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2024 Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival Review
By Stevens Price
Another year of great ragtime, Stride, Boogie Woogie and music of the turn-of-the-century at the Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival was enjoyed by all who attended. The level of talent that descends on this Gold Rush town is nothing but amazing, even in the summer mid-90's heat. Preparation started Thursday Morning with the pianos being moved in place and the decorations going up. The City Hall Auditorium was transformed into a magical Ragtime era venue which hosted the two main concerts, the Pacific Coast Ragtime Orchestra, The popular Youth Concert along with room for dancing. Four O'clock on Friday found the final preparations done and the festival in full swing at four of the five locations. A new venue, "Down The Alley," was a great addition to the Main Street venue locations that included, Choc-O-Latte, Hotel Sutter, Backroads and the City Hall. Music went past ten at most of the venues with the Youth performers taking over the open piano times and had a great time, including Carter Enos, Piotr Barcz, Max Libertor and Michael Flores. Friday ended up with Sonny Leyland, Danny Coots and his new partner Dalton Ridenhour carving up the pianos at the Hotel Sutter.
Saturday dawned warm with our performers entertaining the crowd at the famous Sutter Creek Farmers Market, to the delight of all the vendors and buyers from 8:30 - 11:30 in the morning. All the venues had open piano from 9 - 10 which was a nice addition. The much anticipated Youth Concert was inspiring and amazing. Such talent! Lots of great duets this year with three of the venues holding two pianos. Plus the Free Badge Serenaders brought their lively antics to the festival along with a Classy Couple from New York, Charlie and Miss Maybell, playing and singing classic ragtime era songs with an original and historical feel. Soon the day was turning into evening and the chairs in the hotel were turned towards the movie screen as Squeek Steele performed a halfhour short silent film called "Dog Shy." Upon entering the Auditorium for the evening concert, we were treated to the music of the Pacific Coast Ragtime Orchestra which so wonderfully set the mood for the evening. Stevens Price, in his spiffy new Ragtime suit, began the concert with a ragtime song based on one from "The Sound of Music." He also presented two of the youth performers, each with a $1000 scholarship! The concert was a smash and right after there was more great music at the Alley venue, plus Frederick Hodges played along with the full-length Charlie Chaplin silent film, "The Gold Rush", at the Hotel Sutter. Music continued at the other open venues until well after 11 pm.
Sunday started off with a hymn sing at the hotel led by Squeek Steele, and Stevens Price leading the choir. Music followed at all the venues and soon it was time for the finale concert. Always a crowd pleaser with new collaborations, jamming and hot music expected, along with the anticipated raffle drawing of all the great donated gifts which support the Festival’s scholarship program. All in all the weekend was an amazing event of music that just makes you happy, in a town that makes you happy anyway! Start planning your next year's vacation with a stop at the Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival, August 8 - 10, 2025.
By Stevens Price
Another year of great ragtime, Stride, Boogie Woogie and music of the turn-of-the-century at the Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival was enjoyed by all who attended. The level of talent that descends on this Gold Rush town is nothing but amazing, even in the summer mid-90's heat. Preparation started Thursday Morning with the pianos being moved in place and the decorations going up. The City Hall Auditorium was transformed into a magical Ragtime era venue which hosted the two main concerts, the Pacific Coast Ragtime Orchestra, The popular Youth Concert along with room for dancing. Four O'clock on Friday found the final preparations done and the festival in full swing at four of the five locations. A new venue, "Down The Alley," was a great addition to the Main Street venue locations that included, Choc-O-Latte, Hotel Sutter, Backroads and the City Hall. Music went past ten at most of the venues with the Youth performers taking over the open piano times and had a great time, including Carter Enos, Piotr Barcz, Max Libertor and Michael Flores. Friday ended up with Sonny Leyland, Danny Coots and his new partner Dalton Ridenhour carving up the pianos at the Hotel Sutter.
