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ADAM SWANSON On A Circular Staircase Rivermont BSW-2209 Adam Swanson is rapidly becoming known as one of the world's foremost performers and historians of American piano ragtime. He has been a featured performer at dozens of ragtime and jazz festivals across the United States and abroad. In 2007, he appeared alongside John Arpin at the Bohem Ragtime and Jazz Festival in the Republic of Hungary. In May 2008, at sixteen years old, he became the youngest ever to win the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest held in Peoria Illinois. He returned in 2009 to capture the top prize again. Swanson has established something of a reputation for unearthing rare ragtime gems; on this CD as in live performances, he juxtaposes classics like Zez Confrey's "Kitten on the Keys" with seldom-heard treasures such as Charley Thompson's "Buffet-Flat Blues" and Paul Pratt's lively "Wailana Rag Two-Step." The program features many of the "barnburners" Swanson is famous for: Arthur Schutt's tricky novelty "Bluin' the Black Keys," Donald Lambert's magnificent stride arrangement of Edvard Grieg's "Anitra's Dance" from the Peer Gynt Suite, and Robin Frost's astounding "Space Shuffle." Among of the highlights of the disc is the premiere recording of a lost ragtime composition by Arthur Marshall, "The Pea Picker." The accompanying full-color 12-page booklet features extensive notes by the artist, rare photographs, reproductions of original sheet music covers, and a special introduction by Johnny Maddox. 51 minutes. CD Sold Out This album may still be purchased as an MP3 download from Amazon.com: Click on the buttons to hear full-quality audio samples of selected tracks. 1. Mo' Lasses Charles "Lucky" Roberts 2. Kitten on the Keys Zez Confrey 3. Buffet-Flat Blues (Derby Stomp) Charles Thompson 4. On a Circular Staircase Glenn Rowell and Gene Carroll 5. Three O'Clock in the Morning Julian Robledo and Dorothy Terriss 6. Wailana Rag Two-Step Paul Charles Pratt 7. The Pea Picker Arthur Marshall 8. Williams's Rag Claude "Chauf" Williams 9. Sweet Georgia Brown Maceo Pinkard and Ken Casey 10. A Ragtime Nightmare Tom Turpin 11. Medley: Yellow Dog Blues/Easy Rider W. C. Handy/Shelton Brooks 12. Bohemia Rag Joseph Lamb 13. Bluin' the Black Keys Arthur Schutt 14. St. Louis Blues W. C. Handy 15. Handful of Keys Fats Waller 16. Hallelujah! Vincent Youmans 17. Anitra's Dance Edvard Grieg 18. Space Shuffle Robin Frost Credits: Recording: Adam Swanson / Mastering: Bryan S. Wright / Liner notes: Adam Swanson