Scandalous Thompson (1899)...Charles L. Johnson

[Steve Harrison]

This was published in the same year as Doc Brown's Cakewalk and may have been Johnson's first published Rag. This is probably my favourite of my arranged Johnson Rags so far. The piano score was in G/C but to make it more banjo friendly, I chose to put it in C/F. The trio makes a nice contrast to the rest of the piece, I had to be inventive with the octaves to make it all fit together. The score and midi are in the library...Steve.

[carrie horgan]

Who was Scandalous Thompson?  I wonder if that is just a 'moniker' like Reckless Rufus or whether it's a reference to some historical figure (my US history is sketchy).  I have been reading the music history books by Lynne Abbott/Doug Seroff and 'Doc Brown' pops up as an actual historical figure from Kansas City who was a celebrated black dancer in the 1890's.  There are some great newspaper descriptions of him commanding his own float during carnival days.

[Steve Harrison]

Maybe he was some shady political figure at the time?...Steve. 
carrie horgan said:

Who was Scandalous Thompson?  I wonder if that is just a 'moniker' like Reckless Rufus or whether it's a reference to some historical figure (my US history is sketchy).  I have been reading the music history books by Lynne Abbott/Doug Seroff and 'Doc Brown' pops up as an actual historical figure from Kansas City who was a celebrated black dancer in the 1890's.  There are some great newspaper descriptions of him commanding his own float during carnival days.

[thereallyniceman]

This is what the composer said about Scandalous Thompson:

"No doubt the above title for a musical composition will seem odd, and inappropriate, therefore, I will explain how it happens that this queer title is adopted. During my earlier school days the school which I attended boasted of having- the best foot ball team in the city, The most prominent member of this team was a young man named Thompson. He was prominent not only as the greatest player on the team, but for being the funniest. He was never known to be quiet in his waking hours; always on the move, usually dancing, he naturally attracted attention. One day during a game of foot ball, Thompson made one brilliant play after another, and at every play a Negro lad standing near me would make all sorts of exclamations, usually attaching the word "scandalous" to the sentence. I learned that the Negro used the word "scandalous" to praise and show his appreciation and that the word is common in that sense among the Negroes. During the intervening years I have thought many times of Thompson and the Negro. As the recollection of Thompson's dancing would invariably intrude when I was writing this piece, and I would find myself writing to his shuffle, I decided to call it by his name, and have used the word "scandalous" since it is the name he is known by to this day. Should this meet the eyes of my old school-mate, I hope that it will stir in him the feeling that inspired me to the writing of this explanation." 

[carrie horgan]

That's brilliant - thanks for that bit of historical info, Ian