Glenn Jenks

Glenn Jenks (February 9, 1947 – January 21, 2016) was an American ragtime pianist,[3][4] composer and music historian.[5][6]

Glenn Jenks
Birth nameGlenn Arnold Jenks
Born(1947-02-09)February 9, 1947
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJanuary 21, 2016(2016-01-21) (aged 68)[1]
Portland, Maine, U.S.
GenresRagtime
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1975-2016
LabelsFretless, Stomp Off, Viridiana, Bonnie Brae[2]

Career and life

Jenks was a "prolific ragtime composer, teacher and performer from Maine who fused traditional ragtime with classical music themes".[7] He attended the New England Conservatory[6] before going on to receive a degree in music from Earlham College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Jenks toured with singer-songwriter Jud Strunk between 1975 and 1978.[8] He also performed with such acts as Manhattan Transfer, Dick Hyman, Gordon Bok, Doc Watson[9] and Andy Williams.[2] In 1978, Jenks began his solo performing career and in 1979 released his first album entitled Antidote on the Bonnie Banks record label.[6]

Throughout the 1980s, Jenks served as pianist for the New England Vaudeville Review, the New Vaudeville Revival,[10] and husband and wife dance duo Tony and Karen Montanaro.[2] Jenks was an original founding member of numerous ragtime festivals and between 1989 and 2000 he produced the Harvest Ragtime Revue in Camden, Maine.[11][10][6] Jenks was a noted ornithologist and botany specialist on roses who conducted tours of gardens throughout the Camden area.[12] He founded the annual Rose Day celebration at the Merryspring Nature Center.[13]

“As a performer, Jenks was known for his energetic playing, focusing mostly on traditional ragtime idioms. As a composer, he wrote wonderfully sensitive rags, sticking close to the traditional ragtime form, but blending in sophisticated contemporary harmonies. He wrote over 30 piano rags, a string quartet, a ragtime piano concerto and many non-ragtime compositions as well.”

— Corte Swearingen[6]

Jenks was commissioned by Down East Singers to compose Heaven and Earth are Full of Thy Glory for their concert tour of Russia.[14] His String Quartet in Ragtime has been recorded and performed by several string quartets including the Laurentian Quartet,[15][16] Vancadium Quartet and the Halcyon Quartet.[12]

Jenks died on January 21, 2016, in Portland, Maine.[1]

Legacy

In 2019, the Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue premiered at the Camden Opera House in Camden, Maine.[11] The Revue revived a tradition that Jenks started 30 years prior which brought nationally-known artists together in "song, dance, humor and ragtime."[11][17] The Revue has presented awards to various ragtime performers including Sue Keller, Edward A. Berlin and Max Morath.[11][18] It also sponsors the "Glenn Jenks Future in Music Prize" in association with the Bay Chamber Concerts and Music School in Rockport, Maine.[19][5]

In 2020, a collection of Jenk’s complete rags for piano was released.[20][21]

Discography
YearAlbum TitlePerformersRecord LabelCatalog Number
1979AntidoteGlenn JenksBonnie Banks RecordsBB 101
1981Background MusicGlenn Jenks, VariousPhilo RecordsFR-157
1983The Ragtime ProjectGlenn JenksBonnie Banks RecordsBB 103[22]
1985The Ragtime Project - Volume TwoGlenn JenksBonnie Banks RecordsBB 104[23]
1988Ragtime AlchemyGlenn JenksStomp OffSOS1179
1991American BeautiesGlenn JenksBonnie Banks ProductionBB 106CD[24]
1994Easy WinnersGlenn JenksBonnie Banks ProductionBB 108CD[25]
1995Ragtime BigtimeGlenn Jenks, Dan GrinsteadStomp Off RecordsStomp Off CD 1292
1999Invitation to the DanzaGlenn JenksViridiana ProductionsVRD 2011
1999Ragtime SweetsGlenn Jenks, Susan BoyceSmart Set SoundSSS-002
2007Spider In the TubGlenn JenksBonnie Banks ProductionBB 109CD