Saturday dawned warm with our performers entertaining the crowd at the famous Sutter Creek Farmers Market, to the delight of all the vendors and buyers from 8:30 - 11:30 in the morning. All the venues had open piano from 9 - 10 which was a nice addition. The much anticipated Youth Concert was inspiring and amazing. Such talent! Lots of great duets this year with three of the venues holding two pianos. Plus the Free Badge Serenaders brought their lively antics to the festival along with a Classy Couple from New York, Charlie and Miss Maybell, playing and singing classic ragtime era songs with an original and historical feel. Soon the day was turning into evening and the chairs in the hotel were turned towards the movie screen as Squeek Steele performed a halfhour short silent film called "Dog Shy." Upon entering the Auditorium for the evening concert, we were treated to the music of the Pacific Coast Ragtime Orchestra which so wonderfully set the mood for the evening. Stevens Price, in his spiffy new Ragtime suit, began the concert with a ragtime song based on one from "The Sound of Music." He also presented two of the youth performers, each with a $1000 scholarship! The concert was a smash and right after there was more great music at the Alley venue, plus Frederick Hodges played along with the full-length Charlie Chaplin silent film, "The Gold Rush", at the Hotel Sutter. Music continued at the other open venues until well after 11 pm.
Sunday started off with a hymn sing at the hotel led by Squeek Steele, and Stevens Price leading the choir. Music followed at all the venues and soon it was time for the finale concert. Always a crowd pleaser with new collaborations, jamming and hot music expected, along with the anticipated raffle drawing of all the great donated gifts which support the Festival’s scholarship program. All in all the weekend was an amazing event of music that just makes you happy, in a town that makes you happy anyway! Start planning your next year's vacation with a stop at the Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival, August 8 - 10, 2025.
Some pictures from our 25th Anniversary Festival, August 11 - 13
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2021 Pictures and Videos
It was a Ragtime Rising out of the Covid Blues. A well attended festival with the great music, an abundance of wonderful festival attendees, local food and drink choices and some summer heat to add to the mix. Everyone was on their best behavior. Best said in comments by Ray O:
"One other thing pleased me. While the people in attendance varied a bit
in how they behaved with respect to covid-related issues, mainly about
masks, I did not see any of the "mask wars" I read and hear about in
other settings. It was a pure relief to be in a setting where we could
all make our own decisions without complaint of criticism from others
whose personal judgments differed."
A great time for all. Enjoy the pictures and videos.
It was a Ragtime Rising out of the Covid Blues. A well attended festival with the great music, an abundance of wonderful festival attendees, local food and drink choices and some summer heat to add to the mix. Everyone was on their best behavior. Best said in comments by Ray O:
"One other thing pleased me. While the people in attendance varied a bit
in how they behaved with respect to covid-related issues, mainly about
masks, I did not see any of the "mask wars" I read and hear about in
other settings. It was a pure relief to be in a setting where we could
all make our own decisions without complaint of criticism from others
whose personal judgments differed."
A great time for all. Enjoy the pictures and videos.
My wife and I were both very happy with the entire weekend, both of us having a consistently great time at the festival. Due to covid concerns,
we spent almost the entire time in the Civic Auditorium, and that forced me to abandon my usual practice of picking and choosing who I wanted to hear in favor of taking pot luck with the performers you scheduled there. Fortunately, everyone was so good that doing this left me enjoying every set I heard, with the bonus that I heard people I like but sometimes miss out on when I pick and choose (I may try this approach more in the future).
Please pass on my compliments on the selection of performers. I'm sure financial concerns placed some limits on what you and he felt able to do, but you kept enough "headliner" acts (Brian & Danny, Sonny, Frederick) on the program to satisfy on that score. Others, including. John Remmers, Kylan, Elliott, and Michael himself added to the fun.
Matt Tolentino was a wonderful addition to the lineup (and the number he did with Patrick Skeffington was an even nicer surprise), and I can't think of enough good things to say about the late addition of Kevin Gunia, a find who I really hope to hear again. Hearing Jared di Bartolomeo play (alone and with Kylan) in an open piano slot was another surprise treat, as was that 13-year-old who played two nice Joplin numbers. (Have you ever heard Maple Leaf Rag played as
slowly as he did the B part? I haven't, or if I have I can't remember when, and I found it very interesting.)
