This page contains a brief overview on the album KARL SCHRöDER: Farm Girl Blues. Learn more about the artist and explore the track lists and website. If you find any information that needs to be corrected, please let us know.

 
I'm proud to announce the release of Karl Schroder's brand new audio CD, "Farm Girl Blues". To the 1920's Jazz enthusiast seeking new musical favors, the titles by Schroder presented on this disc are interesting examples of rural 1920's Hot Jazz piano playing, with emphasis on the "hot". His phrasing is unique and contains unexpected moments and Schroder uses quite a repertoire of special effects- high speed runs, slurs- both single, double and even quadruple, double and triple time, up tempos and down tempos, player piano like trills and counter melodies, bass slams, chiming, very fast repetitions and a unique bass effect that sounds something like a car-engine revving. Schroder's range when playing the piano extends beyond the generally accepted compass of the instrument, as he is adept at producing some pretty exotic chords and many times it sounds as if two piano players are really at the instrument.

Schroder's arrangements hold the interest, and not one piece is a dud'n and he is seldom dismissed as just another 1920's piano player. His music is filled with vigor and has a freshness and vibrancy about it that cannot be denied. Nine of the fourteen pieces featured on the CD are Schroder compositions and are of great variety, as- within his chosen idiom- are the performances which, besides being startling expositions of vintage Hot Jazz piano technique, include blues both traditional and plaintive, a delightful stomp, several folk rags, a rag two-step, a Joplinesque style rag and some 1920's pop songs given his special treatment.

Some of the pieces have quirks (unusual measures) as do the performances thereof. These characteristics seem to add an element of both intrigue and surprise. "Farm Girl Blues", the album's title song, is a wonderful example of 1920's rural blues piano. "Blue Healer Blues" is a striking number, complete with intro/outro a la Jelly Roll Morton and "The Glamour Girl" stands out with a nice melody line. "Tiger Rag" is superior and is a piano 'tour de force" to say the least. "Steady Roll" is taken at a quick pace and has several minor themes, the final repeated riff being especially effective. "Going to Germany" is the only "ragtime" piano arrangement of the old Cannon's Jug Stompers tune I know of and is excellent. Schroder really proves himself with the very busy arrangement on "The Amish Buggy Chase", which is taken at a machine-gun tempo.

Altogether a wonderful, stunning and interesting CD, containing some very unique, enjoyable and listenable 1920's Jazz and Ragtime piano by a master of the keyboard.

Arie Schatzman

Check out the artist's website:
http://vintagejazzpiano.tripod.com/

Track List:
1. Farm Girl Blues
2. Tiger Rag
3. Tobacco Subsidy Blues
4. The Amish Buggy Chase
5. Blue Healer Blues
6. Steady Roll
7. Dirty Rotten No Good Landlord Blues
8. Peach Orchard Joys
9. The Glamour Model (Rag)
10. Alligator Stomp
11. Pickled Peppers (Rag Two-Step)
12. Dusky Stevedore
13. Going To Germany
14. Mississippi Delta Blues

Suggested CDs:

• Fred Sturm

Other Genres:

• JAZZ: Ragtime
• BLUES: Piano Blues
• FEATURING PIANO