Redneck Rag -- superb piano performance from Tom Brier

[@pianolist]

Tom Brier is the best ragtimer in the US. He is awesome!

[@friedhelmdonitz8611]

He is the best ragtimer in the whole Universe!

[@gustavobraga582]

You're thinking small my friend! :-)

[@chei24]

Gosh I love how he experiments. Never the same thing twice.

[@Keeper1st]

That's very true. In order to sight-read well, one needs not just the ability to read music, but to understand it. Then you can predict where it's likely to go, and can make changes on the fly.

[@ganonscrote5051]

I really love the slow part at the beginning. It really sets up the payoff of the faster bit later on

[@monkeydroofie7344]

Weird to think that we evolved from barely being able to use basic tools, to Tom Brier being able to create an amazing composition and freestyle it at will on a piano.

[@GeorgeTennesseeWiseman]

I don't think anyone could say it better than THAT!

[@yeudler41]

No, we were created by God this way.

[@Zeppherus]

@yeudler41 is right, the bible says by the 8th generation people were playing instruments Genesis 4:21 "And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ."

[@EspoirKayihura]

@@Zeppherus you think this is the 8th generation of humans, or were you being sarcastic?

[@Zeppherus]

@@EspoirKayihura I don't know what you're asking. Obviously we are not living in the 8th generation of humans. By the 8th generation of humans, meaning Adam+7, people were recorded as knowing how to play instruments.

[@Keeper1st]

You can see the camera shake a bit at 6:10 because I was holding back laughter of my own -- just when you think he's going full speed, he cranks it up a notch!

[@zuzannawisniewska4464]

This, my friends, is talent...and thousands and thousands of hours of hard work and dedication....from Fresno, California

[@ashleyisachild]

What a gift

[@edwarddoran3478]

THANK GOD FOR "YOU TUBE" AND FOR TOM BRIER

[@citiblocsMaster]

and Ragtime

[@olibolton4633]

@@citiblocsMaster tom brier *is* rag time

[@zeo278]

You mean thank tom for tom but ok.

[@jollylawyer9999]

@@zeo278 No God

[@PiotrBarcz]

hahaha

[@Keeper1st]

I've actually fully scored the rag now. Haven't heard from Tom about whether it should be distributed or not though.

[@enricodalbello2591]

Hello! Has it been distributed in the end? Sorry for asking, would love to play it!

[@Keeper1st]

@@enricodalbello2591 There are so many transcriptions out there now that the cat is pretty well out of the bag. Here is a score I made for it with some of Tom’s performance ideas included. www.keeper1st.com/temp/redneck2.pdf And here is a fine transcription of the performance in this video: musescore.com/user/19465036/scores/6850628?share=copy_link

[@enricodalbello2591]

Thank you!!

[@Keeper1st]

Well, the first 5 minutes is just playing the tune in "sedate" styles to go along with the sarcastic suggestion by a member of the audience. Then he plays it the way it was intended. Although he won't admit it, many of us believe that "Brian March" is a pseudonym and that Tom actually composed or co-composed this tune.

[@bencarter8324]

"superb" is probably the best way to describe this performance. His improv was flawless, especially in the transition to the normal tempo at the end. Those chords with the descending baseline. That was beautiful.

[@Merk0]

My favourite performance by Tom!

[@TheMasterBT]

What a fucking legend.

[@Keeper1st]

@IMAFIRINMYLAZERMAN77 I've been watching him in person for almost 20 years, and, believe me, it never gets old!

[@matyastuma6081]

Probably one of the best pieces of music I have ever listened to. It's has it all: harmony, variation, surprise and technical proficiency. God blessed this man with a great talent

[@keymaster013]

Such an understanding of music gets you the ability to do what Tom Brier does, easily. There's something to be said about talent, but it all comes down to what you do with it. You can't succeed with innate ability alone.

[@PMoney365]

Incredible

[@m.i.t.h.]

He definitely embodies the ragtime spirit to the core. So much so that you can almost imagine the old timey clothes and a bowler hat on his head.

[@TaichiKuro7]

Tom must have the arm muscles of a god..... absolutely amazing.

[@babyskunkcat]

OMGG how is he so seamless with the small transitions he does?? First I'm listening to a nice quiet countryside tune and the next thing i know hes going mach 7 on the piano!

[@Squarerig]

This is another outstanding performance by Mr.Brier playing a delightful tune.Thank you Keeper for the clips of this genius on the Klavier.

[@Keeper1st]

Alas, it's rare that Tom ever plays outside of Northern California.

[@a33795]

One of the best things I have ever heard played on a piano.

[@Keeper1st]

It hasn't yet been published, as far as I know... but I think the Raspberry Jam Band does have scores when they play it, so I think it is indeed typeset. Of course, the first five minutes or so of this video is Tom playing around with different styles. It's only when it starts going fast that he plays it the way it was intended.

