{"id":39,"date":"2026-09-28T18:37:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T11:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/?page_id=39"},"modified":"2026-09-28T19:23:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T12:23:41","slug":"review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/review\/","title":{"rendered":"Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style data-wp-block-html=\"css\">\n:root{\n  --navy:#000080;\n  --maroon:#800000;\n  --beige:#e8e8d8;\n}\n*{box-sizing:border-box}\nbody{\n  margin:0;\n  background:var(--beige);\n  color:#000;\n  font-family:Verdana,Geneva,Tahoma,sans-serif;\n  font-size:13px;\n  line-height:1.5;\n}\na{color:var(--navy)}\na:hover{color:var(--maroon)}\n\n.jrr-wrap{width:90%;max-width:1120px;margin:0 auto;padding:16px 0 34px}\n\n\/* ===== BANNER ===== *\/\n.jrr-banner{text-align:center;padding-top:8px}\n.jrr-title{color:var(--navy);font-size:18px;margin-bottom:8px}\n.jrr-keys{display:inline-flex;justify-content:center;align-items:flex-start;\n  height:64px;border:1px solid var(--navy);background:#fff}\n.jrr-keys span{position:relative;display:inline-block;width:11px;height:64px;\n  background:#fff;border-right:1px solid #333}\n.jrr-keys span:last-child{border-right:0}\n.jrr-keys span:nth-child(3n+1)::after,\n.jrr-keys span:nth-child(3n+2)::after{content:\"\";position:absolute;top:0;right:-4px;\n  width:7px;height:40px;background:#111;z-index:2}\n.jrr-sub{color:var(--navy);font-size:18px;margin-top:12px;line-height:1.35}\n.jrr-name{display:inline-block;margin-top:4px;color:var(--maroon);\n  font-size:26px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:1px}\n.jrr-rule{border:0;border-top:3px solid var(--navy);margin:6px 0 24px}\n\n\/* ===== 2-COLUMN GRID ===== *\/\n.jrr-grid{display:flex;gap:28px;align-items:flex-start}\n.jrr-nav{flex:0 0 160px;font-size:13px}\n.jrr-nav p{margin:0 0 14px}\n.jrr-nav a{color:var(--navy);text-decoration:underline}\n.jrr-nav a:hover{color:var(--maroon)}\n.jrr-nav a.active{color:var(--maroon);font-weight:700}\n\n.jrr-main{flex:1;min-width:0}\n.jrr-h1{color:var(--navy);font-size:20px;font-weight:700;margin:0 0 18px}\n\n\/* ===== REVIEW BLOCKS ===== *\/\n.jrr-block{display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:flex-start;margin-bottom:26px}\n.jrr-block.jrr-reverse{justify-content:space-between}\n.jrr-block p{margin:0 0 12px}\n.jrr-block p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}\n.jrr-thumb{border:1px solid #999;flex:0 0 auto;max-width:100%}\n.jrr-block > .jrr-thumb{width:150px}\n.jrr-thumb-col{flex:0 0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:12px}\n.jrr-thumb-col .jrr-thumb{width:168px}\n.jrr-logo-sm{flex:0 0 auto;max-width:100%}\n.jrr-reverse .jrr-logo-sm{order:2;width:118px}\n.jrr-reverse > *:first-child{order:1}\n\n\/* ===== BOOKINGS ===== *\/\n.jrr-bookings{text-align:center;margin-top:30px}\n.jrr-staff{display:block;max-width:100%;width:387px;margin:0 auto 4px}\n.jrr-bookings h2{color:var(--maroon);font-size:22px;margin:6px 0 12px;\n  font-family:\"Times New Roman\",Georgia,serif}\n.jrr-bookings p{margin:0;line-height:1.7}\n\n\/* ===== RESPONSIVE ===== *\/\n@media(max-width:760px){\n  .jrr-grid{flex-direction:column}\n  .jrr-nav{flex:0 0 auto;width:100%;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0 18px;\n    border-bottom:1px solid var(--navy);padding-bottom:10px;margin-bottom:16px}\n  .jrr-nav p{margin:0 0 8px}\n  .jrr-main{flex:0 0 auto;width:100%}\n  .jrr-keys span{width:8px}\n  .jrr-name{font-size:22px}\n  .jrr-block,.jrr-block.jrr-reverse{flex-direction:column}\n  .jrr-reverse .jrr-logo-sm{order:0}\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<script data-wp-block-html=\"js\">\ndocument.