Posted in - Biography & Clarence Jelly Johnson & Historical & Piano Roll on May 11th 2017
Clarence M. Jones was one of those rare musicians able to adapt both his playing and compositional styles to new musical trends. As Jones’ piano roll recordings are the only known examples of his playing prior to 1923, these provide valuable insight into his adaptability and innovative ideas. Moreover, they clearly demonstrate how …
Posted in - Biography & Clarence M. Jones & Historical & Piano Roll on May 11th 2017
Clearly, the development of Chicago style jazz and blues piano had its roots in ragtime, and with the itinerant, now forgotten early gospel pianists who incorporated syncopation into their playing. With his immensely successful “Memphis Blues” of 1912, W.C. Handy formalized blues music as a distinct piano style. While still purely ragtime, Handy …
