James Dapogny

The stride and swing piano tradition of the early 20th century is preserved through the playing of pianist and musicologist James Dapogny. Together with his small combo, the Chicago Jazz Band -- featuring Jon-Eric Kellso (trumpet), Mike Karoub (bass), Russ Whitman (reeds), Kim Cusack (reeds), Chris Smith (trombone), Rod McDonald (guitar, banjo), and Wayne Jones (drums) -- Dapogny has recorded seven albums of ragtime, New Orleans and Chicago jazz, and small-band swing. The band, which has made semi-regular appearances on National Public Radio's "A Prairie Home Companion," has been featured on albums by the Andrews Sisters-like trio Chenille Sisters and late jazz-blues pianist Sippie Wallace. They celebrated their 20th anniversary with a live album, On the Road, in 1995. Deeply influenced by the piano playing of Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941), Dapogny wrote the liner notes for a series of Morton's recordings issued by the Library of Congress and Rounder Records and edited the scholarly book Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton: The Collected Piano Music, published by Schirmer, Inc.. Dapogny has recorded two albums -- Laughing at Life and Original Jelly Roll Blues -- featuring his interpretations of Morton's music. The holder of a doctorate of musical arts in composition, Dapogny has taught at the University of Michigan since 1966. He received a faculty recognition award and Thurnau professorship for outstanding teaching in 1982. Dapogny has served as an editor and editorial board member for Jazz Masterworks Editions, a collaborative project of Oberlin College and the Smithsonian Institute. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide