Beginners guide to Boogie Woogie & Rag Time Jazz

[johnacurtis]

Sorry if this has already been done!
Can anyone tell me where to begin with finding great albums to listen to?
I normally listen to rock, prog rock and blues, but fancy branching out into new areas!
Who would you suggest I listen to, to give a good "flavour" of these types of music?

 

[paulfromcamden]

Can't go too far wrong with Professor Longhair.

 

[messengerman]

and Albert Ammons of course, "The King of Boogie Woogie"

 

[paulfromcamden]

You might also enjoy James Booker - "the best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced" as Dr John famously described him.

 

[Big Tabs]

depends how far back you want to go.

I have a copy of this, sounds great.


More images

Scott Joplin, Joshua Rifkin – Piano Rags
Label: Nonesuch – H-71248
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Specialty Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre: Jazz
Style: Ragtime

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Can't go too far wrong with Professor Longhair.

Ha saw the title and came here to say just that!

 

[mjw]

Re: Dr John, his albums Brightest Smile in Town and Plays MAC Rebennack should hit the spot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0083C6WRW/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00006LLPC/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

 

[foxwelljsly]

An old acquaintance of mine, Carl ‘Sonny’ Leyland might be of the best boogie Woogie pianists doing the rounds at the moment….

 

[foxwelljsly]

See also Otis Spann:

 

[Adiel]

Start here

 

[messengerman]

Miles Davis ??

 

[RJohan]

Miles Davis ??

Kind of Jazz? No, it's not very Ragtime or Boogie Woogie.

 

[johnacurtis]

So far for me, I have enjoyed listening to some Albert Ammons, James Booker, but certainly my favourite is Professor longhair! Really enjoying some of his, but not sure whether to get some vinyl or cd, as the anthology album seems very expensive!

 

[messengerman]

Professor Longhair at his best (Tipitina and a couple of others) is hard to beat. I love his slow roll dragging the beat style. Trouble is his best is quite a bit better than his rest.

As for other Boogie Woogie I find it rather tends to the samey, if you've heard one Albert Ammons side you've kind of heard them all. Dr John is probably over rated and nowhere reaches as high as Prof Longhairs best. But he's more New Orleans jazz blues anyway.

Generally like more than a few other genres of jazz pure Boogie Woogie seems to quite quickly get to a place where technical virtuosity is served up as a substitute for any real musical creativity.

Still on the bright side at least no-one suggested Jules Holland

PS Fats Domino - although not really Boogie Woogie either - has a touch of the Professor Longhair about him and wider repertoire of good songs.