"Balderdash" performed by pianist/composer Tom Brier @The WCRF~ 2008 

Other find ragtime pianists you can see here are Frederick Hodges, Vincent Johnson, Morten Gunnar Larsen, Andrew Barrett, Max Keenlyside, and Adam Swanson. In the background, you also can see Paul Asaro talking to a couple folks, and Jim Radloff walks in too. Martin Spitznagel was around there somewhere. I was a bit behind the camera position, talking to Virgnia Tichenor, so she was there also. A real who's-who of ragtime!

I cannot really explain in a few words why I think this rag is so great, but suffice to say that just when you'd expect Tom to fall into some cliche'd phrase or pattern, he comes up with something really melodic, clever, and musically pleasing to substitute for it, so the rag can also be considered a series of enjoyable musical surprises. It is kind of a work of genius.

Master of ragtime

This is one of the GREATEST rags ever written, and I am SO GLAD you captured it on video! Thank you so much! -Andrew

I heard this only once before, TWO YEARS before this, at the big concert at Sutter Creek, and remembered that it was really fantastic and couldn't wait to hear it again. Well, two years later here we were with Tom sitting at the piano taking requests for his own tunes, so I requested this one. That's me you hear in the background making appreciative noises with each new fantastic direction the rag takes, and saying at the end that it's "one of the best rags I've ever heard" (Still true!)

This music is heaven to me! I could listen to it all day. I just wish I could play it!!

This is actually one of my favourite songs, played by one of my favourite pianists, and on my favourite instrument too. I hope Tom comes to the south of England one day to play, as I sure as hell can't afford to go over to the USA to see him.

I love those "pirate tunes" such as "Dance of the Oyster and the Clam" (by Ed Dicey), "Spirit of the Guard" (by James Curnow), "The Pirate's Rag" (by E. Ray Goetz), and of course "Balderdash" etc. So I set out to emulate them with the B theme to my "Black Bear Rag"; this theme is kind of a homage to all the great pirate rags and marches.

The name of this tune is "Balderdash!" from 2001. The piece is rag #138 in the Brier catalog. Neil Blaze.

Incredibly beautiful rag. Was beginning to lose faith in contemporary rag composers, no more!

Champ piano man, and neckbeard hero.

@Caflicboy128 Tom Brier wrote it! As I stated lower in the comments, I first heard Tom play this at the 2005 Sutter Creek Ragtime Festival (I think; might have been 2006) and so when I heard Tom at the piano here, a few years later, it was such a good rag that the name stuck in my memory and so I asked Tom here if he would play it for us; I'm glad he did! The tune quotes some familiar folk themes which is why it sounds familiar (for example: "Arkansas Traveler" at the end of the second theme).

This is wonderful!!!

So friggin' cool!

Max, Yes, you were there along with some of the other great piano players. The RagJazzMonkey was surrounded by fantastic talent! Yep, I love this tune too! RJMonkey

cool... the hole ragtime gang gatherd to hear this one. sounds great.

Thank you Neil! You are my title producing hero of the day! RJMonkey Tom

@CooDocu Great question. The length of time required for Tom to compose a song depends entirely on how many notes are in the song. Really short songs with only a few measures he can do in just a matter of a few minutes while songs that are more elaborate and require reams of paper might take him a day or two to complete. RagJazzMonkey Tom

This is amazing! I wonder if this is available as a sheet music? I'd gladly pay to learn such a beautiful piece!

@tdub1941 Also, I'm pretty sure that he can compose a waltz in 3/4 the time it takes to compose a march. RagJazzMonkey Tom

I would think so, but I don't know where.

@JanSportkilla I am always honored when folks take the time to make reference to me using profanity, but in this case I'm curious as to what I did or said that elicited your comment.

Adam, Whatever it is I love it! It was sure fun catching all of you piano wizards circled about watching Tom work on that Grand Piano! I'll just cool my heels until you or someone comes up with the title to this one. Hey, could you forward this to Tom if you have his email address? I don't want this public very long unless he says OK. Thanks, RJMonkey Tom Warner

where is the sheet music for this song?

Hi Andrew! I guess it's a fair assumption to make by the comments above (below -whichever) that you are happy this video is available, and that you love the music. haha I'm a slow learner. Thanks for your comments. Very interesting! See you on the ragtime trail! RJMonkey

@honkindonkey I'm pretty sure Tom has written it out but I'm not sure it's typeset yet (Tom typically has handwritten manuscripts). He might include it in his third sheet music folio if we beg him enough. I'm sure the fact that it's popular on RU-vid, other people play it (Adam Swanson), and that you and others have specifically requested it are more than enough reason to include it in the folio. Drop me a line at my RU-vid account with your email and I'll pass your request along to Tom!

The title of the video indicates who is the composer and performer.

@JanSportkilla It does seem like there are too many folks that are unaware of how to do things. Duuu! Like it's all that complicated. RJM Tom

Yup! Ain't it fun! RJMonkey

Where can we find sheet music for this piece? : D

I see what you did there. :)

are there any sheets/manuscripts of this song??

@Harmonyww If I had the kind of money Warren Buffet has I'd fly you over here to see him, but unfortunately, I don't.

@tdub1941 It wasnt like a serious "A-Hole" more like a jokingly one, for your response to "Caflicboy128" But I guess you were tired of answering the question of who wrote this song. No offence bro.