Ragtime, stride, blues and boogie woogie were first heard in down-market bars, night spots and bordellos.  After a few short years they were being played in concert halls and palaces.  They went on to influence jazz and rock piano styles and much of 20th century popular music.   

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It was those vintage piano styles from the 1920s and 30s - evolved originally for solo performance - that caught Mike's attention early on, and became a lifelong fascination..