Mick Kinney

On his previous release, Nothing Left to Chance, multi-instrumentalist Mick Kinney ventured into archaic folk and nostalgic balladry with a scattershot approach that covered a myriad of yesteryear genres. Now the delightfully retro-minded artist is focused on the documentation of original piano rags, first popularized in the early 1900s. Rag Nouveau may be the only Atlanta-based release this year of ragtime instrumentals. But you never know, perhaps he’s on the cusp of a new fad; the same way the The Sting soundtrack LP renewed interest in the genre more than 30 years ago. And, just as astute pop bands pay tribute to the Beatles or Big Star, nods to the signature styles and challenging time changes of rag innovators Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake are included. Throughout, the crafty Kinney swings his inventive compositions (“Palindrome” and “Major Conundrum” are particularly effective) with the self-assured feel of a thoroughly informed modern composer, faithfully retaining the primitive spirit of the originators. 4 stars