Based on Len Lyons,
The 101 Best Jazz Albums (William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980, ISBN 0-688-08720-5), and Jim Determan's subsequent updates.
| 1. Scott Joplin: Scott Joplin-1916 (Biograph BLP-1006) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
According to Determan, "This material is in print, but unfortunately the 6 rolls actually played by Joplin have been spread out over 2 CDs which are fleshed out with rolls originally played by others." This would appear to refer to "The Entertainer" (which contains "Maple Leaf Rag," "Something Doing," and "Weeping Willow Rag") and "Elite Syncopations" (which contains "Maple Leaf Rag," "Ole Miss Rag" [by W.C. Handy], and "Magnetic Rag").
Determan does suggest three alternatives:
- Dick Hyman's "Sixteen Classic Rags," which does not seem to be in print any more. The best alternative may be "Scott Joplin's Greatest Hits," which includes 19 Joplin tunes, played by Hyman and James Levine.
- Richard Zimmerman's "Scott Joplin - His Complete Works," which is available only on CD. Because of this, I have also listed Zimmerman's "Scott Joplin: His Greatest Hits," which includes 16 Joplin tunes and is available in CD and MP3 format.
- Joshua Rifkin's "Scott Joplin Piano Rags," which includes 17 Joplin tunes.
Determan recommended "a newer recording of these rags rather than the piano rolls," although he notes that "some of Rifkin's interpretations have always seemed a bit too slow and stately for me, so I prefer the other two choices." |
| 1-Alternative. Scott Joplin: The Entertainer (Shout Factory) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 1-Alternative. Scott Joplin: Elite Syncopations (Shout Factory) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 1-Alternative. Dick Hyman and James Levine: Scott Joplin's Greatest Hits (RCA) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 1-Alternative. Richard Zimmerman: Scott Joplin - His Complete Works (Delta) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
| 1-Alternative. Richard Zimmerman: Scott Joplin - His Greatest Hits (Legacy International) |
| Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 1-Alternative. Joshua Rifkin: Scott Joplin Piano Rags (Nonesuch) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | Amazon.com — MP3 |
| 3. Eubie Blake: The 86 Years of Eubie Blake (Columbia C2S-847, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
Determan: "Not reissued, unfortunately." Unfortunately, Determan does not suggest an alternative nor are any of the alternatives mentioned by Lyons available on CD or MP3. |
| 4. Luckey Roberts/Willie "The Lion" Smith: Luckey and the Lion/Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz S10035) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | Amazon.com — CD | |
These cuts are not available in MP3 format. |
| 6. Fats Waller: Fats Waller Piano Solos, 1929-1941 (Bluebird AXM2-5518, 2 LPs) |
| Amazon.com — Vinyl | | |
This album is not available in CD or MP3 format, but Determan recommends the alternative below and states that it has "Essentially all the same material as the double LP." Unfortunately, that alternative is not currently available in MP3 format. |
| 6-Alternative. Fats Waller: Turn on the Heat — The Fats Waller Piano Solos (RCA) |
| Amazon.com — CD | |
