Maple Leaf Rag, played by Tom Brier, Brian Holland, and Danny Coots

Plus a little help from Julia Riley.
Performed at the first annual Santa Cruz Ragtime Festival in Santa Cruz, California.

[@Keeper1st]

Starting in the key of A Major, no less.

[@Ragtimer95]

+Keeper1st Indeed! Leave it to Tom to try to stump the other player.

[@soggeysandwhich7520]

Do you two know eachother?

[@Keeper1st]

@@soggeysandwhich7520 Absolutely. I was standing right behind him recording this with my own camera!

[@burntsider8457]

That raises the question as to why so many ragtime songs are in flat keys.

[@Keeper1st]

@@burntsider8457 Marching band instruments are easier to play in flat keys.

[@gb-jg1ud]

That drummer playing old school added an entire dimension

[@dylan-kerry]

Better drumming than you'll hear in any swing band.

[@drummerdunne3490]

The drummer PERFECTLY played in the early 20th century style!

[@Ragtimer95]

You can always plan on Danny rising to the occasion!

[@Hiiiiii74]

The addition of the drummer just makes the rag come alive even more, I love it!

[@1947Desoto]

It's almost like they're trying to sound like an old 1910's orchestrion with the drummer! Love it!

[@kimravn-jensen4963]

Except for the musicianship, I'd say ;-) I agree with most of the postings here: This may the most festive interpretation of Maple Leaf Rag ever done. Scott Joplin indeed had his ruminative moments, but the Maple Leaf can only be thought of as jubilant and must be performed as such.

[@CarolineJoyAmico]

It just needs a banjo, to complete the Jeeves and Wooster feel. 😂

[@jollylawyer9999]

​@@CarolineJoyAmicoIndeed bro😂

[@FarukBadurTheBoss]

Probably my favorite performance of Maple Leaf Rag that I've ever heard, Tom had a lot of fun with improv, his partner had fun with it too, then the drums just added a whole other layer. Bless you for uploading all of this :D

[@nancytunis7472]

Cool. So, so jazzy!

[@chriswilson2431]

He could be possibly the happiest drummer I have ever ever seen hahaha. Fabulous. Really gentleman, that was superb.

[@burntsider8457]

The drums add a delightful pop to the performance.

[@PiotrBarcz]

Fantastic tempo, not rushed, not dragging! Can't get better!

[@alkavasvi4488]

This is just pure genius.

[@STANLIZ4]

Alkavas Vi as you say, pure genius, just hope he makes a total recovery, he is a genius of our times we need him creating music

[@gearheadmn]

minus the flutist

[@dylan-kerry]

@@gearheadmn She contributed her part and that too, sounded great. A particularly nice part at 3:22

[@bullseyeguys8123]

i listened to this like a million times. way better than todays music!

[@PiotrBarcz]

Today's music makes my ears wilt...

[@AndreasNilsson96]

"I WAD BORN IN THE WRONG GENERATION!!!"

[@jeffreylee252]

Because modern musics are lacking melody

[@malachilatroy]

There are different genres of music. But yea this sounds better than most of them

[@mr.nugget8412]

i wanna say "i wish i lived in the 1910s" so bad but i cant 💀💀 The 1910s were bad for everybody, not just black people

[@MyMyMyAccount]

I never want to hear this without a drum part again! What a performance!

[@Brainface100]

This is definetly the best version out there. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, I listen to it and it puts a smile on my face right away. Thanks a lot for that! Best wishes from Germany.

[@e.goldie6143]

I have played the Maple Leaf Rag for years, but the jazzy, ragtime improvisation these guys do here is pure magic!! I wish Tom Brier God speed in his recovery so he can play for the world again!

[@glowingspacecow8980]

I’m pretty sure he will never recover

[@e.goldie6143]

@@glowingspacecow8980 why? What's his medical condition that you think he won't recover? Has he been getting treatment for recovery?

[@ScoopOfButter]

@@e.goldie6143 There may be other factors that I'm not aware of, but I think Tom's injury is just too severe for a full recovery. Even a friend of his, who was a significant factor in what made Tom internet famous, Ron O'Dell (aka "Keeper1st"), doesn't think he'll recover.

[@Aaroniii]

@@e.goldie6143he doesn’t get any treatment for recovery anymore. They say he has alresdy recovered as much he can and he isn’t in a very good condition. Nowadays he just lives with his parents. And no, he doesn’t play piano anymore. At all.

[@bencarter8324]

Danny is such an amazing drummer, there is nobody that can play traditional jazz as well as him. His performance of Caravan with Brian Holland is spectacular!

[@cdllc1956]

That's Ragtime, not Jazz

[@bencarter8324]

@@cdllc1956 ragtime is traditional jazz

[@cdllc1956]

@@bencarter8324 oh ye sorry i missunderstood something 🤨

[@malachilatroy]

@@cdllc1956 without Ragtime we won't have Jazz😂

[@cdllc1956]

@@malachilatroy I know

[@amybradley2514]

What a fun version! Love the improv and the drummer. 🤩 Fun bit to note: I attended UC Santa Cruz back in 1970 to 1974, and a friend there introduced me to Scott Joplin rags. Taught myself to play several of them. Best mood raising music I know!

[@Chaosmod_PvP]

Tom brier is a legend

[@cdllc1956]

Yee

[@Knappa22]

The improv variations are just breathtaking :) Instant 'add to favourites!'

