Aggravatin' Papa (Robinson) played by Andrew Barrett

"Aggravatin' Papa"

music by J. Russel Robinson
words by Roy Turk

1922

Since I was on a J. Russel Robinson kick, I might as well put up this video I recorded a while ago at home. I'm just improvising on "Aggravatin' Papa", one of those bluesy "red hot mama" type tunes that were popular in the early 1920's and which genius pianists such as Robinson, Clarence Johnson, Pete Wendling, etc. were fond of dressing up in new clothes! This video is kind of a homage to those hot piano stylists.

here's the sheet music:

http://digital.library.msstate.edu/collections/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Shee...

In fact there are seemingly only a handful of people in the world today (that I know of) who play piano like this:

Nathan Bello

Robbie Rhodes

Benjamin Intartaglia

Bob Pinsker

If YOU know of anybody else who plays piano like this, please LET ME KNOW! I would like to meet them! (or at least hear their recordings)

In fact, outside of the piano rolls, which get recut, and recut again, and appreciated by roll-collectors (but rarely collected on a decent recording or transcribed into sheet music), these great performances are mostly unappreciated.

My rendition here is not based on any one particular version, although I guess it comes closest to Robinson's own roll (QRS 2106, which is 8-to-the bar).

http://www.trachtman.org/rollscans/midifiles/PDfiles/2005/01/QRS-2106_Aggrava...

Here's Clarence Johnson's version, for contrast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G0GlkfTAxc

And two other versions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8csOfaea8U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fofv2BqtuYM

other versions available on RedHotJazz:

http://www.redhotjazz.com/bands.html

http://www.redhotjazz.com/musicians.html

Anyway, enjoy my early attempts at hot-piano stylings!

The hand motion at the end meant I was very unsatisfied with my playing at the time, but after repeated listenings, I have decided it is good enough for now!

If you like this stuff perhaps you will like some of Robinson's other rolls. You can hear clips of them here:

http://www.sierramusicrolls.com/robinson.html

recut rolls available here:

http://www.bluesrolls.com/Blues_K-Z.html#anchor46183

http://home.earthlink.net/~rollertunes/id34.htm

and a playlist of J. Russel Robinson videos, including a clip with some brief film footage of him playing:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=00B4F470D4AF0F9E

recorded at home, April 23, 2009

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Aggravatin'
• Papa
• Russel
• Robinson
• 1922
• hot
• piano
• roll
• 8-to-the-bar
• straight
• eighths
• 1920s
• rock
• rhythm
• blues
• ragtime
• novelty
• stride
• tenths
• barrelhouse
• boogie
• woogie

[Zefrenm]

Don't forget those Gifted Nickelodoen Arrangers at QRS and elsewhere that would take the sheet music of a boring arrangement and punch out a roll, note for note without ever playin the piece at actual tempo, there's a youtube video of it somewhere.

[KawhackitaRag]

@Zefrenm Hey man a lot of those roll arrangements were done on the drafting board (and later, on the arranging piano shown in that video), but they did release quite a few rolls arranged based upon the output of the QRS marking piano, as it was played by such pianists as Lee S. Roberts, Max Kortlander (in the early years), Charley Straight, Zez Confrey (a FEW of his rolls), Pete Wendling, Phil Ohman, James P. Johnson, Lemuel Fowler, Thomas Waller, and of course J. Russel Robinson.

[cv5600]

andrew,

I'm sure you hear this all the time, but you are such a GREAT musician. I like your playing better than pretty much anyone's. You sound like you love piano rolls and music and are obsessed with both. Keep it up. I hope we get to do lots of playing together. You should be headlining at every ragtime festival! --Craig

[KawhackitaRag]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it! I also hope we get to play together a lot more. You're a fantastic musician, and I think you should be headlining all the festivals!

[Wurlitzer157]

Wow! Sounds great!

[KawhackitaRag]

Thanks!

[idamay1]

This is one fine job of piano playing!!! A definite "WOW!" My father, Frank Melrose, played piano in the early years,,,Wish he was here to hear this!!

[Zefrenm]

@Zefrenm I only say that because your Style reminds me of Seeburg O roll arrangements, with all the tricks and stops pulled out. You should try to record a song and dubb over it embelishments like they used to do when a the roll company felt an actual Piano player was needed.

[anglerfly]

It sounds diffrent piano and player piano.

[anglerfly]

I love that song!

[ragtimist]

Very well done. Too bad the ODJB doesn't need a new piano player! You'd have the job hands down.

[tdub1941]

Wonderful!

Love it!

5 STARS!

RagJazzMonkey Tom

[f2a77r31]

Johnny Maddox has played this stuff for 60 years. Check him out on the 'net.