Self-taught pianist Rube Bloom played with a wide variety of influential jazz players in the 1920s, including Bix Beiderbecke, Miff Mole, Frank Trumbauer, Nobel Sissle, Ethel Waters, Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Annette Hanshaw, and Red Nichols.
He also composed and recorded over twenty piano rags released primarily on the Okeh and Columbia labels. This one, entitled “That Futuristic Rag” had two recorded takes – each released on a different label. This is take B, which was only released in the U.K. on the Parlophone label.
Love this composition – and love the cheekiness of calling a rag composed in 1923 a “futuristic rag” to distinguish it from all the unfashionable old-timey rags out there. Forward-thinking music! 🤓
Recorded in New York City on February 21, 1928.
Matrix 400099-B released only in the U.K. as Parlophone R 162
(C take – matrix 400099-C – was released as Okeh 41073)
Credits:
Rube Bloom – piano