When Peter sent his latest CD, I was intrigued that he had been working with Jeff Barnhart. Jeff’s novelty ragtime is as unique and wonderfully quirky as Jeff himself, so I listened to hear if Peter has been Barnharted. The CD is a nice “Collage” of ragtime from Classic Artie Matthews’ “Pastime Rag No. 4” (a favorite of mine) to George Botsford’s “Black and White Rag,” with Joplin, Lamb, and Scott rags in between giving the album a Classic tilt. I enjoy Peter’s interpretations and this album is definitely his, but I did occasionally close my eyes and see a white bearded, rosy cheeked, raspy voiced, semi-young fellow grinning at me as he played. The sheer joy generated by these two fellows working together had to have been radiant.
Ragtime Collage
Peter Bergin
2021 Bergin Music Company
www.berginmusic.com
