THE PARAGON RAGTIME ORCHESTRA (finally) PLAYS ‘THE ENTERTAINER’
(Rialto Records 6005):
Performed by the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Rick Benjamin conductor.
With this 72 minute album, the PRO pays rousing tribute to the “classic” rags of Scott Joplin and his disciples Joseph F. Lamb, Arthur Marshall, and James Scott. Included are favorites like the “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer,” along with the world premiere recordings of seven original early 1900s orchestrations which were only recently discovered. Complimenting the music is a whimsical 12-page, full color booklet created by the noted artist and ragtime scholar Chris Ware. A trove of rare photos, period illustrations, and score excerpts, this booklet reveals fascinating new information on Scott Joplin based on recent, cutting-edge research. Beautifully played and handsomely recorded, this album is a highlight of Paragon’s distinguished 38-year career as leading performers of Scott Joplin’s music. Recorded in the legendary 1857 Mechanics Hall, this is a genuine “must have” disc for both the casual listener and the seasoned ragtime enthusiast.
1. “The Entertainer” (1902), Scott Joplin.
2. “Magnetic Rag” (“Syncopations Classique,” 1914), Scott Joplin.
3. “Stoptime Rag” (1910), Scott Joplin.
4. “Kinklets” (1906), Arthur Marshall.
5. “Rose Leaf Rag” (1907), Scott Joplin.
6. “Contentment” (1915), Joseph F. Lamb.
7. “Pleasant Moments” (ragtime waltz, 1909), Scott Joplin.
8. “Frog Legs Rag” (1906), James Scott.
9. “Elite Syncopations” (1902), Scott Joplin.
10. “Bohemia Rag” (1915), Joseph F. Lamb.
11. “Dixie Dimples” (novelty foxtrot, 1918), James Scott.
12. The Sycamore: A Concert Rag (1904), Scott Joplin.
13. “A Breeze from Alabama” (1902), Scott Joplin.
14. “The Rosebud March” (1905), Scott Joplin.
15. “Prosperity Rag” (1916), James Scott.
16. “Eugenia” (1906), Scott Joplin.
17. “The Easy Winners” (1901), Scott Joplin.
18. “Reindeer Rag” (1915), Joseph F. Lamb.
19. “Search-Light” (rag, 1907), Scott Joplin.
20. “The Strenuous Life” (1902), Scott Joplin.
21. “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899), Scott Joplin.
“…to use the parlance of the era, this Rialto disc is ‘tops’: the PRO’s use of period percussion and its greater understanding of the underlying rhythmic punctuations of this music even exceeds that of the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble of old. Moreover, these orchestral performances are more relaxed, lightly swinging and possessed of greater period charm than most others of their kind.” – allmusic guide
Pasadena Star News
"Benjamin and his orchestra filled the second half of the evening with lilting, humorous, and even elegant readings of ragtime numbers, a W.C. Handy blues song, and even a Sousa march…Popular music, A.D. 1900, is still going strong." – Pasadena Star News
Kansas City Star
“This group is like a ragtime early music ensemble, striving to protect the integrity of this uniquely American musical genre.” – Kansas City Star
Fanfare 2
“…delightfully infectious. The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and its dynamic director have found a winning formula for educating the public in the most enjoyable way…” – Fanfare magazine
LaCrosse Tribune
“The magical, musical time machine.” – La Crosse Tribune
Washington Post 2
“Summoning both the subtle interplay and brassy vitality these pieces demand, the PRO does itself proud.” – The Washington Post
Buffalo News
“The results were irresistible. Halfway through the opening Knock-Out Drops Rag, someone enthused audibly, ‘Gee, they’re terrific!’ She was right.” – Buffalo News
American Heritage
“…the twelve-member Paragon Ragtime Orchestra has been touring the country in the ghostly footsteps of the thousands of ‘theater orchestras’ that once played in every hotel, vaudeville hall, and fair-sized restaurant. Few of them can have played with more bite and sparkle than the Paragon.” – American Heritage magazine
Gramophone
“…genteel melodic lines swim like fish through pure water.” – Gramophone magazine
BBC Music magazine
“superbly presented….prize-worthy.” – BBC Music magazine
American Music magazine
“… a deft, crisp, and energetic group…. one of the premiere forces in the reassertion of this repertoire in our musical consciousness.”
– American Music magazine
New York Times
“Best of all, the concert came off not as a dry musicological dig, but as an evening of…abidingly energetic fun.” – The New York Times
Wall Street Journal
“…protecting an important American treasure…not just be a pleasure to hear but for many a true revelation.” – The Wall Street Journal
Washington Post
“Vibrantly revived music.” – The Washington Post
Classics Today
“There’s plenty of variety here to give a representative sampling of some of the era’s finest pop music, and it’s all played with polish, authenticity, and all-out enthusiasm by the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra under Rick Benjamin’s inspired direction.” – Classics Today
Fanfare magazine
“If PRO is not already labeled a national treasure it should be.” – Fanfare magazine
Philadelphia Inquirer
“Four Stars…The music is incomparably sweet and stirring. And Rick Benjamin, who founded and conducts the PRO, is a musician of wit and sensibility.” – The Philadelphia Inquirer
Denver Post
“To hear the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra play the compositions of Scott Joplin or Irving Berlin… is to hear the promise many Americans felt about the prospects for the U.S. a century ago.”
– Denver Post
The San Francisco Chronicle
"Ragtime and opera joined hands and danced together in the most joyous fashion at Stern Grove on Sunday afternoon, with a vigorous and utterly charming performance of Scott Joplin’s 'Treemonisha'…the score, superbly led by conductor Rick Benjamin, is a resourceful marvel….For this performance Benjamin…unveiled his new arrangement of 'Treemonisha' for the 11-piece Paragon Ragtime Orchestra. That lithe, pungent blend of strings, woodwinds and brass…gave the performance a lively grace that helped fill the sunny meadow to perfection.”
– The San Francisco Chronicle