Music publications
  • Jenks, Glenn (1993). A Garden of Ragtime, Squanlake Music. 68 pages.[26]
  • Jenks, Glenn (2020). The Complete Ragtime Works For Piano by Glenn Jenks. 265 pages.[27]

References
  1. "Glenn Arnold Jenks 1947-2016". Legacy.com. Boston Globe. January 21, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  2. "The West Coast Ragtime Festival Presents Glenn Jenks". Westcoastragtime.com. October 3, 2003. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  3. Marco, Guy (June 1, 1998). Scott Joplin. United States: Routledge. p. 430. ISBN 978-0824083991.
  4. Binkowski, Carol (January 10, 2014). Joseph Lamb: A Passion for Ragtime. United States: MacFarland Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 9780786490790.
  5. Melton, Larry (September 29, 2022). "Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue Scheduled for Oct. 23". Syncopatedtimes.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  6. Swearingen, Corte (January 1, 2022). "American Piano Music: Glenn jenks". Americanpianomusic.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  7. Tjaden, Ted (January 1, 2021). "The Interplay Between Classical Music, Ragtime, and Jazz". Ragtimepiano.ca. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  8. Shaw, Lew (March 1, 2016). "Ragtimer Glenn Jenks has died". Syncopatedtimes.com. The Syncopated Time. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  9. Mezjuev, Oleg. "Glenn Jenks". Ragtime.nu. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  10. Rooks, Jennifer (October 20, 2022). "An Exploration of Ragtime, including Maine Musician Glenn Jenks". Mainepublic.org. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  11. Mustapich, Susan (August 22, 2019). "Ragtime Revue revives the music of Glenn Jenks". Knoxvillagesoup.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  12. Robinson, Aaron (October 13, 2022). "Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue Oct. 23". Boothbayregister.com. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  13. Herald, Camden (June 17, 2022). "Merryspring Nature Center announces annual Rose Day celebration". Knoxvillagesoup.com. Courier Gazette. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  14. Antolini, Anthony (December 5, 2016). "Down East Singers Present "Jenks and Jazz"". Choralnet.org. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  15. Sherman, Robert (May 5, 1996). "MUSIC;Works by Women Gain New Attention". New York Times. USA. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  16. Thompson, Gwen. "A Maine You Can Hear". Portland Magazine. Portland, Maine. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  17. Mustapich, Susan (October 4, 2019). "Ragtime greats remember Jenks with revue revival". Knox.villagesoup.com. courier-gazettee. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  18. Gabler, Jay (December 26, 2022). "'Mr. Ragtime' Max Morath, public TV pioneer, is happily living his coda in Duluth". Duluthnewstribune.com. Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  19. Berlin, Ed (July 30, 2020). "Glenn Jenks - The Complete Ragtime Works for Piano". Syncopatedtimes.com. The Syncopated Time. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  20. Berlin, Ed (July 30, 2020). "Glenn Jenks • The Complete Ragtime Works for Piano". Syncopatedtimes.com. The Syncopated Time. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  21. Melton, Larry (September 29, 2022). "Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue Scheduled for Oct. 23". Syncopatedtimes.com. The Syncopated Time. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  22. "Tracks on The Ragtime Project - Glenn Jenks (1983)". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  23. "Glenn Jenks - The Ragtime Project - Volume Two". Discogs.com. 21 June 1985. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  24. "Glenn Jenks' CD releases". Ragtime.nu. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  25. "Glenn Jenks • Easy Winners". The Syncopated Times. 26 June 1994. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  26. Mezjeuv, Oleg (January 1, 1996). "Glenn Jenks' Music books". Ragtime.nu. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  27. Berlin, Ed (July 30, 2020). "Glenn Jenks - The Complete Ragtime Works for Piano". Syncopatedtimes.com. Retrieved January 1, 2023.


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