Cakewalks and Rags

Listen to the program

The cakewalk is a syncopated march-like piece that originated in the 19th century as a dance performed by black American slaves to parody the behavior of their white owners. Ragtime, a similar musical form, juxtaposed a syncopated melodic line against a straight, march-like bass line. Cakewalks and rags became hugely popular in the 1890s and remained popular through World War I. Ragtime originated as an instrumental form, often played on banjo or piano. Rag songs, commonly performed by Edward Meeker, Billy Murray, and other popular vocalists, share some of the features of ragtime such as syncopation, but this radio program features the more characteristic instrumental rags and cakewalks.

Before the influence of African-American music became widespread, Anglo-American popular music was mostly not syncopated and was “square,” like a church hymn. Today, much of American popular music is syncopated, a feature that descends from these early rags and cakewalks. - David Seubert, UC Santa Barbara.

• Eli Green's cake walk / Vess L. Ossman. Columbia Phonograph Co.: 3856. between 1904 and 1909.
• Hezekiah cake walk / National Promenade Band. Edison Blue Amberol: 2836. 1916.
• Ma rag time baby / Peerless Orchestra. Edison Record: 700. 1899.
• A bunch of rags / Vess L. Ossman. Columbia Phonograph Co.: 3861. between 1904 and 1909.
• Frozen Bill / New York Military Band. Edison Standard Record: 10208. 1909.
• Black and white rag / American Symphony Orchestra. Edison Standard Record: 10047. 1909.
• Down home rag / Van Eps Trio. Edison Blue Amberol: 2377. 1914.
• American cake walk / John J. Kimmel. Edison Gold Moulded Record: 9341. 1906.
• Gondolier and temptation rags / Fred Van Eps and Albert Benzler. U.S. Everlasting Record: 1260. 1909.
• The international cakewalk / Fred Van Eps. Edison Gold Moulded Record: 8236. 1902?
• Georgia camp-meeting / Edison Military Band. Edison Gold Moulded Record: 122. 1902?
• Peaceful Henry / Edison Concert Band. Edison Gold Moulded Record: 8562. 1903.

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