Album Notes

DIGIPACK CD - Extensive liner notes, including complete Joplin biography.


PRESS REVIEWS:

"A wonderful interpretation."
(Diane E. Capps - Kansas City Ragtime Revelry, Inc.USA)

"I'm glad to have it."
(George Chien - Fanfare Magazine - USA)

"The pianist's performance reflects her meticulous study
of Joplin's tunes. Her articulate renderings are among the finest I've heard in recent years."
(Richard Bourcier - Jazzreview - USA)

"These performances sound like they're from a well-trained pianist who understands Joplin".
(David Reffkin - The Mississippi Rag - USA)


"A fine selection of Joplin tunes, combined with Alessandra's velvety style makes the album a winner. Alessandra Celletti plays like a ragtime veteran".
(Jim Diffey - Kvmr, Looking Back - USA)


"The most intimate Joplin you've ever heard."
(Marcello Piras - Musicologist)


"A delightful interpretation, accurate and spirited".
(Jeff Stone - The Ragtime Show - USA)


"Delicious! Alessandra Celletti has a beautiful touch
at the keyboard...great for Joplin's more delicate rags".
(Nick Dragos - KXJZ, Sacramento Classic Jazz - USA)


"A great album! The cd grows even more on you with repeated playing!"
(Tony J. Davis - Jazzfm - UK)


"These are excellent performances of wonderfully entertaining music."
(John Pitt - New Classics - UK)




SCOTT JOPLIN (1868 - 1917)

Scott Joplin, the "King of ragtime writers", was born near Texarkana, Texas. After several years as an itinerant pianist playing in saloons and brothels throughout the Midwest, he settled in St. Louis about 1890. There he studied and led in the development of a music genre now known as Ragtime--a unique blend of European classical styles combined with folk tunes, African rhythms, and Creole influences. Joplin made his home in Sedalia, Missouri in 1895, where he studied at the George R. Smith College and worked at the Maple Leaf Club. In 1907, Joplin moved to New York City, where he devoted his energies to the production of his operatic work, Treemonisha, the first grand opera composed by an African American. After suffering deteriorating health due to syphilis that he contracted some years earlier, Joplin died on April 1, 1917. Joplin's works include two operas, a manual, The School of Ragtime, and many works for piano. In the genealogy of Jazz, Ragtime was in some ways to be considered a founding father, along with Spirituals and Gospel. Ragtime seems to preannounce the syncopation, the rhythm, and the iteration of Jazz.


ALESSANDRA CELLETTI

Alessandra Celletti was born in Rome, June 6th 1966. After graduating from the Santa Cecilia conservatory in Rome, she completed a specialization course with the Maestro Vera Gobbi Belcredi. In 1994 she came to the attention of the Italian music scene with her own independent release: an album dedicated to the music of Debussy, Ravel and Satie.
Alongside live performances she has written compositions for electronic music, contributing to multimedia projects. Since 1998 she has collaborated with KHA Records, recording three albums dedicated to the music of Gurdjieff and De Hartmann, Erik Satie and Scott Joplin.

KHA RECORDS

KHA Records is an Italian independent company based in Rome since 1998 with the aim of building up a quality catalogue and paying special attention to contemporary repertoire and performances.