The subtitle for Rhapsody in Ragtime covers it all: "Ragtime, novelty, stride, and jazz piano solos."
Richard Dowling picks not only the familiar -- The Entertainer, 12th Street Rag, Ain't Misbehavin' -- but also the neglected (
Gershwin's Rialto Ripples) and the unknown (a piano version of Grofé's Three Shades of Blue). He begins with a couple of
Scott Joplin rags and
Fats Waller's Handful of Keys, and in keeping with a ragtime tradition of improvisation -- or at least embellishment --
Dowling adds his own touch to the music. For someone who's familiar with these, the extra flourishes and the way
Dowling changes up rhythms is a little unsettling. He doesn't have enough time to stick with a new rhythm and let it settle in. For the listener, it's more work to get the feeling of those rags. The two
Eubie Blake pieces, Rhapsody in Ragtime and Charleston Rag, sound as if they began life as pure improvisations. Each of them again asks the listener to bear with
Dowling to some extent as he plays with the tempo. Other than having to pay more attention once in a while, listeners will find not just the upbeat and quirky here (i.e., anything by Zez Confrey), but also a few tunes perfectly suited for some lazy daydreaming. Anyone should be able to find at least one piece, if not more, in the assortment on Rhapsody in Ragtime that will provoke a smile and/or some toe-tapping.