2025 Festival Recap

Jared Szabo, Paul Orsi, and Max Libertor hang out at the Festival Afterglow

Summer in the Foothills of California can’t get any better than the 3-day Historic Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival which just happened August 8th – 10th.  Pianos were moved to Bubbles Champagne Bar and La Mesa Wine Tasting room on Monday and 6 pianos moved in on Wednesday to City Hall, Choc-O-Latte, Community Center and Hotel Sutter. Thursday started with two live spots with Good Day Sacramento TV at the Brinnwood Inn B&B and at City Hall auditorium followed by an interview with Hometown Radio.  Preparations continued through Friday when the festival opened @ 4PM to rousing crowds at 5 of the 8 venues. Temperatures climbed into the mid 90’s but not too hot for Ragtime!  Our first time Performers Richard Dowling and Jeff & Anne Barnhart made a big splash with virtuosic and crowd-pleasing numbers. Frederick Hodges teamed up with Richard Dowling to open at City hall and Richard then performed an hour long set of Scott Joplin at Hotel Sutter. Music went to after 11 tonight at the hotel led my many of our youth performers along with a father, Dave Flores on Stand-up Bass.
    First thing Saturday Morning, 6 pianists entertained the farmer’s Market Crowd at the end of Main street.  Saturday saw all 8 venues churn out music by 10 am. The Brinwood Inn pulled out the stops with delicious refreshments for the attendees.
The “Chris Bradshaw Youth Concert” Emceed by Isaiah Burton showcased all 9 amazing youth performers @ the Auditorium for 90 Minutes.  Then it was time for the Inaugural Tom Brier $2500 Scholarship judged competition. Contestants Isaiah Burton, Carter Enos, Michael Flores and Max Libertor played one Tom Brier Song, one song of their choosing and sight read one song. After the Judging, Isaiah Burton was the winner! Thank you to Rob Carey for his donation to sponsor the award. At 3 the Tom Brier Tribute Concert where our top musicians played only Tom Brier’s music. Soon it was time for 4 silent movies in a row accompanied by Frederick Hodges, Squeek Steele, Charlie Judkins in the Hotel Sutter. Then it was the Saturday Evening concert. The Pacific Coasts Ragtime Orchestra played the hour before and the first song of the concert. What a great start to the evening! Stevens joined them for a rendition of “California Here I Come” and “If You Knew Susie” and opened the concert with “They Called the Music Ragtime”. The concert was a smashing success and soon it was Sonny Leyland and Danny Coots for an hour and then Jamming in the Hotel Sutter till after 12am with Matt Tolentino, (Accordian), Jeff Barnhart, (Trombone), Max Libertor (Trumpet), Don Neely (Clarinet), Piotr Barcz (Guitar) Danny Coots (Drums), Frederick Hodges (piano) Dave Flores (Bass). Whew!
    Sunday Morning it was a lively Gospel Hymn Sing with Ivory & Gold and Squeek Steele leading the congregation in “I’ll Fly Away” and many more!  Backroads Café started out the morning with no power from a blown transformer, but that didn’t stop the pianists from dishing out hot ragtime until the power came on about 11:00.  Music continued at all the venues until 2pm even though the power went out at the Auditorium at the other end of town in the middle of Key System Rhythm Ramblers Set, but only stayed off for 45 min. Soon it was a time to get ready for the Finale Afternoon Concert which included a raffle, spontaneous duets and finished with a rousing rendition of Peacherine Rag, played by most of the musicians on both pianos and various instruments!!
    After the concert was over, the chairs were put up, some goodbyes were said, many of the musicians and friends celebrated at the Hotel Sutter with a relaxing buffet dinner and more music!  See everyone next year. August 7 – 9.

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All hands on deck for the festival finale, Peacherine Rag!