The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical and Qualitative Assessment in Music Education ed. by David J. Elliott, Marissa Silverman, and Gary E. McPherson (review)

Abstract

renewed interest in ragtime. The new ragtime craze was a great opportunity for Blake, who even in his late sixties had maintained a high level of pianistic skill. Blake began attracting a considerable amount of national attention. With the help of the legendary record producer, John Hammond, Blake recorded The Eighty-Six Years of Eubie Blake for Columbia Records in 1970. This album, along with Joshua Rifkin’s The Piano Music of Scott Joplin, paved the way for continued interest in ragtime piano. Blake was remarkably active as a performer, playing over fifty dates a year throughout the 1970s and earning lots of fans during this period. His charismatic personality, paired with an impressive virtuosity, made him a memorable and entertaining performer. Considering the historical importance of Blake’s life and work, it is surprising that no definitive biographies have been written to this point. Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm, and Race fills that need nicely. Carlin and Bloom’s work is meticulously researched and accessible to all readers. Their research of critical reviews, cultural context, and backgrounds of marginalised musicians will surely inspire other authors to further investigate the ragtime era, as well as African American music theatre productions from the early twentieth century.