Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 5: “Scott Joplin: King of Ragtime”

September 5th, 2024

.

.

For over twenty years, publishing quality jazz-themed fiction has been a mission of Jerry Jazz Musician. Hundreds of short stories have appeared on the pages of this website, most all of which can be accessed by clicking here.

A substantial number of novels and stories with jazz music as a component of the story have been published over the years, and the scholar David J. Rife has written short essay/reviews of them, which he has compiled in two valuable resources, Jazz Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader’s Guide (2008), and a recently published sequel, Jazz Fiction: Take Two. (Several of the stories published on Jerry Jazz Musician are reviewed).

Rife’s work is impressive and worth sharing with Jerry Jazz Musician readers. With his cooperation, essay/review excerpts from Take Two will be published on a regular basis.

.

In this edition, Rife writes about three novels that include stories about Scott Joplin, the primary forerunner and significant influencer of jazz.

.

.

___

.

.

 

 

.

…..Jazz Fiction: Take Two is the sequel to Jazz Fiction: A History and Comprehensive Reader’s Guide (2008). The earlier work filled a pressing need in jazz studies by identifying and discussing 700 works of fiction with a jazz component.

…..This work picks up where that one left off, around the turn of the 21st century, and surveys over 500 works of jazz-inflected fiction that have appeared since. None of these works, to my knowledge, have been discussed in this context.

…..The essay-reviews at the center of the book are designed to give readers a sense of the plots of the works in question and to characterize their debt to jazz. The entries were written with both the general reader and the scholar in mind and are intended to entertain as well as inform. This alone should qualify Jazz Fiction: Take Two as an unusual and useful reference resource.

.

-David J. Rife

.

.

___

.

.

Wikimedia Commons

Scott Joplin, 1912

.

___

.

 

 

.

Scott Joplin and Ragtime

   …..  The primary forerunner and significant influencer of jazz, ragtime was America’s most popular music of its short-lived day, the decade or so leading to WW1.  It derived from minstrel-show tunes and was characterized by ragged, energetic syncopation. Pianist and composer Scott Joplin was widely regarded as the “King of Ragtime,” his most famous composition having sold over 75,000 copies of sheet music during its first year (1899). He returned to public consciousness over half a century after his death when his music provided the score for the blockbuster movie The Sting (1973).

.

.

___

.

..

 

…..

…..This is a researched narrative based on the lives and personalities of a collection of historical and fabricated characters from the ragtime era in American history, roughly 1895-1929. It succeeds in generating a sense of the phenomenal popularity and controversy surrounding this exciting new entertainment and provides several rousing dance hall scenes.  Early on, a white claims to have invented rag after observing a long-neck fiddle player from the Cumberland Mountains who “had a real interesting way of breaking up rhythms.” Just add some soul and you’ve got the essence of ragtime. Black folks, of course, took a different view. “Ragging is our invention,” one of them said; “that rhythm comes straight from Africa . . . Straight from the Black man’s soul.” Such discrepancies underscore the abiding theme of racial politics in America.  Another important motif concerns the plight of women. Pampered young rich girl May Convery yearns for some meaning in her privileged life. She dreams of becoming a poet. When the poor but talented (and partly Jewish) Mike Bernard becomes her piano teacher, she falls immediately in love with him. When she becomes pregnant, her patrician father and fiancé intervene—thus impelling the friction that persists for decades. As May’s and Mike’s lives intersect over the years, he becomes arguably the most successful ragtimer in the land, while leading a very messy life, and she finds at least some meaning in the suffragette movement. When jazz comes along to supplant ragtime, Mike’s gift of spontaneity is ready for the challenge. Unfortunately, his day has come and gone. The fact that Mike’s and the author’s last names are identical lends poignancy to the novel.

 

.

_____

.

.

 

…..

…..Phoenix Small is a 24-year-old R&B singer whose first two albums fell short of winning her the audience—and thus of course the wealth and fame—she had hoped for, so she signs with a major record company for the marketing it can provide.  Indeed, a good part of this long novel provides a realistic depiction of the cut-throat machinations of the LA music industry.  As Phoenix struggles with her career, she is joined (inhabited?) by the ghost of the King of Ragtime, Scott Joplin, whose own musical career was tragically thwarted—by racism and syphilis among other factors.  Through their “relationship,” both artists grow in self-knowledge and self-worth.  In one poignant passage, Phoenix consoles her companion by cataloguing a long list of Black musical giants like Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald whose careers were in some measure indebted to Joplin.  The realism of this ghost story is nicely enhanced when, at one point, Joplin asks Phoenix whether he is insane or she is real and she answers in the affirmative to both questions.

