CBC Recording Artists · Established 1991
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet
Ragtime · Classics · Jazz | Guelph, Ontario, Canada
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet is pleased to announce the release of their debut Compact Disc recording: Ragtime for Rent!
Cover artwork: John C. Knapton · www.knaptonart.ca
About the CD
Ragtime? Yes, it’s Ragtime! It has been a hundred years since Ragtime burst onto the musical scene. As we approach the beginning of a new century, our subconscious curiously calls forth a variety of responses to the moment. We tap our heel to the relentless beat of the left hand. Even when the machine stops, your head keeps rocking to the rhythm. Meanwhile, the right hand artfully stumbles, spins, and syncopates, improving as it improvises; improvising as it improves.
Enter the saxophone. On this disc you have popular music wedded to one of the century’s favourite instruments. The saxophone quartet brings a genuine ragtime spirit to the party. Here we have a street-smart, down-and-dirty, wailing music machine capable of spinning out all the right nuances of the idiom.
Ragtime and saxophones make for a quality experience worthy of hours of listening enjoyment.
Ragtime for Rent features 17 lively arrangements in over 45 minutes of music composed by Joplin, Turpin, Bowman, Botsford, Cobb, and Barroll, as well as a terrific new arrangement of Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag by Canadian arranger Eddie Graf, and an original composition by world-renowned Ragtimist Bob Milne. Cover art is taken from an original painting in oil by Canadian artist John C. Knapton, local to Elora, Ontario (www.knaptonart.ca).
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet is a professional ensemble based in Guelph, Ontario, performing in a variety of venues across North America since 1991. Ragtime for Rent is available for sale and distribution at the suggested retail price of $16.99 USD.
🎵 Sample Tracks (MP3)
Also Available: Ticklin’ Time… from Joplin to Gershwin
The RCSQ’s second CD — available now!
Preview & Order →🎙️ Ragtime for Rent Has Been Featured On:
- Disc Drive with Jurgen Gothe on CBC Radio 2 FM (94.1 FM)
- Pot Pourri with Terry Campbell on Classical 96 FM (CFMX 96.3 & 103.1 FM) — North America’s #1 Classical Music Station
- Music for the Mind with Jennifer Gordon on CFRU FM (93.3 FM) — Campus Radio, University of Guelph
- The Jazz Show with Ted O’Reilly on CJRT FM (91.1 FM) — Classical and Jazz Fine Arts Radio, Toronto
- National Public Radio (NPR Online) — United States
Reviews
“This is certainly one of the best saxophone quartets in Canada. Excellent spirit, dynamics, and great feeling. First Class. I loved it!”
— Paul Brodie, Order of Canada“I Defy You to Sit Still When You Hear this Joyful CD… This group is simply sensational and if, like me, you love the sound of saxes playing this kind of music, what are you waiting for? The only drawback is the short timing — 46:05 — because you want the music to go on. That’s easy, just put it on repeat!”
— J. Scott Morrison, Middlebury VT, USA (July 20, 2004) · Reproduced from Amazon.com with permission“The Royal City Saxophone Quartet, based in Guelph, Ont., is helping to keep ragtime alive. Their first CD, the independently released Ragtime For Rent, is a delightful collection of famous and obscure rags, recorded at a surprisingly high level of quality for a self-produced project. The stripped-down, four-sax arrangements are pleasantly crisp. Ernie Kalwa, Tim Moher, Bradley Moggach and Peter Wendell are somehow able to create a sound that seems much bigger, richer than one would expect from a wind quartet… Whether through raw talent or hard work, this little-known group has come up with a world class effort on their first try.”
— Andrew Flynn, The Canadian Press (January 15, 1998)“The playing is marvelous, and the arrangements are imaginative and fun!”
— Dr. Bruce Vermazen, Professor, University of California at Berkeley · Author of The Six Brown Brothers“Rich with talent… noble and unorthodox… elegant variation, superb intonation and inflection. This is right down your alley!”
— The Mississippi Rag“A happy treat! Now the jubilant sound of the ‘raggy reeds’ can march right into your living room. You gotta love this sound — it’s fun!”
— Jack Rummel, The Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundation“Yes! Bravo! Excellente! Smashing! Maestroes! Let’s start it over and play it again! It’s great!”
— Bob Milne, Ragtimist“Excellent CD — non stop fun from start to finish. Very smooth. A very popular CD around the radio station.”
— Jennifer Gordon, Host, Music for the Mind, CFRU-FM“What a wonderful sound! I love the RCSQ because of their fresh ideas and their smooth music!”
— Hartmut Domröse, Germany, saxophone student and one of the best fans of the RCSQ→ Read the full RCSQ profile & review in Saxophone Journal | Submit your own review
How to Order
Also available from: Ragtime Express | Dorn Publications
Order by Mail
Send a Certified Check, Cashier’s Check, or International Postal Money Order in US funds for $16.99 (includes taxes and shipping) to:
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet
P.O. Box 2896
Elora, Ontario N0B 1S0 CANADA
Phone & Fax: 519-846-9663
U.S. Money Orders should be purchased through your local 7-11 store.
Mailing Address
The Royal City Saxophone Quartet
P.O. Box 2896
Elora, Ontario
Canada N0B 1S0