Info

The Carolina Shout - Ragtime and Jazz Piano with Ethan Uslan

The Carolina Shout is a podcast about ragtime, New Orleans jazz, Harlem stride piano, and swing. Ethan Uslan is the pianist and host who performs live from his living room and offers up fun commentary and stories about the music. Each episode is a short informal private concert just for you, with occasional special guests and experts. So if you are interested in a podcast about rip-roarin American piano music that’s funny, quirky, a little educational but not too much, here it is!
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
The Carolina Shout - Ragtime and Jazz Piano with Ethan Uslan
2023
November
August
May
April


2022
January


2021
September
August
July
May
March
February


2020
September
August
May
April
March
February


2019
December
October
September
August
July
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
November


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: 2017
Dec 15, 2017

Ethan starts off by showing off his cockney accent in the English law enforcement classic "The Policeman's Holiday" (1899). Then he smoothly segues into a Titanic-themed program. "The Wreck of the Titanic" is a descriptive march from 1912 that depicts musically the events of that fateful voyage. Ethan's 8 year old son and budding flutist joins him for the "Nearer My God to Thee" moment. Then Ethan plays the piece that was REALLY played as the Titanic sank ("Dream of Autumn") and finally he rides off into the sunset with "Buffalo Bill's Farewell." What does Buffalo Bill have to do with the Titanic? Was he on the Titanic with his horse? Well, maybe if you listened to the podcast instead of reading this blurb, you'd find out!   

Nov 30, 2017

In this sports themed episode, Ethan syncopates basketball, football, baseball, sailboat racing, and horse racing. Ethan also answers a letter from a fan and gives him musical advice on how to get a girlfriend. Then the 1914 Chicago Federals baseball club reemerges from history's dustbin to make an appearance. Come for the Sweet Georgia Brown, stay for the relationship advice, athletic competitions and Scott Joplin's "Easy Winners."   

Nov 15, 2017

As an appetizer, Ethan offers up "Hold Tight (I Want Some Seafood Mama)" and then he starts slurping oysters, right into the microphone (rude!). Then, rather than eating an oyster, he sings a duet with it (Cole Porter's "Tale of the Oyster"). Finally Ethan nets two obscure pieces of mollusk music: "The Oyster Rag" and "The Dance of the Oyster and the Clam." The latter is a "sand dance" that will make you want to do the lambada on the ocean floor.    

Nov 1, 2017

Ethan kicks off the episode with "Tickled to Death" (1899) by Charles Hunter. From there, things take a morbid turn. Ethan indulges in Jelly Roll Morton's voodoo inspired "Dead Man Blues" (1926) and walks us through the curious ritual known as the New Orleans funeral. Ethan dispels the myths and explains how things were REALLY done in the Crescent City - with gang violence, ham and cheese sandwiches, and plenty of beer and whiskey. 

Oct 15, 2017

Ethan duets with Gina Marie to kick off the show, with the song "It's All Right With Me" by Cole Porter. Then, Ethan launches into this episode's theme: songs about philandering. This leads to renditions of "If You Talk in Your Sleep, Don't Mention My Name" and "I Love My Wife, But Oh You Kid." Finally, Ethan shares an oddity called "Oh! You Chicken" and ends up clucking at a young lady walking down the street. 

Oct 1, 2017

French crooner Michel Du Baguette opens the episode with "C'est Magnifique," from Cole Porter's musical "Can-Can" (1953). Ethan talks about the show and plays additional "Can-Can" selections including "I Love Paris" and "Mon Homme" (which wasn't from "Can-Can" but Ethan does whatever he wants). Also, Ethan sings the praises of Equifax with a fiery passion. Finally, Ethan plays the original Offenbach Can-Can with new lyrics about Ken-Ken (a type of puzzle). This episode will make you want to kick your legs, shake your derriere and stop worrying about who has your social security number.    

Sep 15, 2017
Ethan opens up the show with "The Invitation Rag" by Les Copeland and welcomes special guest Brent Watkins, who is a filmmaker and ragtimer. Brent compares ragtime to 18th-century German literature, but before things get too hi-falutin, Ethan launches into the dramatic "Hot House Rag" by Paul Pratt. Finally Ethan regales his guest with some Les Copeland jokes from the 1920s. Do the jokes still hold up? Listen and judge for yourself!    
 
Sep 1, 2017

Today is the first day of the semester at Carolina Shout Podcast University. Experience a brief freshman orientation and jump right into Ragtime 101 with Professor Ethan. According to the syllabus, today's topics will include the Maple Leaf Rag, St Louis Blues, and more. Our sponsor is Bernard's Dehydrated Water. Tuition is free so you might as well enroll! 

Aug 15, 2017

Vocalist Laura Windley opens the show with a number fresher than Starkist tuna. Ethan plays a polka written for a Civil War Sanitary Fair, and he explains what a Sanitary Fair is (no, it is not a soap circus). Then Ethan puts together a complicated Piano Puzzle, sings a song about a spunky country girl named Neuralgia and, finally, presents an epic narrative ballad about a couple who fall in love, get married, have children, and die - without ever leaving the confines of JC Penney. 

Aug 1, 2017

Ethan puts together a train-themed episode. First he sings a song that rhymes just about every train line from the Cotton Belt to the Wabash Cannonball. Then he plays a Scott Joplin march about a massive train collision. After that, Ethan reveals his true nature as a hardened criminal. He takes out his revolver, puts a bandana over his face and holds up a train. Finally Ethan plays a WC Handy number about the Ole Miss - fastest train out of Memphis.  