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function () {\n  \/\/ \u0e44\u0e2e\u0e44\u0e25\u0e15\u0e4c\u0e40\u0e21\u0e19\u0e39\u0e0b\u0e49\u0e32\u0e22\u0e15\u0e32\u0e21\u0e2b\u0e19\u0e49\u0e32\u0e1b\u0e31\u0e08\u0e08\u0e38\u0e1a\u0e31\u0e19\n  var here = location.pathname.split('\/').pop().toLowerCase();\n  document.querySelectorAll('.jrr-nav a').forEach(function (a) {\n    var href = (a.getAttribute('href') || '').split('\/').pop().toLowerCase();\n    if (href && href === here) a.classList.add('active');\n  });\n});\n<\/script>\n\n<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html lang=\"en\">\n<head>\n  <meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n  <meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1\">\n  <meta name=\"description\" content=\"John Royen is a well-known New Orleans Jazz Pianist in the stride piano tradition\">\n  <meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"John Royen, New Orleans Jazz Piano, Stride Piano, Jazz CD Samples\">\n  <title>Reviews &#8211; John Royen New Orleans Jazz Piano<\/title>\n  <link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"reviews.css\">\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n  <div class=\"jrr-wrap\">\n\n    <!-- ===== BANNER ===== -->\n    <header class=\"jrr-banner\">\n      <div class=\"jrr-title\">New Orleans Jazz Piano<\/div>\n      <div class=\"jrr-keys\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n        <span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"jrr-sub\">\n        Featuring the<br>\n        <b>Stride Piano Stylings of<\/b><br>\n        <span class=\"jrr-name\">JOHN ROYEN<\/span>\n      <\/div>\n      <hr class=\"jrr-rule\">\n    <\/header>\n\n    <!-- ===== 2-COLUMN LAYOUT ===== -->\n    <div class=\"jrr-grid\">\n\n      <!-- LEFT NAV -->\n      <nav class=\"jrr-nav\">\n        <p><a href=\"Default.htm\">Home Page<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"Biography.htm\">Biography<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"Schedule.htm\">Schedule<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"EvergreenJazzFest\/default.htm\">Video Clip<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"SoloTraditionCD.htm\">New CD<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"StreamSamples.htm\">Listen to<br>Selections<br>from the CD<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"Review.htm\" class=\"active\">Reviews<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"RagtimeToJazz.htm\">Live:<\/a><br>\n           <a href=\"RagtimeToJazz.htm\">&#8220;From Ragtime to Jazz&#8221;<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"PerformancePix.htm\">Performance<br>Photos<\/a><\/p>\n        <p><a href=\"OldPreservatinHall.htm\">Preservation Hall<br>circa 1963<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/nav>\n\n      <!-- MAIN -->\n      <main class=\"jrr-main\">\n        <h1 class=\"jrr-h1\">Reviews<\/h1>\n\n        <!-- Offbeat -->\n        <div class=\"jrr-block\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-thumb\" src=\"Offbeat_cover.jpg\" alt=\"Offbeat magazine cover\">\n          <p>From the June, 2002 issue of <b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.offbeat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Offbeat<\/a><\/b>\n            (THE New Orleans monthly music magazine) review of John Royen&#8217;s CD written by music critic Robert Fontenot:\n            &nbsp;&#8220;John is the man who brought East-Coast style stride piano to Preservation Hall in the early 1980&#8217;s,\n            adding a syncopated ragtime beat to the traditional New Orleans sound.&#8221;&nbsp; &#8220;&#8230;as a newly recorded\n            documentation of a nearly-lost art, this is both historically and culturally significant.&#8221;&nbsp;\n            &#8220;Stride piano devotees will be happy to hear a local son of sorts delivering such a consolidation of styles;\n            the uninitiated will simply hear the sound of life, in all its beautiful, horrible complexity.&#8221;<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- Grant Simpson -->\n        <div class=\"jrr-block jrr-reverse\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-logo-sm\" src=\"StridePianoDotComLogo.jpg\" alt=\"StridePiano.com logo\">\n          <p><b>Thanks to Grant Simpson<\/b> of&nbsp;\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stridepiano.