Ray O.
we spent almost the entire time in the Civic Auditorium, and that forced me to abandon my usual practice of picking and choosing who I wanted to hear in favor of taking pot luck with the performers you scheduled there. Fortunately, everyone was so good that doing this left me enjoying every set I heard, with the bonus that I heard people I like but sometimes miss out on when I pick and choose (I may try this approach more in the future).
Please pass on my compliments on the selection of performers. I'm sure financial concerns placed some limits on what you and he felt able to do, but you kept enough "headliner" acts (Brian & Danny, Sonny, Frederick) on the program to satisfy on that score. Others, including. John Remmers, Kylan, Elliott, and Michael himself added to the fun.
Matt Tolentino was a wonderful addition to the lineup (and the number he did with Patrick Skeffington was an even nicer surprise), and I can't think of enough good things to say about the late addition of Kevin Gunia, a find who I really hope to hear again. Hearing Jared di Bartolomeo play (alone and with Kylan) in an open piano slot was another surprise treat, as was that 13-year-old who played two nice Joplin numbers. (Have you ever heard Maple Leaf Rag played as
slowly as he did the B part? I haven't, or if I have I can't remember when, and I found it very interesting.)
Ray O.
Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival 2020
(A Ragtime Pandemic)
Just when you thought it could not be done, the Sutter Creek Ragtime Pandemic was held on August 15, 2020. This event reminds me of the Kansas state motto “Ad Astra Per Aspera” (for those of you who do not remember your Latin “To the stars with difficulty”). Kansas became a state through great difficulties much like this event. In spite of heat and the pandemic, ragtime prevailed. Where there is a will, there is a way, the will being that of Stevens and Jan Price and a group of intrepid musicians.
After many difficulties, the festival this year became a one-day series of performances and an evening concert. Musicians participating in this event were (in alphabetical order): Elliott Adams, Michael Chisholm, Paul Orsi, Stevens Price, Julia Riley, Anthony Sarginson and Virtual Tom Brier (thanks to Ron O’Dell). In thirty-minute intervals, these musicians performed singly, in organized groups and spontaneous combinations. There was even a spontaneous sing-along.
The event, if you are familiar with Sutter Creek and its environs, was held behind the hotel next to the old Ice Cream Emporium in the hotel parking lot. The area was shaded by colorful umbrellas and a misting system was used to reduce the heat. The recording piano from the hotel and an electronic piano were provided. The performance area was backed by a partition which improved greatly the sound which is often lost in an outdoor setting. In addition to the partition behind the pianos, the parking lot is lower than the street level on one side and the other two sides are brick buildings. These things created a natural outdoor auditorium.
The day started with Paul Orsi and a spontaneous sing-along. This was followed by a rotation of musicians and groups every thirty minutes. Some groups were planned, like the “New Hedgehogs”, which consisted of Elliott Adams and Michael Chisholm on piano and Julia Riley on flute and piccolo and unplanned partnerships such as Anthony Sarginson and Michael Chisholm and Stevens Price and Elliott Adams. There were performances of well-known numbers as well as original compositions. Some other combinations of performers were Elliott Adams and Michael Chisholm, Michael Chisholm and Julia Riley, Anthony Sarginson and Julia Riley and virtual Tom Brier on the recording piano with Julia Riley. The Virtual Tom recordings were some made on the same recording piano used in this festival, made at the hotel in Sutter Creek in about 2008.
A small, but enthusiastic audience remained throughout the heat of the day (reported to be 107 degrees F), masked, socially distanced and determined as only ragtime enthusiasts could be. Available for sale were “A Ragtime Pandemic” masks and t-shirts. Performances were recorded by Rob Thomas, sure to be on youtube in due course. The quality of these recordings is excellent in spite of the difficulty of playing in the extreme heat with sweaty fingers.
