Ragtime Piano Gal : Jo Ann Castle

Ragtime Piano Gal : Jo Ann Castle

With vigor, bounce and skill, JO ANN CASTLE launches into an exhilarating selection of new and old ragtime melodies.

Side One

01 Spaghetti Rag
02 12th Street Rag
03 Black and White Rag
04 Tickle The Ivories Rag
05 Johnson Rag
06 Down Home Rag


Side Two

01 Maple Leaf Rag
02 Painter's Rag
03 Frog Legs Rag
04 Dill Pickles Rag
05 Castle Rag
06 Tiger Rag


In this prize package of mighty ragtime tunes, a very young pianist proves the very old adage (frequently challenged) taht fresh and unusual ability, if given half-a-chance, will be recognized and rewarded.

Jo Ann Castle is an Oklahoma girl who's followed the rainbow of success to the Golden State of California. And she's been making good music practically every inch of the way. Jo Ann, who has played piano for 13 of her 20 years, comes from a musical family. When she was just 11, her father taughter her to play the Maple Leaf Rag. This wasn't too hard to do, since she already had augmented her ability as a classical pianist with an expert and enthusiastic mastery of "boogie" and otehr jazz styles. And she was likewise proficient as a dancer, singer and accordionist. The otehr ragtime standards soon followed Maple Leaf into Jo Ann's repertoire and, as this album demonstrates, she plays them all with vigor, bounce and agility such music demands.

Yet it was an accordion album she'd waxed several years ago that brought about Jo Ann's really big break - discovery by Lawrence Welk. Already she'd aquired professional polish on dates with Spike Jones, Arthur Godfrey and on tours with her own singing group. When Welk auditioned Jo Ann, he decided at once that this sparkling talent was a natural accompaniment to his own popular Champagne Music. The reaction to Jo Ann by Lawrence Welk fans (never the sort to muffle their enthuisiasm) was immediate and eloquent.

"It's been a long, long time sine one of our acts stirred up so much excitement and mail," maestro Welk exclaims. "I predict great thigns for Jo Ann Castle. She's got the look and the sound of success."

Dot Records' president, Randy Wood, thought the same thing when he caught Jo Ann recently on the Welk TV show. he lost no time getting Miss Castle's autograph on a recording contract.

So here it is - the Hi-Fi debut of an exciting young piano player, tossing off a dozen favorite ragtime classics with the savoire faire of a veteran.