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>www.stridepiano.com<\/b><\/a>\n            fame. He has kindly linked to our website. Be sure to check out his.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- The Second Line -->\n        <div class=\"jrr-block\">\n          <div class=\"jrr-thumb-col\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-thumb\" src=\"SecondLineFall2001.jpg\" alt=\"The Second Line - Fall 2001\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-thumb\" src=\"NOJazzClubLogo.jpg\" alt=\"New Orleans Jazz Club logo\">\n          <\/div>\n          <div>\n            <p>From the latest issue of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nojazzclub.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>The Second Line<\/b><\/a>,\n              Steve Steinberg has written a review of the <b>Solo Tradition<\/b> CD. Here are some excerpts,<\/p>\n            <p>&nbsp;&#8220;There is certainly no shortage of first class jazz pianists in our town. Boeddinghaus, Butler,\n              Crawford, McDermott, Pistorius, Torkanowsky&#8230;these are just some of the names that come to mind&#8230;But\n              among this stellar lineup, John Royen holds a unique position&#8230;John is our stride guy.&#8221;<\/p>\n            <p>&#8220;&#8230;a texture and feeling that tells me more about John Royen than I knew before.&#8221;<\/p>\n            <p>&#8220;Clothesline Ballet&#8230;It really rocks and it&#8217;s an ideal way to start off.&#8221;<\/p>\n            <p>&#8220;&#8230;you&#8217;re going to want to hear this one again.&#8221;<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <!-- The Mississippi Rag -->\n        <div class=\"jrr-block jrr-reverse\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-logo-sm\" src=\"MississippiRagLogo.gif\" alt=\"The Mississippi Rag logo\">\n          <div>\n            <p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mississippirag.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Mississippi Rag<\/a>&#8211;The Voice of\n              Traditional Jazz and Ragtime<\/b><br>\n              &#8220;John is a sensational pianist,&#8221; says ace drummer Hal Smith, who has played with John for years.&nbsp;\n              &#8220;He is immersed in the Harlem stride style but he sometimes ventures into other territory&#8211;Morton,\n              Sullivan, blues, and boogie-woogie.&nbsp; Whatever style he performs is played for keeps.&nbsp; John is\n              an excellent musician, a gentleman, and a delightful musical associate.&#8221;<\/p>\n            <p><b>The Mississippi Rag<\/b> (in another issue)<br>\n              Underlining the pianist&#8217;s important role in small group jazz, (Tim) Laughlin says, &#8220;Today with clubs only\n              hiring trios, John handles the absence of the bass line like a real pro&#8230;.(He&nbsp; was) the backbone of\n              the rhythm section of my band at the New Orleans Hilton.&#8221;<\/p>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/main>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- ===== BOOKINGS ===== -->\n    <footer class=\"jrr-bookings\">\n      <hr class=\"jrr-rule\">\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"jrr-staff\" src=\"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/StaffNotes.gif\" alt=\"Musical staff notes\">\n      <h2>Bookings<\/h2>\n      <p>JRM, 14102 Wembley Rd ~ Folsom, LA 70437<br>\n         (985) 796-5200<br>\n         email: <a href=\"mailto:johnroyen@hotmail.com\">johnroyen@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n    <\/footer>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <script src=\"reviews.js\"><\/script>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reviews &#8211; John Royen New Orleans Jazz Piano New O [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"no-title","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-39","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40,"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39\/revisions\/40"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neworleansjazzpiano.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}