Playing the Classic Rags of Scott Joplin
James Scott & Joseph Lamb

"It is its own story - not an imitation of a piano, or of a Dixieland or jazz band. It is, simply - ragtime guitar. In these lessons, I have tried, for the most part, to meet two goals. First, to create versions of some of the most beautiful classical rags that `lay down' well on guitar, so when you play them you are working with the instrument, not fighting it. I have tried to pitch and arrange the pieces so that a lot of the action is in first position rather than high up on the neck, and to keep left-hand gymnastics to a minimum. Second, I didn't want these arrangements to sound like `student' arrangements, too elementary to be believable. It is all about striking a balance. I am generally pleased with the result, and I hope you will be too.

While the focus of these lessons is on the `greats' - Joplin (Original Rags, The Entertainer), Lamb (Contentment Rag, Ragtime Nightingale) and Scott (Ragtime Oriole) - I have also included one of my own recent compositions: Pandora's Rag. This version is simpler than the one I play on my recent CD, Adventures in Ragtime, in Em, G and E, rather than Am, C and A, and not so high up the neck. I hope you like it; I think it has some nice harmonies. No one will ever touch the ragtime masters, but I would not be doing them justice if I didn't try to use their inspiration to strike out on my own a bit. And that is what you should do."