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Quoting from the Arcadian Press sheet notes: "Blake, born to former slaves in Baltimore on February 7, 1883, was baptised James Hubert Blake. Relatives and friends called him Hubie which was abbreviated to Eubie. He grew up in an atmosphere of syncopated music and sentimental ballads played on music boxes and had some piano lessons from a friendly church organist in Baltimore.
At the age of 15, Blake got a regular job as a pianist in a "hook-shop" (a sporting house) run by Aggie Sheldon, a successful madam, which provided him with tips from both the inmates and their customers. He improvised rag music (his long fingers could stretch to twelve keys on the keyboard) and soon began to compose in earnest. In 1899 he wrote his "Charleston Rag" which became a hit. His brilliant playing was soon recognised and having won a national piano-playing contest, he toured vaudeville for many years. Blake played in Jim Reese Europe's Society Orchestra (which became the 369th Infantry band in France during WW 1) which did much to put early jazz and the work of black composers before the general public. Later, in 1919, Blake and Noble Sissle (who was also a member of Europe's band) appeared together on the vaudeville circuit as singers and dancers billed as "The Dixie Duo". Together, by bringing from Harlem to Broadway an all-black musical, "Shuffle Along" (which opened on May 23, 1921 billed as "a musical melánge"), they broke the tradition of black-face white comedians and started a vogue of the 1920's. The score included the song I'm Just Wild About Harry (1921) which became a hit and was actually used as a campaign song for Harry Truman in 1948. Another Blake hit song was " Memories of You", from the musical "Blackbirds of 1930". Blake wrote songs for the musical "Elsie" (1923); the revue "Chocolate Dandies" (1924); "Folies Bergére" (1930); "Shuffle along of 1933"; "Swing It" (1937) and "Shuffle Along of 1952". His ragtime compositions included "Tricky Fingers" (1908); "Troublesome Ivories" (1911); "Chevy Chase" (1914); "Fizz Water" (1914); "Black Keys on Parade" (1935) and "Dicty's on Seventh Avenue" (1952).
The ragtime revival brought Blake out of his retirement in his eighties. In 1969 he recorded the album "The 86 Years of Eubie Blake" and, in 1972, formed his own record company. As Blake's centennial approached there was a growing appreciation of his natural talent and, in tribute to his 75 years in show business, a Broadway musical billed simply "Eubie!" was produced with resounding success. In 1981 he received the Medal of Freedom from President Reagan. He made his last public appearance, at the age of 99, at Lincoln Center in NY on June 19, 1982. Interviewed on his 100th birthday Blake made the classic remark, having confessed that he drank, smoked and liked women: "if I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself." Eubie Blake died on February 12, 1983, 5 days after his 100th birthday."
List of Eubie Blake's works.
Sheet Music:
Ragtime Music CDs:
John Arpin on "Classics in the Park"
John Arpin on "Kings of Ragtime"
Black Swan Classic Jazz Band on "Ragtime Revelry" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Mimi Blais on "Geraldine"
Mimi Blais on "Once Upon a Rag Time"
Mimi Blais on "Ragtime"
Mimi Blais on "Sunday Morning"
Mimi Blais on "Taxi!"
Eubie Blake on "Golden Reunion in Ragtime"
Eubie Blake on "Memories of You" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Eubie Blake on "That's Ragtime!"
Eubie Blake on "Tricky Fingers"
William Bolcom on "Let's Do It: Bolcom & Morris at Aspen"
Claude Bolling on "Le Ragtime"
Bob Darch on "Reunion in Ragtime"
Matthew Davidson on "Voodoo Queen: Piano Rags, Jazz and Blues"
Richard Dowling on "Rhapsody in Ragtime"
Richard Dowling on "World's Greatest Piano Rags" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
"Perfessor" Bill Edwards on "The Rag's the Thing"
"Perfessor" Bill Edwards on "A Ragtime Sampler"
"Perfessor" Bill Edwards on "Rapid Fire Ragtime"
"Perfessor" Bill Edwards on "Rhapsodies in Ragtime"
"Perfessor" Bill Edwards on "Whipped Cream Rag"
James Reese Europe on "James Reese Europe's 369th US Infantry Hell FightersBand" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
The Great American Main St. Band on "Silks & Rags"
Frederick Hodges on "Kitten on the Keys: Ragtime, Novelty & Stride Classics"
James P. Johnson on "Carolina Shout" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
James P. Johnson on "Harlem Stride Piano"
James P. Johnson on "Harlem Stride Piano 1921-1929"
James P. Johnson on "James P. Johnson 1921-28"
James P. Johnson on "James P. Johnson 1938-42"
James P. Johnson on "James P. Johnson 1944-45" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Jazzou Jones on "Riverboat Ragtime: Then and Now" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Sue Keller on "Rag Time Sue"
Sue Keller on "Ragtime Reflections" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Scott Kirby on "Centennial Sampler: Vol. 1"
Scott Kirby on "Grace & Beauty: Ragtime Classics" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Scott Kirby on "More Damn Good Ragtime"
Scott Kirby on "Some Assembly Required" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Noel Lester on "Syncopated Sensations"
Various Artists on "Best Ragtime Album Ever"
Various Artists on "A Century of Ragtime 1897-1997"
Various Artists on "Gold Collection"
Various Artists on "The Greatest Jazz, Blues and Ragtime of the Century" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Various Artists on "The Greatest Ragtime of the Century" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Various Artists on "Hot Flashes: Rare High Quality Short Lived Bands"
Various Artists on "Jazz Piano Masters" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Various Artists on "Kings of Ragtime"
Various Artists on "Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922"
Various Artists on "Ragtime 1900-1930"
Various Artists on "Ragtime Hard To Find Classics"
Various Artists on "Ragtime to Jazz: Vol. 2: 1916-1922" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Various Artists on "Rhapsody in Blue"
Various Artists on "Rhapsody in Ragtime"
Various Artists on "Scott Joplin and the Age of Ragtime"
Max Morath on "Living a Ragtime Life"
Max Morath on "The World of Scott Joplin Vol. 2" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Peter Muir on "Spontaneous Ragtime"
New England Ragtime Ensemble on "The Art of the Rag"
New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra on "Creole Belles" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra on "1995 U.S Tour in New Orleans"
Ophelia Ragtime Orchestra on "Echoes from the Snowball Club"
Paragon Ragtime Orchestra on "That Demon Rag!"
Adam Swanson on "Chestnut St. in the 90s" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Butch Thompson on "The Butch Thompson Trio Plays Favorites"
Butch Thompson on "Good Old New York 88's"
Charles Thompson on "The Neglected Professor"
Trebor Jay Tichenor on "The Tichenor Family Trio"
Trebor Jay Tichenor on "Virginia's Favorites"
Terry Waldo on "Ragtime Classics Vol. 1"
Brent Watkins on "The Heroes of Parlor Town - Volume 1" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Brent Watkins on "The Heroes of Parlor Town - Volume 2" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)
Brass Music CDs:
Avatar Brass Quintet on "Magnetic Rags: Ragtime for Brass"
Empire Brass on "Braggin' in Brass" CD(s) & MP3 Album(s)