Reginald Robinson's third recording for Delmark has many highlights. The opening number ("Joplin Song Fragment") is just 31 seconds long and finds
Robinson playing the sheet music that was spotted on the music rack of
Scott Joplin's piano in a photo; it was greatly magnified so the unpublished
Joplin extract could be read. In addition, he performs three numbers by the legendary Louis Chauvin (including "Heliotrope Bouquet," which Chauvin co-wrote with Joplin), works by Floyd Willis, Joe Jordan, James Scott,
Joseph Lamb, and
Joplin, plus a straightforward rendition of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and seven of his originals. The latter fall into the vein of classic ragtime, including a tango and one number vocalized by Sondra Davis, and are full of rich melodies. Based on his recordings thus far,
Reginald Robinson ranks with
David Thomas Roberts as the top ragtime composer of the past 20 years and is sure to be a major force in keeping this 100-year-old (but at times nearly extinct) music alive. ~ Scott Yanow