Feel free to listen to high-quality samples of ragtime, boogie, stride, and ballads courtesy of Ross MacLachlan.

Ross MacLachlan

I've been playing piano since I was a very young. I've played professionally for 25 years and continue to promote the styles listed on this page.

My prime interest is early jazz. Below are acoustic samples of classic ragtime, boogie-woogie, stride piano and ballads.

We had a lot of fun recording these tunes. I hope you will hear that in the performances.

Classic Ragtime Samples

Vitality Rag

I called this rag Vitality because it has lots of energy! Gary Barratt adds his temple blocks to this piece to give it a different flavour.

Play this song

Play Vitality Rag

Ragtime Nightmare

A pure novelty rag written by Tom Turpin in 1901. Turpin wrote many catchy rags. Bob Arlidge adds bass and Gary Barratt adds drums to give this rag an excellent grove. My favourite rag to play!

Play this song

Play Ragtime Nightmare

Happy Cat Rag

My first ragtime composition was inspired by Scott Joplin. The bluesy intro and walking bass in the middle strain set this apart from traditional ragtime.

Play Happy Cat Rag

Ragtime Jalopy

My first novelty piano rag. The Jalopy starts its engine and then putts along with a few honks along the way. Gary Barrat adds the Jalopy horns while he's drumming. Hope you like it!

Play Ragtime Jalopy

Nightingale Rag

A very Chopinesque rag written by Joseph Lamb in 1915. This is Classic ragtime at it's finest.

Play this song

Play Nightingale Rag

Possum and Taters

A simple but beautiful piece of Classic piano ragtime written by Charles Hunter in 1901. This style is actually called "folk" ragtime. It's still one of my favourite rags of all time.

Play this song

Play Possum and Taters

Boogie Woogie Samples

Monday Struggle

Classic Albert Ammons. What’s not to like about the rolling boogie-woogie piano bass that was Ammons' trademark?

Play Monday Struggle

Kidd’s Boogie

My boogie has that 50s influenced sound that the old rock’n’rollers borrowed from the boogie-woogie masters. Tim Roberts doubles up the sax to add to the groove. It's called Kidd's boogie because I've called myself the Ragtime Kidd for several years.

Play Kidd’s Boogie

Spann's Boogie

Otis Spann wrote this boogie in 1964. The addition of bass and drums and my own styling give this catchy tune a different flavour than the original.

Play Spann's Boogie

Stride Piano Samples

Farewell to Riverside

I’ve always loved Errol Garner’s version of this Joe Sullivan stride piano composition. I added the extra instrumentation and changed the feel slightly. I really enjoy playing this song!

Play Farewell to Riverside

Let’em Jump

Pete Johnson's stride piano style is what I consider the forerunner of rock’n’roll.

Play Let’em Jump

Ballad Samples

December

December is a quiet ballad with piano, cello and bass. This melody came to me in my living room during a gentle December snowfall with large flakes floating down around the house. It was haunting at the time. Jess Lindeman's cello fills the room full of sound.

Play December

Little Bird

A day in the life of a little bird. Starts off with a sleepy ballad, has a busy day chirping with all of his buddies and then calls it a night. Spencer Evans on clarinet does a great job conveying the mood of the little bird.

Play this song

Play Little Bird

If you like what you hear, you can purchase my album digitally (high quality MP3s) or I can mail you the CD within 2 business days, your choice.

Thanks for listening,

Ross MacLachlan

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