Jul 15, 2017

This episode begins with Gina Marie singing "Squeeze Me." Then, Ethan reads an email from Gina about her adventures in Europe, which leads to an expensive musical gondola ride. Raw Press, our sponsor for the episode, requests Ethan to sing about juice, which he does. Ethan then plays a song about opium smoking (Limehouse Blues) and ends the episode with some Scott Joplin and some semi-investigative journalism about the all-powerful pineapple industry. 

Jul 2, 2017

Ethan presents a program of puzzle songs from the 1920s and 30s with insights provided by special guest Will Shortz, editor of the NY Times Crossword. Vocalists Doug Bowles and Gina Marie sing "Cross Word Mama You Puzzle Me (But Papa's Gonna Figure You Out)," "Cross Words Between My Sweetie and Me," and more. Ethan also presents the first known recording of an Argentinian crossword song that loosely translates to the "Horizontal Tango."  

Jun 15, 2017

Vocalist Anna Cecilia swings by the podcast studio and regales us with a few scorching hot jazz numbers. And for the first time in Carolina Shout history, we have a live studio audience (of 4 people). HIGHLIGHTS: Anna Cecilia singing My Baby Just Cares For Me, Old Fashioned Love, and Dear Old Stockholm - in Swedish! LOWLIGHTS: Ethan croons an original song about shopping at Ikea. 

Jun 1, 2017

Ethan has fun with the music of Frederic Francois Chopin. He plays some hit songs of yore that were based on Chopin's melodies, and of course, Ethan makes his own hot Chopin arrangements as well, including a romping C# Minor Waltz and a Prelude played in the styles of Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. Finally he ends the show with Joseph Lamb's Ragtime Nightingale, which drew inspiration from the Revolutionary Etude. 

May 15, 2017

Chicago jazz vocalist Gina Marie DeGregorio drops in to sing a few tunes with Ethan. Their chit-chat topics range from middle school jazz band repertoire to where/when you can get half-price martinis. Songs included are "Exactly Like You," "Love Me or Leave Me," "I Like Pie, I like Cake" and more. 

 

May 2, 2017

In this episode, sponsored by Unicorn Drops, Ethan opens up the show with a short "Carolina in the Morning." He then introduces the episode's theme: Madame Butterfly (you know, the opera by Puccini). Then he plays a jazzy "Cho-Cho San" which is a fox-trot based on Madame Butterfly themes. Opera singer Melinda Whittington drops in for "Poor Butterfly" and its not-so-feminist sequel, "Poor Little Butterfly is a Fly Girl Now." 

Apr 15, 2017

In this episode, Ethan pays his income tax and sings a song about it. Then he digs up an obscure Irving Berlin tune about an immigrant facing deportation. Finally, Ethan opens up the phone lines, and to his utter dismay, gets a robocall. He responds the only way he knows how - by playing some syncopated piano music about robots. 

Apr 1, 2017

On this April 1st episode, Ethan plays Gershwin's only cowboy song, and then transforms "I Love a Piano" into "I Love to Podcast." After a discussion of Dorsey boogie confusion, Ethan plays "Jimmy Dorsey's Boogie" and then an obscure rag by a composer who ate flowers. Upon realizing the podcast studio doors are unlocked, Ethan is rudely interrupted by his 7-year son, who sings a song about jaguars and hijacks the podcast. Our new host informs us that Ethan has been fired. Is this the end of the Carolina Shout? 

Mar 15, 2017
After a quick musical celebration of St. Patrick's Day, Ethan plays Beautiful Dreamer and does NOT jazz it up. Then he plays Mozart, and all bets are off. Finally, Ethan musically reenacts the Spanish American War. Ready. Aim. FIRE! 

 

Feb 28, 2017

As a prelude to Fat Tuesday debauchery, brother Ethan finds religion and plays a hymn. Then he plays the Tiger Rag and tells the story behind it, which involves shocking accusations of Russian espionage. Finally, Ethan learns what it means to miss New Orleans when he rides a unicycle down memory lane. Lots of old school New Orleans piano-playin' in this episode - don't miss it!    

 

Feb 15, 2017

Ethan has fun with a couple WWI songs. First he clones an army of Ethans to whistle Col. Bogey's March, and then he takes the listener to HELL for a live duet sung by the Devil and his son. Finally, Ethan embraces his inner drill sergeant and urges his listeners, through song, to sign up for the Merchant Marines. 

Feb 1, 2017

Prima donna Lady Melinda Whittington joins Ethan for an anglo-inspired Downton Abbey-themed program. Put on your lorgnette as Lady Whittington warbles one of the smash hits from London's hit 1916 musical: Chu Chin Chow. Then, take off your dinner jacket and enjoy some low-falutin American jazz. And be sure to stick around for the grand finale: Ethan and Melinda assume the roles of Lady Edith and Lady Mary, engaging in a rhyming musical insult-fest that would titillate the dowager countess to no end.  

Jan 16, 2017

Ethan opens up the mailbag and fields some interesting piano questions from a listener. This leads him to play "The Entertainer" and then some fancy Harlem-style fingerwork. Will Ethan's digits get all tied up in knots, like spaghetti twined around a battery-operated self-twirling spaghetti fork? Listen to find out! 

 
Featuring:
 
"The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin
"Jingles" by James P. Johnson
"Handful of Keys" by Fats Waller
Jan 1, 2017

Wearing sweatpants and nursing an acute hangover, Ethan sings his 2017 New Year's resolutions. Then he plays a strenuous duet with Abby the Spoon Lady. Finally, an airline pilot bursts into Ethan's home with an emergency ragtime question pertaining to a Memphis hotel-bathroom blues. 

1