TOURING SHOW

The Art of Ragtime

The Art of Ragtime with Nico Rhodes

 

Few Canadians know anything about Ragtime beyond Scott Joplin’s soundtrack to the movie ‘The Sting’. Composer and pianist, Nico Rhodes takes us on an intriguing musical journey through the evolution of Ragtime from classical to contemporary, featuring the rags of its best-known proponents and little-known stars.

Who knew Debussy and Stravinsky composed pieces based in ragtime? In their time, a formal classical music so rhythmically punctuated was highly unusual. The Italian word in classical music is ‘alla zoppa’ meaning ‘limping’ but the English translation ‘driving notes’ captures it better.

Ragtime was an ethno-syncretic intersection of African and European culture that shaped the musical landscape of popular music in North America for the following century. Taking its inspiration and unique character from the melodic and rhythmic vivacity of Afro-American folksongs and dances, it was birthed in honkytonks and brothels, the only places Black musicians were allowed to play. Ragtime’s influence can be heard in contemporary rock, blues, jazz, and classical genres, despite an evolution hindered by prejudice against both the form and its performers.

In 1916, Opera Magazine wrote: “Ragtime has carried the complexity of the rhythmic subdivision to a point never before reached in the history of music.” One hundred and one years after Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag was copywritten, Nico brings the music he originated back into the limelight.

RAGTIME

Why Nico Loves Ragtime

Born in Vancouver and raised on Vancouver Island, he was brought-up on the road with his mother and father (lighting designer for her concerts). Throughout those formative years, Nico was not only doing his math homework in a cornucopia of Canadian theatre greenrooms, or selling his mom’s recordings at intermission, but he was also being immersed into a world of music and theatre…literally by osmosis.
His mother’s band included world-class musicians such as J. Douglas Dodd, Charlie Knowles, Tom Neville, and Jack Stafford. The sound man, Phil Posner, introduced Nico to the world of Beethoven, Charlie Chaplin, Scott Joplin, and the Beatles. His father, Dusty Rhodes, showed him the ropes (literally) of hanging lights and the stage craft design wisdom which he called ‘suspension of disbelief ‘. The audiences taught Nico appreciation and gratitude.

MEXICO TOUR 2022

What they are saying…

This was amazing. A course in musicology and history. Nico Rhodes has a new fan.”
~ M J Curry Ajijic, Mexico, audience member

“It was amazing! Nico is an outstanding performer, he communicates so well with his audience.
I love ragtime and I love jazz, this was just incredible. And it was such an educational experience!”
~ Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Palm Cabaret Theatre audience member age 75

“The emotion was conveyed very clearly in both the performance and the message delivered of
the history of Joplin and ragtime music. Nico represents the music so well. I loved it. This has to be a feature show!”
~ Puerto Vallarta Palm Cabaret Theatre audience member age 18

VIDEOS

PROMOTION

The Piano Heist Story

Biographies françaises

The Art of Ragtime
One Sheet

EPK

The Art of Ragtime
Tech Rider

The Art of Ragtime
One Sheet

IN THE MEDIA

Piano Heist
The Story

Lifelong friends, and colleagues, Nico Rhodes, and Patrick Courtin, shocked and appalled by the realization that piano just isn’t cool anymore, set off on a divine quest to redeem the keyboard and reinstate its reputation as the greatest instrument of ALL TIME! Armed with the music of the greatest composers, songwriters and performers of the past 400 years, and the technology of the 21st century – their virtual orchestra (Bob), Nico and Patrick deliver everything from classical piano raptures to bombastic boogie woogie, from romantic piano ballads to 80’s keyboard synth battles in their show Piano Heist! What ensues is a mishmash of theatrical wonder, comedy, audience participation, heartfelt stories, a pinch of history, and a world of musical madness.

Repertoire includes: Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen – Traditional; Prelude in C Major – J.S. Bach; Fur Elise. – Beethoven; Nocturne n.2 – Chopin; Hungarian Rhapsody n.2 – Liszt; Claire de Lune – Debussy; Rhapsody in Blue – G. Gershwin; Maple Leaf Rag – Joplin; Fly Me to the Moon – Bart Howard; Great Balls of Fire – Otis Blackwell; Piano Man – Billy Joel; Crazy – Willie Nelson; Imagine – John Lennon; Let it Be – John Lennon/Paul McCartney; Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John; Crocodile, Rock – Elton John; Light My Fire – The Doors; The Winner Takes it All – ABBA; Green Onions – Booker T and the Mg’s; I Heard it Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield; Superstition – Stevie Wonder; Spain – Chick Corea; Popcorn – Gershon Kingsley; Jump – Van Halen; We Are the Champions – Queen.

Project Creator: Nico Rhodes is a genre jumping, multilingual musician who collaborates with other artists and artforms to experience and explore music in as many styles as possible. Growing up touring around the globe surrounded by artists and the world of theatre – he is equally comfortable playing jazz, classical, funk or roots music, orchestrating a symphony, writing musicals, and conducting choirs. He begins his day with an expresso and practicing his Japanese, the language he is currently embracing.

Nico Rhodes is one of the most in demand young arranger/musical directors in Canada, with 40 stage musicals to his credit. He’s written 400 original compositions, four original musicals and arranged two symphonic pops concerts. He’s been nominated for two Jessie and five Ovation Awards and in 2019 was honoured with Nanaimo’s Emerging Cultural Leader Award. He composes for stage, screen, and media, collaborates with multiple choirs, plays with several jazz trios and tours in a duo with his mother, renowned chanteuse Joelle Rabu. In 2022 Nico created his dream show – Piano Heist and produced a series of four multi-artist multi-genre concerts entitled Chapters for The Port Theatre in Nanaimo B.C.

Patrick Courtin is a multi-instrumentalist, accompanist, arranger/composer, music director, transcriber and music teacher working on multiple projects and genres that include jazz, classical, musical theatre, funk, rock, folk. He has toured extensively in North America and Asia and currently resides in Parksville, BC.  Patrick and Nico have been performing together for over 20 years.

Nico Rhodes & Patrick Courtin
Biographies françaises

Nico Rhodes est l’un des jeunes arrangeurs/directeurs musicaux les plus demandés au Canada, avec plus de 40 comédies musicales à son nom. Il a écrit 400 compositions originales, quatre comédies musicales originales et il a instrumenté deux concerts pop symphoniques. Il a été en nomination pour 2 prix Jessie et 5 prix Ovation et en 2019, il a reçu le prix du Leader Culturel Émergent de Nanaimo. Il compose pour la scène, l’écran et les médias, collabore avec plusieurs chœurs, joue avec plusieurs trios de jazz et tourne en duo avec sa mère, la célèbre chanteuse Joëlle Rabu. En 2022, Nico a créé son spectacle de rêve – Conquête Piano-Piano Heist.

Collègue Patrick Courtin est un multi-instrumentiste, accompagnateur, arrangeur/compositeur, directeur musical, transcripteur et professeur de musique travaillant sur de multiples projets et genres qui incluent le jazz, le classique, le théâtre musical, le funk, le rock, le folk. Il a fait de nombreuses tournées en Amérique du Nord et en Asie et réside actuellement à Parksville, en Colombie-Britannique. Patrick et Nico se produisent ensemble depuis plus de 20 ans, amis depuis l’âge de cinq ans.