2019 Festival Review
The 2019 Festival is over but the music continues on. A great time was had by all who attended and the musicians were at their best! A memorable weekend of music highlighted by the perfect summer weather. The Sutter Creek Auditorium was added as a venue for the concerts and everyone seemed to enjoy it, thus making the 4 venues along main street the perfect location for the Festival.
Thank you so much to all the volunteers who helped make the festival run smoothly and efficiently. Thank you to all the amazing musicians who bring their best to Sutter Creek. So Many of them saying that the Sutter Creek festival is their most favorite. In Sutter Creek they can relax and enjoy the ambience and the generosity of their loyal fans and fellow musicians.
Another big Thank you to the city of Sutter Creek and the City council who gave us their complete support in making sure the Festival took place. Let us not forget the Venues that allowed us to invade their Hotel Sutter, Ice Cream store and Foxes B&B. With out them it would not of happened.
I am excited to tell you that we did manage to finish the festival with a small surplus this year. Because of this surplus and the generous supporters of the "Musician Sponsorship Program", the festival was able to create a scholarship, that our Local graduating High school seniors who will be pursuing a music degree and or continuing on with their musical talent, may apply for. The scholarship will be given by the "Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival."
This years scholarship will be a $400. Next year we hope to increase the amount offered.
Below is a review written by Julia Riley and a couple videos. We hope to start posting more as we move forward. Please check back from time to time to see the changes.
Again, thank you to all who took part in making this festival so special.
Stevens Price
Festival Director
The 2019 Festival is over but the music continues on. A great time was had by all who attended and the musicians were at their best! A memorable weekend of music highlighted by the perfect summer weather. The Sutter Creek Auditorium was added as a venue for the concerts and everyone seemed to enjoy it, thus making the 4 venues along main street the perfect location for the Festival.
Thank you so much to all the volunteers who helped make the festival run smoothly and efficiently. Thank you to all the amazing musicians who bring their best to Sutter Creek. So Many of them saying that the Sutter Creek festival is their most favorite. In Sutter Creek they can relax and enjoy the ambience and the generosity of their loyal fans and fellow musicians.
Another big Thank you to the city of Sutter Creek and the City council who gave us their complete support in making sure the Festival took place. Let us not forget the Venues that allowed us to invade their Hotel Sutter, Ice Cream store and Foxes B&B. With out them it would not of happened.
I am excited to tell you that we did manage to finish the festival with a small surplus this year. Because of this surplus and the generous supporters of the "Musician Sponsorship Program", the festival was able to create a scholarship, that our Local graduating High school seniors who will be pursuing a music degree and or continuing on with their musical talent, may apply for. The scholarship will be given by the "Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival."
This years scholarship will be a $400. Next year we hope to increase the amount offered.
Below is a review written by Julia Riley and a couple videos. We hope to start posting more as we move forward. Please check back from time to time to see the changes.
Again, thank you to all who took part in making this festival so special.
Stevens Price
Festival Director
New/Old Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival
Have you ever heard that saying “Everything old is new again”? That could apply to the “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival” (HSCRF for short). Or have you ever seen that sign “Under New Management” on a business? That could also apply to the “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival”. The originators of the first Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival, Stevens and Jan Price produced the 2019 “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival” which makes both the above appropriate and true.
There were the performers that we have come to expect, Frederic Hodges, Carl Sonny Leland, Brian Holland and Danny Coots, Virginia Tichenor, Pat Aranda and Amanda Castro, The Porcupine Ragtime Ensemble, Elliott Adams as well as others we have come to know and appreciate - Michael Chisholm, John Reed-Torres, John Remmers, Kylan deGhetaldi, Anthony Sarginson and The Raspberry Jam Trio.
There were also some new performers. “The Mustache Ragtime Band”, consisting of local performers with pianist Stevens Price. This group has only been together a few months, but put together a nice performance of rags and some tunes composed by Stevens. “The Key System Ramblers” with Virginia Tichenor on piano, Lisa Gonick on ukulele and vocals and Jeff Green on Banjo brought a nice selection of instrumental and vocal numbers. A virtuoso performance was delivered by “The Easy Winners” by Nick Robinson, Zac Salem and Robert Armstrong with a variety of instruments including the saw. Many of these performers could be seen in the mini-concerts sprinkled throughout the festival. This eliminated the frequently heard complaint that it was difficult to get around to see all the performers.
