The Carolina Shout - Ragtime And Jazz Piano With Ethan Uslan

Ethan plays some preludes. Selections include PRELUDE TO A KISS (Duke Ellington), RUSSIAN RAG (by George L. Cobb - based on Rachmaninoff's C# Minor Prelude), BLUE PRELUDE (Gordon Jenkins/Joe Bishop), and CHOPIN'S A MAJOR PRELUDE in the style of Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. As an interlude between preludes, Ethan shares his original composition entitled CONTENTED COWS. 

Ethan plays a couple tunes by Mabel Wayne, who was the master of romantic Latin-tinged waltzes: "In A Little Spanish Town," "Ramona," and "It Happened in Monterey." Along the way Ethan talks about Ramona-related history and plays an obscure Gershwin cowboy song called "Cactus Time in Arizona."  

Ethan's on vacation, but he pops in to make a special announcement regarding the infamous Dr. Brinkley, pioneer of goat gland surgery. 

Ethan reminisces about his teenage years, especially his piano lessons with jazz pianist/composer Dan Crisci. Songs include "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" by James Thornton, "I Should Care" by Cahn/Stordahl/Weston and "Mr B.G." by Dan Crisci. Ethan also takes a few moments to croon a tune about Game of Thrones.

In this episode, Ethan opens up with a 1906 mock ballad entitled "Don't Go In the Lion's Cage." Then, after opining on the importance of properly training lions, Ethan pays tribute to his childhood piano teacher with John Philip Sousa's "Lion Tamer March." And as a grand finale, Ethan sticks his head in the lion's mouth and plays "The Lion Tamer Rag." 

In this episode, there is no theme. Ethan just plays a few tunes and yaps. You might still learn some things though, like the connection between "Georgia on My Mind" and Chase Bank. Other songs you will hear and perhaps learn a thing about include: "Beer Barrel Polka", "Love for Sale", and "Deep River."

In this episode, Ethan wields a sledgehammer and destroys Beethoven's hallowed Fur Elise. Then he re-enacts the Battle of San Juan Hill with musical cannon fire. The carnage continues as Ethan musically crashes two trains together (and the boilers explode, oops). Finally, Ethan gleefully plays the piano as Oh Susanna gets tied to the railroad tracks. Warning: this episode contains syncopated violence.  

Ethan plays a new arrangement of one of his childhood favorites, “Heart and Soul.” Then he serenades Kate with a tune about the harmful effects of smoking. Finally, Ethan revisits “Whispering,” a song that strikes a chord with many a soft-spoken librarian.

Do not confuse this podcast episode with The Philadelphia Story -  a famous 1940 film which I have never seen. Instead, expect Ethan to play some Philadelphia-related piano music while telling some Philadelphia-related stories. You will hear stories about Roy Spangler, composer of the Gunpowder Rag, as well as the story of the song Oh, Dem Golden Slippers, which is the theme song of the Mummers Parade. And as a grand finale, Ethan tells his own epic Philadelphia story about the time he battled a nasty stomach bug and the only thing that could save him was John Philip Sousa's Liberty Bell March. 

Join Ethan for a musical tribute to laziness! Let us honor the sleepy slothful slackers of song! Call in sick, put on your sweatpants, grab that bag of potato chips and tune in! 

In this gag-filled and bag-themed episode, Ethan plays the "Ragbag Rag" and attempts to change the name of his podcast. This results in a fierce legal battle with Frank Burton, host of the Ragbag Podcast. Ethan then turns his attention to the squishity-squashity "Beanbag Song," the theme song of the first late-night TV show ever. Then the regiment of marching-singing soldier Ethans perform "Pack up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag and Smile Smile Smile." Finally Ethan opens up "A Bag of Rags" and hits the sack.

Ethan plays an assortment of African-American spirituals and some songs inspired by them. Selections include: "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho," "Down by the Riverside," "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," and "Go Down Moses" (which has a fascinating history behind it). Songs inspired by spirituals include Gershwin's "Summertime" and Creamer/Layton's "Dear Old Southland." Amen! 

From 42nd Street to 12th Street, and from Beale Street to Basin Street, Ethan plays songs about famous thoroughfares. Unless he gets into a fight at Pee Wee's Saloon in Memphis. Or at the dog track. Please be careful, Ethan.

Ethan plays some songs inspired by the Mississippi River and its famous paddle steamer boats. Songs include "Ol' Man River," "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee," Jelly Roll Morton's "Steamboat Stomp," and Hoagy Carmichael's "Riverboat Shuffle."  

Happy 4th of July! For this patriotic episode Ethan opens up with "Yankee Doodle Boy" followed by a Scott Joplin rag with a patriotic theme ("The Nonpareil"). Then, Ethan plays "Blaze Away," a rousing march inspired by Teddy Roosevelt's heroics in the Spanish-American War. Finally, Ethan plays Irving Berlin's immortal "God Bless America." Warning: Alex Trebek's snooty know-it-all attitude is mocked in this episode. 

In this episode, Ethan plays some of his favorite Oriental Fox-Trots, including "Song of India," "Hindustan," "Caravan," and "The Sheik of Araby." Put on your magnetic corset, hop aboard your camel, and get ready for an auditory adventure with the Rudolph Valentino of piano podcasting, Ethan Uslan. 

Certain songs give Ethan anxiety. So he pays a visit to the esteemed Dr. Zizmore, who forces him to face his pianistical fears. Enjoy an episode full of tunes that Ethan plays as part of his treatment. Will he be cured? Or will Ethan continue to be haunted in his dreams by the man-eating sea turtle?

Ethan welcomes academy-award nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg to the podcast studio. They talk about Jesse's musical interests, including "March of the Siamese Children" from the King and I (which Ethan plays on piano). Then, the duo performs a Jesse Eisenberg original entitled "Sports are Important to Men." Finally the two connect with their roots and sing Kosher-for-Passover versions of "By the Beautiful Sea" and "The Tennessee Waltz." 

Ethan plays piano music that imitates banjo music. He starts off with "Ring de Banjo" by Stephen Foster and then plays "The Banjo" by HC Harris. Then Ethan plays the most famous piano-banjo piece of all-time: "The Banjo" by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. Finally, Ethan reads a poem about Gottschalk by Gwendolyn Brooks and talks about the musical exploitation of enslaved African-Americans. 

Ethan is preparing for a big concert at the Agness Scott College Observatory and Planetarium. So he plays some astronomical selections: Blue Moon, The Halley's Comet Rag, and Stars Fell on Alabama. Then Ethan opens up the phone lines and gets a request from an extra-terrestrial. That's when things get weird.