Thursday, July 20, 2017

William Bolcom - Eubie's Lucky Day and Epitaph for Louis Chauvin


John Murphy, piano

Epitaph for Louis Chauvin



Spencer Myer, piano

A series of William Bolcom's many wonderful rags.  Why not?  Both of the recordings of these are excellent, you should get them.  Here are two, homages to two of his fellow composers, the great Eubie Blake and Louis Chauvin* who is known through only one rag,Heliotrope Bouquet  published by the great Scott Joplin (perhaps adding his own material to it) and two songs, The Moon is Shining in the Skies and Babe, It's Too Long.

As noted yesterday, the Complete Rags of William Bolcom are published by Edward B. Marks company.  Though I wouldn't be surprised if there were more composed after that was published.

* Now considered a "member" of the "27 Club" of prominent and not so prominent musicians who died at the age of 27, a modern invention which no one noticed when Louis Chauvin died, almost certainly of syphilis, at that age.  The promoters of the kind of twisted "Club" mystique consider him the second member of it, apparently.   Something for people to remember when they carry on like professional keeners when someone five or more decades older dies of natural causes related to getting really old.

Update:  Duncan Black's regulars are about 97% idiots.  I could name those who still go there who aren't on one hand, likely with a finger to spare for the rest of them.  Yeah, that one.

3 comments:

  1. I think it's pretty obvious that nobody's gonna give a flying fuck when you shuffle off this mortal coil, but hey -- karma's a bitch.

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    1. If I'm around when you do, I'll smile at the very least. I suspect some others will too.

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  2. You're a twisted little freak, I'll give you that.

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