A special set in the Main Auditorium featuring Kylan deGhetaldi and his seven-year old daughter, Lyra, as vocalist was charming and fun. Kylan, in one of his sets in The Ice Cream Emporium, decided to do some video game tunes starting with a stand-alone number of the “Super Smash Brothers’” theme and then continuing with the long “Mario Brothers’ Medley”. He preceded this performance by pointing out that these tunes were the introduction to ragtime of many young people who grew up in the ‘90s, much like an earlier generation who became familiar with ragtime by seeing “The Sting”.
The venues were all made attractive by Jan Price. The collection of Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival T-shirts which formerly highlighted the Ice Cream Emporium made its appearance at the Main Auditorium, a venue which had not been used for many years. There were no outdoor venues this year for which the audience and performers were grateful – in spite of the fact that the weather was extremely mild for a California Foothills summer, being in the low to mid-80s. The only free venue was the Ice Cream Emporium. The ticket booth was right outside the Ice Cream Parlor (formerly known as the alley) and seemed to be doing a booming business.
By any criteria, the festival was a successful venture. May it continue to be so for many more years. It is not too early to put it on your calendar for next year.
August 14 - 16
Julia Riley
Have you ever heard that saying “Everything old is new again”? That could apply to the “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival” (HSCRF for short). Or have you ever seen that sign “Under New Management” on a business? That could also apply to the “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival”. The originators of the first Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival, Stevens and Jan Price produced the 2019 “Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival” which makes both the above appropriate and true.
There were the performers that we have come to expect, Frederic Hodges, Carl Sonny Leland, Brian Holland and Danny Coots, Virginia Tichenor, Pat Aranda and Amanda Castro, The Porcupine Ragtime Ensemble, Elliott Adams as well as others we have come to know and appreciate - Michael Chisholm, John Reed-Torres, John Remmers, Kylan deGhetaldi, Anthony Sarginson and The Raspberry Jam Trio.
There were also some new performers. “The Mustache Ragtime Band”, consisting of local performers with pianist Stevens Price. This group has only been together a few months, but put together a nice performance of rags and some tunes composed by Stevens. “The Key System Ramblers” with Virginia Tichenor on piano, Lisa Gonick on ukulele and vocals and Jeff Green on Banjo brought a nice selection of instrumental and vocal numbers. A virtuoso performance was delivered by “The Easy Winners” by Nick Robinson, Zac Salem and Robert Armstrong with a variety of instruments including the saw. Many of these performers could be seen in the mini-concerts sprinkled throughout the festival. This eliminated the frequently heard complaint that it was difficult to get around to see all the performers.
A special set in the Main Auditorium featuring Kylan deGhetaldi and his seven-year old daughter, Lyra, as vocalist was charming and fun. Kylan, in one of his sets in The Ice Cream Emporium, decided to do some video game tunes starting with a stand-alone number of the “Super Smash Brothers’” theme and then continuing with the long “Mario Brothers’ Medley”. He preceded this performance by pointing out that these tunes were the introduction to ragtime of many young people who grew up in the ‘90s, much like an earlier generation who became familiar with ragtime by seeing “The Sting”.
The venues were all made attractive by Jan Price. The collection of Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival T-shirts which formerly highlighted the Ice Cream Emporium made its appearance at the Main Auditorium, a venue which had not been used for many years. There were no outdoor venues this year for which the audience and performers were grateful – in spite of the fact that the weather was extremely mild for a California Foothills summer, being in the low to mid-80s. The only free venue was the Ice Cream Emporium. The ticket booth was right outside the Ice Cream Parlor (formerly known as the alley) and seemed to be doing a booming business.
By any criteria, the festival was a successful venture. May it continue to be so for many more years. It is not too early to put it on your calendar for next year.
August 14 - 16
Julia Riley