 

 

.

.

_____

.

.

…..

…..

…..Scott Joplin—the King of Ragtime—is racing the clock:  he’s dying fast and desperate to provide for his wife and to leave his mark on musical history.  He’s depressed that his work has been widely regarded as low-class—an embarrassment to his race.  He thinks he can set things right by creating a work of art that will allow him to stand proudly next to the great classical composers of the past. He believes he has such a work but knows he must find a publishing agency for it to succeed.  When he is finally able to make an appointment for a publisher to look over his manuscript, the partner who takes the score is killed, casting suspicion on Joplin.  Joplin thought he was delivering his work to a man he despised, the white King of Ragtime, Irving Berlin.  Joplin despised Berlin because he was convinced that Berlin had stolen his composition “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” several years ago and profited from it mightily in a way that no Black man could have. In the maelstrom of events surrounding the murder, Joplin’s opus major goes missing, leading Joplin to suspect that Berlin is trying to rip him off, again.  Thus begins a complicated mystery of mistaken identity, oblique motivation, cooked books, and racial politics.

…..The King of Ragtime is a thoroughly researched historical crime story that nicely captures the milieu of the music business in 1916 New York, at the cultural moment when ragtime was about to relinquish its popularity to jazz.  The antagonists, Joplin and Berlin, are deftly drawn, and so are several other, non-historical characters.  After the mystery is solved and the survivors have gone on their way, the author appends a final chapter outlining the later lives of the historical personages of the novel (“Where Are They Now?”).  And, finally, he follows this with a substantial bibliography relating to the musical scene in New York shortly before the advent of the “Jazz Age.”

 

.

.

_____

 

.

.

Click here to read previous editions of excerpts from David J. Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two

.

.

Click here to read “Not From Around Here,” Jeff Dingler’s winning story in the 66th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest

Click here to read more short fiction published on Jerry Jazz Musician

Click here to read The Sunday Poem

Click here for information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction

Click here for details about the upcoming 67th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest

Click here to subscribe to the Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter (it’s free)

.

Click here  to help support the continuing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it ad and commercial-free (thank you!)

.

.

___

.

.

 

Jerry Jazz Musician…human produced (and AI-free) since 1999

.

.

.

Share this:

Comment on this article:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Support is Appreciated

Jerry Jazz Musician has been commercial-free since its inception in 1999. Your generous donation helps it remain that way. Thanks very much for your kind consideration.

Site Archive

In This Issue

photo of Rudy Van Gelder via Blue Note Records
“Rudy Van Gelder: Jazz Music’s Recording Angel” – an essay by Joel Lewis...For over 60 years, the legendary recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder devoted himself to the language of sound. And although he recorded everything from glee clubs to classical music, he was best known for recording jazz – specifically the musicians associated with Blue Note and Prestige records. Joel Lewis writes about his impact on the sound of jazz, and what has become of his Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey studio.

The Sunday Poem

Tom Marcello, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

”“Mingus au Paradis” by Manuel J. Grimaldi


The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.... Manuel J. Grimaldi reads his poem at its conclusion


Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem

Poetry

photo via pickpik.com
And Here We Are: A Post-election Thanksgiving, by Connie Johnson

Short Fiction

Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons/blur effect added
Short Fiction Contest-winning story #67 — “Bluesette,” by Salvatore Difalco...The author’s award-winning story is a semi-satirical mood piece about a heartbroken man in Europe listening to a recording by the harmonica player Toots Thielemans while under the influence of a mind-altering substance.

Interview

Interview with James Kaplan, author of 3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and the Lost Empire of Cool...The esteemed writer tells a vibrant story about the jazz world before, during, and after the 1959 recording of Kind of Blue, and how the album’s three genius musicians came together, played together, and grew together (and often apart) throughout the experience.

Community

Nominations for the Pushcart Prize XLIX...Announcing the six writers nominated for the Pushcart Prize v. XLIX, whose work was published in Jerry Jazz Musician during 2024.

Publisher’s Notes

photo by Rhonda Dorsett
On turning 70, and contemplating the future of Jerry Jazz Musician...

Essay

“Gone Guy: Jazz’s Unsung Dodo Marmarosa,” by Michael Zimecki...The writer remembers the late jazz musician Michael “Dodo” Marmarosa, awarded Esquire Magazine’s New Star Award in 1947, and who critics predicted would dominate the jazz scene for the next 30 years.

Community

Notes on Bob Hecht’s book, Stolen Moments: A Photographer’s Personal Journey...Some thoughts on a new book of photography by frequent Jerry Jazz Musician contributing writer Bob Hecht

Feature

Excerpts from David Rife’s Jazz Fiction: Take Two – Vol. 8: “Jazz’s International Influence”...A substantial number of novels and stories with jazz music as a component of the story have been published over the years, and the scholar David J. Rife has written short essay/reviews of them. In this seventh edition of excerpts from his book, Rife writes about jazz novels and short stories that feature stories about jazz music's international influence.

Art

“The Jazz Dive” – the art of Allen Mezquida...The artist's work is inspired by the counterculture music from the 1950s and 60s, resulting in art “that resonates with both eyes and ears.” It is unique and creative and worth a look…

True Jazz Stories

Brianmcmillen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
True Jazz Stories: “Hippie In a Jazz Club” – by Scott Oglesby...The author relates a story that took place in San Francisco's jazz club the Keystone Korner in 1980 that led to his eventual friendship with the jazz greats Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy…

Book Excerpt

Book Excerpt from Jazz Revolutionary: The Life & Music of Eric Dolphy, by Jonathon Grasse...In this first full biography of Eric Dolphy, Jonathon Grasse examines Dolphy’s friendships and family life, and his timeless musical achievements. The introduction to this outstanding book is published here in its entirety.

Playlist

photo via Wikimedia Commons
“Quartets – Four and No More” – a playlist by Bob Hecht...In his ongoing series, this 25-song playlist focuses on quartets, featuring legends like Miles, MJQ, Monk, Brubeck, and Sonny, but also those led by the likes of Freddie Redd, David Murray, Frank Strozier, and Pepper Adams.

Interview

Interview with Larry Tye, author of The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America...The author talks about his book, an intensely researched, spirited, and beautifully told story – and an important reminder that Armstrong, Ellington, and Basie all defied and overcame racial boundaries “by opening America’s eyes and souls to the magnificence of their music.”

Poetry

John Coltrane, by Martel Chapman
Four poets, four poems…on John Coltrane

Feature

photo of Art Tatum by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress
Trading Fours, with Douglas Cole, No. 22: “Energy Man, or, God is in the House”...In this edition of an occasional series of the writer’s poetic interpretations of jazz recordings and film, Douglas Cole writes about the genius of Art Tatum. His reading is accompanied by the guitarist Chris Broberg.

Short Fiction

photo by Jes Mugley/CC BY-SA 2.0
“The Dancer’s Walk” – a short story by Franklyn Ajaye...The world-renowned saxophonist Deja Blue grew up a sad, melancholy person who could only express his feelings through his music. When he meets a beautiful woman who sweeps him off his feet, will his reluctance to share his feelings and emotion cost him the love of his life?

Feature

photo of Lionel Hampton by William Gottlieb/Library of Congress
Jazz History Quiz #177...This saxophonist’s first important jobs were during the 1940’s with Lionel Hampton (pictured), Fletcher Henderson, Louis Armstrong’s big band, and Billy Eckstine’s Orchestra. Additionally, he was a Savoy Records recording artist as a leader before being an important part of the scene on Los Angeles’ Central Avenue. Who was he?

