• Ragtime & Vintage Piano
• Edison Cylinder Phonograph
• Magic Lantern Parlor Show
• Silent Movies & Nickelodeon Shows
• Holiday & Seasonal Entertainment
  (Please make contact now to reserve your date)

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CONTACTS
Email Galen	Mailing address: Galen Wilkes P.O. Box 2176 Van Nuys, CA 91404

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Since the 1970s, Galen has presented a wealth of historical Americana: silent movie programs, live concerts, festivals, radio broadcasts, courses and seminars. He does his own historical research and writings. These have appeared with Basta Records, Pearl Records, Chris Ware’s Ragtime Ephemeralist, Elderhostel, and festivals around the country. Some of the historical preservation he has contributed to includes The Arthur Marshall grave marker, Edgar Settle grave marker, E. Harry Kelly home concert for historical register, Angelino Heights Centennial, the Bradbury Building, the Gamble House, and the Pasadena Museum of History to list only some of them.

Phonograph concert	Christmas recordings of the early 20th century
Galen's seminar on recording cylinders	Seminar on the phonograph
Tom Brier hammers out his own "Razor Blades" and Galen blows away wax shavings while recording a cylinder

Galen accompanying a D. W. Griffith film with his own score.	Playing for a Christmas silent film

Magic Lanterns were the first projectors. They became popular for the home in the 19th century, lasting into the early decades of the 20th. It was used to entertain and educate. Christmastime was known as “lantern season”, when cold weather and long dark nights kept people indoors. Views of foreign lands, daily life & play, comedy and more. Exhibit of original posters, tickets and artifacts.

HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Halloween & Harvest Time Make a unique Halloween event with a combination of phonograph recordings, silent films, and an exhibit of vintage Halloween cards & music! Available for the month of October.
Christmas & Holiday Season Make the season extra special with live piano, the phonograph, magic lantern or silent movies. Select any of them. Also includes a great exhibit of period cards. Available December 1 - 25.
COMING ATTRACTIONS

A guide to historical restaurants in Los Angeles. Where to find LA eateries that have been serving the southland for over 50 years, some for a century.

The Ragtime Years (1976-1978) A radio broadcast over WVHC that brought many of New York's ragtime personalities to the air. These included Max Morath, Rudi Blesh, David Jasen and Mrs. Joseph Lamb.

It's Rag Time! (1980-1987) A comprehensive radio series on KCSN that featured many of southern California's performers and scholars. Some who appeared were Dennis Pash, Dick Zimmerman, Ian Whitcomb, Jo Ann Castle, W. C. Chester, Jim Turner. NOTICE:  a CD archive is being created of these broadcasts. If you have any tapes from the above series Galen Wilkes would appreciate hearing from you. Programs with guests or special topics are of prime interest.   See address below.

The Palm Leaf Ragtime Orchestra (1985-1991) A period-style orchestra that rendered ragtime and popular music of the era, with vintage and new material arranged by Galen Wilkes. Live shows always included creative programs - accompanying period films, recording wax records acoustically, vocal ragtime by the New Century Quartet, and vaudeville entertainment with silent screen star Billie Rhodes.

The Ragtime Ball: Galen Wilkes felt something was missing from the ragtime revival:  dancing to the music. After meeting dancemaster Desmond Strobel, he created The Ragtime Ball. These enchanted evenings (with everyone in period attire) were complete with cakewalk contest. The idea has been picked up by all ragtime festivals and is now a standard feature.

Ian Whitcomb Show: Galen appeared as guest, host and co-host producing many outstanding broadcasts on this very popular Los Angeles radio program.

CD and FOLIOS by Galen Wilkes Order Information Send check or money order to:  Galen Wilkes PO Box 2176 Van Nuys, California 91404 USA Foreign countries must provide international money order and add additional $8.00 to prices below.
	RAGGED RHYTHM CD  $15 (+ $4 shipping and handling for mail orders) or 2 for $25 (+ $5 shipping) or 3 for $35 (+ $6 shipping) Outstanding CD anthology of Galen' rags, presenting 17 of ragtime's top performers. Includes extensive liner notes and photos. Receiving excellent reviews and response.
	PIANO RAGS Volume One  $13 (+ $5 shipping and handling for mail orders) Contains 10 piano rags in classic, folk, popular and novelty styles. Includes The Creeks of Missouri - his most popular rag. Others are:  Leprechaun Rag, Puppy on the Piano, Daffodil, Old Boston Post Road, Spanish Moss (tango), Wisteria Rag, Whippoorwill Hollow, Aphrodite (rag waltz).
	AUTHENTIC RAGTIME  Volume Two $13 (+ $5 shipping and handling for mail orders) Contains 10 more rags in various styles.  Ragtime Bluebird, Magnolia Rag, Mephistopheles' Two Step, Redwood Rag, Baltimore Rag, Sedalia Stomp, Boone County Rag, Horsefeathers, Last of the Ragtime Pioneers, Streets of Sedalia.
	PIANO SYNCOPATIONS  Volume Three $13 (+ $5 shipping and handling for mail orders) More Wilkes compositions. The Oyster Shimmy, Sweet Dreams, Niantic by the Sea, Queen of Diamonds, Hollywood Rag, The Water Witch, Cakewalking through Kansas, Mexican Mirage, Sunnieside Stride
	RAGTIME INSTRUCTOR A Primer for Beginners of Ragtime Piano. $12 (+ $5 shipping and handling for mail orders) This folio features 14 easy ragtime selections, all composed by Galen demonstrating different styles and syncopated rhythms. Includes cakewalks, rags, and ragtime waltzes. For piano teachers and students of any age.

Just some of the many recordings featuring Galen’s music, including piano roll and wax cylinder!

OTHER RECORDINGS OF GALEN WILKES' RAGS

More recordings are being announced

WRITINGS ON RAGTIME by Galen Wilkes The Rag-Time Ephemeralist Volume One is an outstanding 112 page magazine filled with historical articles, photographs, music and research.   Galen Wilkes' article The Black Lamb of the Family details the forgotten minstrel shows of classic ragtime composer Joseph Lamb.  Includes rare photos, and lost music. Volume One is sold out. home.earthlink.net/~ephemeralist The Rag-Time Ephemeralist Volume Two is an even larger magazine with many articles by noted scholars. Galen Wilkes, contributes his research into the life of Missouri composer Lee Edgar Settle, appended by new information, interviews, and photos. home.earthlink.net/~ephemeralist Joseph F. Lamb. The Complete Stark Rags This European produced CD features the dexterous Guido Nielsen on solo piano.  Includes a beautiful 14 page booklet by Galen Wilkes with photos and color reproductions of Lamb's rags. www.basta.nl James Scott -- The Complete Works Guido Nielsen performs all of Scott's works, including the waltzes and songs, on this 2 CD set. Includes extensive 32 page color booklet by Galen Wilkes, with rare photos, new info and music. www.bastamusic.com/news.html Keyboard Wizards of the Gershwin Era. Volume 5  Arndt, Bernard, Bargy, Banta & Bloom A terrific series of period recordings from Gershwin's era, produced by renowned musicologist Artis Wodehouse.  Excellent, informative booklet by Galen Wilkes.  Piano styles run from ragtime to novelty, 1912 - 1928.  www.keyboardwizards.com

Last updated 06/22/08
© 1999-2008 Galen Wilkes