime to Stride Piano
Classic Ragtime usually considered
pre-jazz because it was written(without
improvisation)
Stride Piano was 1st jazz piano style
began to fade in late 1930s
• Left hand “boom-chick” (bass - chord)
• Right hand improvised melody

13. Stride Piano
James P. Johnson
‘Father of Stride”
• “Carolina Shout”
(1921), often
considered 1st jazz
piano recording
• Also wrote classical
compositions

14. Stride Piano
Thomas Fats Waller
Master showman
• “Handful of Keys”
• “Christopher
Columbus”
Wrote important
jazz tunes

15. Stride Piano Fats Waller

16. Stride Piano Fats Waller

17. Boogie Woogie
Piano Style beginning in 1928
The term pre-dates the piano style
Left hand plays repeated pattern “Eight to
the bar”
Usually in Blues Form
1st recording is Pinetop Smith
Jimmy Yancy
Pete Johnson 1938 Concert