[@owenherlihy]

“The circle of fifths rag” 😂

[@pi5549]

I'll feel at home in any community centered in an appreciation of awesomeness! ❤

[@fakename3608]

I actually did a spontaneous standing ovation! (then realised I was alone in my bedroom :D :D) Bravoooo!!!

[@daroldbannister7496]

Play this at my funnel and I'll jump and dance.

[@parkerplace2910]

Would be fun if they took the fronts off of the those big old antique uprights... watch the hanmers pound away.

[@sabinrawr]

I would desperately love to see/hear the Circle of Fifths Rag!

[@maureenbraz6290]

Just love it ... I wish one day I´ll be able to play it ... it would be a dream come true!!! Thank you !!!!

[@DaveLynchJazzGuitar]

Great stuff guys !! You all sound terrific.

[@AndyRoidEU]

Starts at 00:56

[@gustavobraga582]

You only get half of the fun, though. :-)

[@ctmale1956]

great --- just great and many thanks for sharing your art.

[@julienelson8162]

Love these guys - especially the “Circle of Fifths Rag” aside!

[@interestedErvini]

Tom and Danny in one, a great combination.

[@chriswilson2431]

Go Danny! Finding beats no one else knew were there, as usual. Brilliant performance. True professionals, every one. I’m not sure how much of a help the flautist is, however. May as well play along though I guess haha

[@MarilynKen]

The flautist is Julia Riley. She played in other sets. I think she just happened to have her flute with her and played along for fun.

[@beefystew147]

She gets a A for effort

[@cdllc1956]

Joplin is jumping and dancing in his grave! (probably yelling "TOO FAST", but I love the speed)

[@jollylawyer9999]

Oh you're here too lol

[@cdllc1956]

@@jollylawyer9999 of course 😂

[@jollylawyer9999]

@@cdllc1956 😆👌

[@cdllc1956]

@@jollylawyer9999 👍 I am composing my first real ragtime piece right now (in real life) and it's looking good so far!

[@jollylawyer9999]

@@cdllc1956 Thats great! I've composed three rags already. I'm pleased with them😁.

[@malu_1]

hits hard.

[@ОлегУваров-ч5ш]

I like this music!!!😊😊👍👍👏👏👏

[@gregzoller9003]

Piano guy on left is finally like “Um… ok… you go, dude. I’ll just be here…”

[@sntslilhlpr6601]

Where has this been all my life?

[@sntslilhlpr6601]

Well that's a good sign that I found it again I suppose. Hit it.

[@wendyrobinson9712]

Fabulous

[@KeithPhillips]

This is legendary 😳

[@nicolajones726]

Loved it thank you❤

[@vladislavkravchenko7957]

Its great perfomance!

[@NSSignalGuy]

This part gave me goosebumps 1:06 it’s so good

[@pathaze4299]

This is fuckin amazing

[@WojackToter]

the drums are played so softly which I find hard for myself because I've been a rock drummer all the 6-7 years I've drummed, but recently I've been trying to play different stuff like jazz and playing soft/quiet is so difficult for me, bravo to not only the drummer but to Tom and the other pianist, I really don't know anyone other than Tom here lol

[@mr.nugget8412]

I can't say I wish I lived in the 1910's because not only were those bad times for black people, but they were also bad times for everyone else

[@lionellines6351]

I think I hear some sort of wind instrument in the background. Maybe a clarinet or a pan flute? Any idea? It’s most prominent at 3:22. Edit: I saw it in the description. It’s Julia Riley, who I recall hearing say in the video for Uncle Ben’s Cakewalk that she’s used to pan flute. So, I guess I’ve answered my own question.

[@Ragtimer95]

If you watch at 1:40, you’ll see the camera pan around to Julia Riley playing along on the flute.

[@lionellines6351]

@@Ragtimer95 Yup, my bad. Thanks for uploading this amazing recording!

[@SThad063]

Delightful

[@marcomerrit7323]

QUE GRANDES !!!!!!

[@minhyukjang]

3:06을 즈음한 ride cymbal 연주는 꽹과리를 연상시킵니다.

[@soggeysandwhich7520]

IIIIITSSSSSSSS HOT ROD TOMMYYYYYYY!!!!!

[@ПавелВладимирович-ж6н]

Круто!! Молодцы!! 👍👍👍🙃

[@alexandrashvydun8726]

2:13 my favorite part omg

[@slowedworks5237]

4:35

[@PiotrBarcz]

Was that player piano ever used during that festival after hours?

[@Ragtimer95]

Unfortuantely the player mechanism was gutted from it decades ago. :(

[@PiotrBarcz]

@@Ragtimer95 Aww, that's a shame, too many player pianos have been ruined like that...

[@lightsurface7816]

WOAW WOAW WOAW !!!!!

[@davidv.kutaliya]

❤

[@alexysobolev7635]

Drummer 👍👍👍

[@thememeteam7585]

What is the song 0:48?

[@Ragtimer95]

Tom's just playing some descending chords. I don't think it's a piece in particular...just a bit of goofing around!

[@thememeteam7585]

@@Ragtimer95 I see, it kinda just reminded me of old shows from the early 1900s for some reason.

[@jollylawyer9999]

@@thememeteam7585 Ikr

[@pierrelacombe4757]

Wonderfull music !!! But... but poor, very poor sound quality.

[@Ragtimer95]

Well sorry ‘bout that. You can only do so much with an iPhone.

[@ЭльвираЧабан-щ8к]

Ударник ни к чему..

[@eddriver7815]

try to stop you toes tapping .... c a n n o t d o i t