Poetry

“Revival” © Kent Ambler.
If You Want to Go to Heaven, Follow a Songbird – Mary K O’Melveny’s album of poetry and music...While consuming Mary K O’Melveny’s remarkable work in this digital album of poetry, readings and music, readers will discover that she is moved by the mastery of legendary musicians, the wings of a monarch butterfly, the climate and political crisis, the mysteries of space exploration, and by the freedom of jazz music that can lead to what she calls “the magic of the unknown.” (with art by Kent Ambler)

Interview

The Marvelettes/via Wikimedia Commons
Interview with Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz, authors of But Will You Love Me Tomorrow?: An Oral History of the 60’s Girl Groups...Little is known of the lives and challenges many of the young Black women who made up the Girl Groups of the ‘60’s faced while performing during an era rife with racism, sexism, and music industry corruption. The authors discuss their book’s mission to provide the artists an opportunity to voice their experiences so crucial to the evolution of popular music.

Short Fiction

photo by The Joker/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
“Second-Hand Squeeze Box” – a short story by Debbie Burke...The story – a short-listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – explores the intersection of nourishing oneself with music, and finding a soul mate

Art

photo of Johnny Griffin by Giovanni Piesco
The Photographs of Giovanni Piesco: Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman...Beginning in 1990, the noted photographer Giovanni Piesco began taking backstage photographs of many of the great musicians who played in Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, that city’s main jazz venue which is considered one of the finest in the world. Jerry Jazz Musician will occasionally publish portraits of jazz musicians that Giovanni has taken over the years. This edition is of saxophonists Johnny Griffin and Von Freeman, who appeared together at the at Bimhuis on June 25/26, 1999.

Short Fiction

bshafer via FreeImages.com
“And All That Jazz” – a short story by BV Lawson...n this story – a short listed entry in our recently concluded 66th Short Fiction Contest – a private investigator tries to help a homeless friend after his saxophone is stolen.

Essay

“Like a Girl Saying Yes: The Sound of Bix” – an essay by Malcolm McCollum...The first time Benny Goodman heard Bix Beiderbecke play cornet, he wondered, “My God, what planet, what galaxy, did this guy come from?” What was it about this musician that captivated and astonished so many for so long – and still does?

In Memoriam

Hans Bernhard (Schnobby), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
“Remembering Joe Pass: Versatile Jazz Guitar Virtuoso” – by Kenneth Parsons...On the 30th anniversary of the guitarist Joe Pass’ death, Kenneth Parsons reminds readers of his brilliant career

Book Excerpt

Book excerpt from Jazz with a Beat: Small Group Swing 1940 – 1960, by Tad Richards

Click here to read more book excerpts published on Jerry Jazz Musician

Community

photo via Picryl.com
“Community Bookshelf” is a twice-yearly space where writers who have been published on Jerry Jazz Musician can share news about their recently authored books and/or recordings. This edition includes information about books published within the last six months or so (March – September, 2024)

Contributing Writers

Click the image to view the writers, poets and artists whose work has been published on Jerry Jazz Musician, and find links to their work

Coming Soon

An interview with Jonathon Grasse, author of Jazz Revolutionary: The Life & Music of Eric Dolphy; An interview with Phil Freeman, author of  In the Brewing Luminous: The Life & Music of Cecil Taylor....A new collection of jazz poetry; a collection of jazz haiku; a new Jazz History Quiz; short fiction; poetry; photography; interviews; playlists; and lots more in the works...

Interview Archive

Ella Fitzgerald/IISG, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Click to view the complete 25-year archive of Jerry Jazz Musician interviews, including those recently published with Judith Tick on Ella Fitzgerald (pictured),; Laura Flam and Emily Sieu Liebowitz on the Girl Groups of the 60's; Tad Richards on Small Group Swing; Stephanie Stein Crease on Chick Webb; Brent Hayes Edwards on Henry Threadgill; Richard Koloda on Albert Ayler; Glenn Mott on Stanley Crouch; Richard Carlin and Ken Bloom on Eubie Blake; Richard Brent Turner on jazz and Islam; Alyn Shipton on the art of jazz; Shawn Levy on the original queens of standup comedy; Travis Atria on the expatriate trumpeter Arthur Briggs; Kitt Shapiro on her life with her mother, Eartha Kitt; Will Friedwald on Nat King Cole; Wayne Enstice on the drummer Dottie Dodgion; the drummer Joe La Barbera on Bill Evans; Philip Clark on Dave Brubeck; Nicholas Buccola on James Baldwin and William F. Buckley; Ricky Riccardi on Louis Armstrong; Dan Morgenstern and Christian Sands on Erroll Garner; Maria Golia on Ornette Coleman.