I guess "contemporary" is a misnomer when talking about these older styles of music, but I think you know what I'm getting at here. I'm glad to say there are more and more sites for contemporary musicians who deserve recognition, so I'm breaking this out from my other links page and expanding on it. If you know of more contemporary musician resources that deserve mention, please let me know so I can help spread the word. Thanks!

Contemporary Musicians (playing traditional styles):

Bo Grumpus
These guys are great and a lot of fun. As soon as I find the right information to share here, I'll do it.

Charlie Booty
Charlie is a blues pianist with a wonderful, honest style that I love. He has several excellent recordings including one on the SoloArt label. There weren't any web pages adequately covering Charlie's many talents and activities, so I set one up myself! You will find a biography, photos, cover art and details of Charlie's recordings, and contact information.

Caroline Dahl
Caroline plays in the San Francisco area, and has played at various festivals including one in Paris. She has released a nice Boogie-Woogie CD called "No Hats" on the Globe Record label, which includes several of her own compositions (I particularly liked her "Bluegrass Boogie Woogie") and a nice medley of James Booker tunes. I asked Caroline to tell me a little about herself, and this is what she said:
"It's hard to tell you how I got started playing this kind of music. I took some classical lessons from a lady in the neighborhood when I was in Junior High School and gradually I started picking things out by ear from the radio and records. I remember hearing Leonard Bernstein playing boogie woogie on the Young People's Music Series on TV. I think that was the first time I heard that kind of music. I didn't hear other boogie players for many years after that. I think I wanted to play a style of music that was MOST IMPORTANTLY percussive, and had a busy left hand. I think I was playing "Boogie Woogie" before I knew what to call it. Hope you like the CD. All the best, Caroline"

Richard Egan
Richard did a huge favor to the ragtime community by transcribing all the known recordings of Brun Campbell and making the folio avialable to all to play. He has recorded a CD of some excellent compositions (including his own) which is available on Charlie Booty's "Piano Joys" label - see Charlie's page for more information on this recording.

Etcetera String Band
These guys have been popular at ragtime festivals since before I started attending over 10 years ago, and they're among my favorite attractions. Dennis Pash, Kevin Sanders and Bob Ault play mandolins, guitars and banjos in a pleasing assortment of authentic music from a century ago and more. Check out their site! It won't take you long and you'll learn something. Their recordings are highly recommended!

Alex Hassan
I've known of Alex for about 10 years, since Robbie Rhodes told me about his Billy Mayerl and other novelty piano skills. Warren Trachtman has included this page at his MIDI site (see below) and it includes Alex playing 3 excellent MIDI files you won't want to miss. Also shown are details of Alex's CDs.

Erwin Helfer
Erwin doesn't play the traditional jazz / ragtime circuits. He plays blues and boogie-woogie piano in Chicago, and gives blues piano lessons. Erwin has made one LP of solo Chicago blues piano, and has recorded with various ensembles including backup for Mama Yancey. Erwin is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet. If you ever get a chance to see him then by all means do!

Scott Kirby
Scott is well-known to the ragtime crowd but not as well known as he should be elsewhere. He's a fantastic pianist and a terrific person. I'll keep looking for original info. worth posting if I can't find any good links for you. Any suggestions out there?

Sue Keller
Sue's site "Ragtime Press" features recordings, sheet music, and lots of excellent MIDI files of her playing ragtime (and more).

Morten Gunnar Larsen
Morten is also a great pianist and fine person. He's fairly well known due to the success of the Jelly Roll Morton show he's accompanied. But we still need to have a definitive site for Morten, and I don't know of one yet.

Carl "Sonny" Leyland
Carl is a boogie-woogie and rockabilly specialist. He is one of the fine artist sites to be found at boogiewoogie.com (see below) where you can find information about Sonny's recordings.

Bob Milne
Bob is a great entertainer and all-around nice guy! He has several excellent recordings and makes many appearances at festivals. He also has a new web site with plenty of useful information.

Terry Parrish
Terry is the pianist of the Elite Syncopators. I've known Terry for years and always admired his work. Warren Trachtman has included this page at his MIDI site (see below) and it includes Terry playing 3 excellent MIDI files you won't want to miss. Also shown are details of the Elite Syncopators' CD.

David Thomas Roberts
David is certainly a unique individual, a fine pianist & composer, painter, and many other things that are beyond me. But where the music is concerned, he's written some of the loveliest folk-ragtime-type music out there. Seek him out; you'll be glad you did!

Tom Roberts
Tom is currently the pianist with Leon Redbone. I met Tom a few years ago when he approached me regarding our common interest in Luckey Roberts. Warren Trachtman has included this page at his MIDI site (see below) and it includes Tom playing 3 excellent MIDI files you won't want to miss, including great versions of Luckey's Nothin' and Spanish Fandango. Tom has recorded a fine solo piano CD for Solo Art and you will find details of it here as well.

Reginald Robinson
Reggie is another Chicago pianists who you probably have heard about by now. He plays ragtime in a wonderful style that is all his own, and has written a few rags which further show how talented he is. He has also made very interesting contributions to both issues of The Ragtime Ephemeralist. Watch for Reggie at the better ragtime festivals, and pick up any recording you can. You will be impressed!

Bob Seely
If you haven't heard about Bob before, take a look at A Left Hand Like God. Bob is one of stride piano fans' favorites. He is one of the fine artist sites to be found at boogiewoogie.com (see below) where you can find information about Bob's recordings.

Trebor Tichenor
Trebor is a good friend and one of the most knowledgeable people on all topics ragtime. I'm not aware of a definitive web site for Trebor, but you'll find a bunch of sites if you do a search on him. I created this simple one myself just to get the ball rolling. I hope to update it and make it look more professional, or drop it when someone else does a better job! I have plenty of information about all of Trebor's compositions, LP recordings, and such. I just need to get it all onto a web page. Virginia, do you want to take this over?!!

Axel Zwingenberger
Charlie Booty first told me about Axel. Axel lives in Germany, and is discussed in A Left Hand Like God. He is one of today's most prolific boogie-woogie piano recording artists. I've only had the pleasure of hearing one of his CD's so far, and this man knows what he is doing!

General Information:

boogiewoogie.com
I stumbled on this page on my own, and I think you'll enjoy taking a look. You'll find references to boogie-woogie music and artists such as Bob Seely and Carl "Sonny" Leyland. I didn't even know about some of the CD's these two had released! Plus, any web page where you have to click on a Bosendorfer grand piano to enter just has to be good! See for yourself.

Red Hot Jazz Archive
There is so much information here you won't believe it. A nice article about the history of the Black Swan record label, dozens of artist biographies, lots of great photos ... give this one a good look!

Warren Trachtman's MIDI Site
Warren has lots going on at this site, including sophisticated sound fonts, set-entered MIDI files, and live recordings by several of the pianists whom I listed separately above. I am quite impressed by the quality of the music Warren has made available to us!