"The Lion Tamer Rag" With Tom Brier "Smokin" on this Piano

"Fasten your safety belts." Tom almost bringing a piano to it's knees Sunday afternoon, at the Fresno Flats Vintage Music Festival, Oakhurst Ca. March 2011. To purchase CD'S www.cdbaby.com/... For information and his Folio's, Tom can be contacted on Facebook.
www.fresnoflats...

[@craigkidd6774]

I feel like crying when I think about Tom and the terrible accident he had and the loss of such a wonderful talent

[@jordan4748]

I just love it when he smiles after running down those high notes at 1:14 !!

[@gustavobraga582]

That's a great moment of the video, thanks for pointing that out! :-)

[@leifvejby8023]

Bet he read music like we read comic strips!

[@citiblocsMaster]

I'm not religious but... can you all pray harder so that Tom can play again?

[@skyesprik4772]

Working on it.

[@LiztheLark]

Absolutely.

[@markharvey573]

Yes!

[@gustavobraga582]

Yes!

[@slappy5204]

its exactly things like this that make me non religious, if there is a god he is an asshole and i dont want to meet him

[@Harmonyww]

This is absolutely fantastic. I've listened to this countless times in the past couple of weeks and put a copy on my iPod for when I'm away from the computer. I just can't get enough of these fast and energetic performances. That piano had better be insured though. I'm surprised the performance didn't end with Tom sat in front of a smouldering crater.

[@Harmonyww]

@verybigrifle That's insane! I usually stop playing after my fingers start to ache slightly. Another thing that impresses me about Tom's playing is that he doesn't just smash down the keys as hard as he can. He seems to be able to keep all the dynamics and subtleties there while maintaining a very powerful sound. It's a very unique ability, and it makes rags like this sound exactly as they should sound (in my opinion, of course.)

[@jordan4748]

Harmonyww Right! 100%

[@Chris246t8kr]

Brilliant! I love how he says "Fasten your safety belts". And how he makes the piano shake ;-D. I think I heard someone else play this song... I can't remember who...

[@andrewbarrett1537]

In the 1990s this was one of the most-played rags used as a contest piece at the World Championship Old Time Piano Playing Contest (then held in Decatur and Peoria, Illinois; lately held in Mississippi at the university). "Perfessor" Bill Edwards played it; Sue Keller played it; I have no doubt Marty Mincer and countless of the youth-divison contestants played it. Since I found the contest's old Tripod website in 1999 (they now have a newer snazzy website), I resolved to learn this one and it was about the third or fourth rag I ever learned. Fortunately the score is reprinted in "Ragtime Rarities" the Dover folio compiled and edited by the late Trebor Tichenor. Great piece! You just place it as written and it's an "instant contest piece / barnburner" ! ! ! I do add things to it though... Tom gives an OUTSTANDING rendition here without adding anything to the score ! You really don't need to add anything ! ! !

[@doctormahrio5226]

Oh wow!!! I never noticed that about the Piano!

[@verybigrifle]

@Harmonyww YEs TOM really rocks the piano and I mean figuratively !!!!!! I have seen Tom after some performances with a finger BLEEDING with the hammering he gives them. Glad you enjoyed, thanks for comments.......VBR

[@josswindsor8288]

I love very much passage 3:05-3:07 it,s remember the inmortal song "the sting"(1973)

[@mewhite1528]

Wow....isn't he amazing.......one of my favorite rags played by one of my favorite performers.

[@candidoj]

Pure genius.

[@verybigrifle]

@Harmonyww Thank You for your particular insight. Tom is phenomenal at what he does for sure. A marvel to hear in person and see and feel the vibes as he plays..........Appreciate your comment.........VBR

[@foureyedchick]

He takes tickling the ivories to a whole new level !!!

[@sutterchip]

First time I've heard this; terrific! Thanks, Carl.

[@verybigrifle]

@sutterchip Glad you got to hear it........He STRAINS that piano......It was great sitting there watching him perform it.......Thanks Chip. VBR

[@Satoriga]

Tom is so amazing. Thanks for uploading!

[@ilclubdeipazzi6796]

Extraordinary!

[@verybigrifle]

@TurquoiseStar17 Glad you enjoyed.......Tom is something to behold in person.....Thanks for looking and commenting. VBR

[@verybigrifle]

@19Summers94 It WAS in a church, Sunday Afternoon, but NOT affiliatied with any church services. It was the Lutheren Church.....Thanks for the comment. VBR

[@verybigrifle]

@Chris246t8kr He makes an upright piano really shake when he is playing fast and hard. I have seen him do the same on a 9 ft concert grand before.......He puts a lot of energy into it. Frederick Hodges is on KZbin playing this tune too. Sue Keller filmed it and I have it linked in my FAVORITES. Glad you enjoyed. Thanks Chris. VBR

[@verybigrifle]

@mewhite1528 He is amazing. He sure fires it up here......As he says at the start "Fasten your safety belts.".I was the one who requested he play it, as he mentioned he had a request at the intro! I asked the day before and he forgot during his set and said he would play at this Sunday concert. He did NOT dissapoint. Thanks for your comments. VBR

[@TheShingadabing]

wow i used to feel good about how good i was at the piano...

[@verybigrifle]

@AGlass0fMilk Practice, Practice, Practice ! :-) Thanks. VBR

[@supreme-fortnitefunnymomen6050]

This sounds 10x better than Fredrick Hodges

[@markharvey573]

Ouch!

[@doctormahrio5226]

But i would sound legendary If they did it together! :)

[@josswindsor8288]

Típica caída ragniana 1:19-1:20 que nos recuerda al inmortal film The Sting ganadora de 7 oscars

[@verybigrifle]

@AGlass0fMilk If you are fairly proficient in playing it isn't a really hard tune as some tunes go. My meaning for this is that the notes really pretty much fall under your fingers, as it is written......My right hand doesn't work well and can't do it but if my fingers worked well it would be pretty easy..........for a flashy piece .............Thanks. VBR

[@pananas85]

Well. I would really like to see him playing Liszt or Rachmaninoff... The last part of this rag sounds like a classic masterpiece... Beethoven

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

He could play those standing on his head.

[@verybigrifle]

@TheShingadabing Keep working at it! Thanks

[@verybigrifle]

@TheShingadabing HAHA :-) VBR

[@anneissler8033]

Brilliant, very well done, but I prefer the version of wesley Reznicek .