Our 2012 RagFest Performers

RagFest 2012 is thrilled to present the Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra, the San Diego-based ragtime orchestra that has entertained festival audiences since 2005. We’re also excited to welcome a new orchestra to RagFest – the Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra ragtime band, which hails from the valley and whose name is derived from the town of Sedalia, Missouri, where Scott Joplin studied music and where he composed his earliest ragtime hits, including the immortal “Maple Leaf Rag.”

Those who enjoy instrumental ragtime will be able to hear the small combo of Mitchell, Green and Barrett. Making its festival debut, this group features Bill Mitchell on piano, Jimmy Green on banjo and Andrew Barrett on percussion and washboard. We’re happy to welcome back The Albany Nightboat Ragtimers, which has anchored every RagFest to date and which presents pianist Bill Mitchell, banjo player Hal Groody, tuba player Art Levin and percussionist Frank Sano, the group’s leader.

If you love vocal ragtime, you’ll be delighted by the vaudeville team of Evans & Rogers, featuring Sharon Evans and Rick Rogers. Ragtime vocalist Erika C. Miller has become a festival favorite and will be featured throughout the weekend. Perhaps the most exciting and ambitious act to be presented at RagFest each year is that of Brad Kay & Those Syncopating Songbirds. Brad is a pianist, arranger, collector and historian, and his shows feature unusual and obscure vocal numbers from the dawn of the 20th century, sung by a talented collection of singers who are also terrific all-around entertainers.

This year’s festival also, of course, features its share of solo pianists. Many of these, such as Andrew Barrett, Vincent Johnson and Eric Marchese, are also talented composers of contemporary ragtime piano music. Pianist, collector and historian Bob Pinsker brings his vast and deep knowledge to RagFest each year and is often heard playing his violin or singing a vintage ragtime song while accompanying himself on piano. The weekend’s other solo pianists are Shirley Case and, in their festival debuts, Gary Rametta and John Reed-Torres.

Here are the performers for RagFest 2012. Click on the links to see more information.

Andrew Barrett, piano, washboard, drums
Shirley Case, piano
Evans & Rogers, vaudevillians
Jimmy Green, banjo
Vincent Johnson, piano
Brad Kay, piano, cornet
Eric Marchese, piano
Erika C. Miller, vocal
Bill Mitchell, piano
Bob Pinsker, piano, violin
Gary Rametta, piano
John Reed-Torres, piano
Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra, ragtime band
Sedalia Ragtime Orchestra, ragtime band
Those Syncopating Songbirds, vaudevillians
The UnUrban Irregulars, ragtime band

While not a ragtime musical performer, Storm Case often captures the moment with his visual artwork. See some examples here.

RagFest Remembers

We lost Nan Bostick this year and remember her with a special memorial page - We Remember