[@stephenscott2086]

It doesn't get much better than this 1:25-1:39

[@Keeper1st]

@MILMAG1 He's not sight-reading this. He's not reading at all -- note the lack of sheet music on the piano. Nevertheless, your advice is valid.

[@gordiasgordian925]

He can play it fast or slow (and it still sounds great)!

[@Keeper1st]

Yeah, he's just goofing around for a minute there before finally breaking into the rag in its normal form.

[@nate-ox5lw]

This is so great

[@keymaster013]

I REALLY want that lead sheet. I learned this rag by ear, but even now I listen to stuff he's doing consistently and realize I'm wrong on several things. But it's too much fun for me to play to abandon it!

[@Keeper1st]

You could ask him. (Though of course he doesn't fully admit to having written the piece!) I've seen that lead sheet but don't have a copy myself. It might be fun to learn it!

[@sstrunks5555]

Oh my goodness. LOL So fast, and the left hand is so clean. I need to meet Tom. One day!

[@Chris246t8kr]

Incredible performance, loved it :-)

[@marilyncutler9042]

Perfect.

[@bubu102]

WOW! ragmusic is really cool!

[@tehyoshi]

I can only hope there will one day be sheet music for this song so more people out there can play this awesome tune.

[@Keeper1st]

"Sedate" means calm and relaxed.

[@Keeper1st]

@Croter8ment He won't admit to it, but it is assumed to be so.

[@Chachou6411]

Making love to the piano🌹

[@MariaLopez-nk3mi]

Genial

[@MellowCypriot]

Is Tom doing improv from about 3:42 to 4:49? Either way, it's a fun transition. And I'm not sure which way I like it better...fast and slow, it's an awesome tune! Kudos to Brian March, riding his moped into the sunset...and of course Tom Brier too.

[@PRAR1966]

DUDE'S GOOD!

[@ashleyisachild]

How did he turn that piano into a angelic harp

[@skyman2002]

Incredible Look At Tom's Left Hand! I Think My Arm Would Have Fallen Out Of It's Socket, 5 Measures After 6:00 In The Video.

[@Reichthoff]

People laughed at 2:03. Could they've noticed the quote to Mendelssohn's Fruhlingslied (Spring Song)??

[@lukaszmuda4475]

Hi, please, where I can find sheets, I love it, fast tempo :) Best regards from Poland !

[@Keeper1st]

Send me a PM.

[@e.goldie6143]

Hi Keeper 1st. I just found out about this video and just found out about this great uptempo song. I'd love to play it (if I can manage). How can I get the sheet music for it???

[@Keeper1st]

@@Guschobo Someone posted a link to it, which I did not want (Tom said I could share the score I made but it should not be a public link).

[@keymaster013]

If I could add to that advice, as I have personally had to answer such kinds of questions myself to those who want to learn to play the piano. Don't just learn to sight-read. Sight-reading gets you the ability to play anything...that's put in front of you. Learn to sight-read, and learn MUSIC. Learn how it works, why it works, why the sight-reading itself works. Then, THEN, you can play ANYTHING.

[@mrcolmh]

nice

[@babyskunkcat]

Can someone please make an arrangement of this performance?

[@Keeper1st]

It has been done. musescore.com/user/19465036/scores/6850628

[@Harmonyww]

Tom was kind enough to send me the lead sheet for this tune a couple of days ago. I don't know if he would object to it being posted on here, but I expect many people would like to get hold of it (and perhaps someone could fill it out, as it's just a lead sheet at the moment so no bass notes are included and the melody is in single notes.)

[@Harmonyww]

Can't believe it was 9 years ago that Tom sent that over. He never did get back to me about whether it's ok to distribute it, but there are several transcriptions and fully scored versions on Musescore now.

[@danieljessee6404]

Is there any way I could get the sheet music for this song? I'm absolutely in love with it.

[@Keeper1st]

+Daniel Jessee If you had your KZbin account set up to receive messages...

[@TheMarioPaintArtist]

+Keeper1st My bad, I was signed in on my friend's account, this one should work.

[@slemecha]

I can receive messages! :) Can you share the sheet music with me please? Thanks!

[@Keeper1st]

Don't see anything on your account either. Usually there's an "About" menu that leads to the ability to send a PM.

[@slemecha]

I just sent you a message to your account. Can you see it / reply to it? Thanks!

[@Guschobo]

could you send me the sheet music for this fantastic rag? i've looked for it everywhere but i didnt find it ...

[@Jcrexxor]

LOL the Term Sedate kinda confused me there, I wonder want would happen if he did play drunk. lol, you don't have to make him do that

[@Guschobo]

so first 5min is improvisation and the rest he played by ear?

[@romeyjomey4539]

2:02 Tom quoting Felix Mendelssohn?

[@Jesus_paid_it_all]

6:10

[@metanogaming412]

why are you cut the video

[@Jcrexxor]

so wait is he drunk when he preformed this?