TERRY WALDO & THE GOTHAM CITY BAND, Treasury Volume 3

There’s something especially satisfying about the final chapter of a musical journey when the artist resists the temptation to go bigger and instead goes deeper. That’s precisely what pianist, historian and ragtime ambassador Terry Waldo accomplishes on Treasury Volume 3, the concluding installment of his remarkable trilogy for Turtle Bay Records. Rather than simply revisiting the most familiar cornerstones of early jazz and ragtime, Waldo and his Gotham City Band shine a light on delightfully offbeat repertoire that reveals just how imaginative, humorous and endlessly inventive this music remains more than a century after its creation.

As with the previous volumes, the greatest pleasure comes from hearing an ensemble that understands this material from the inside out. The performances feel conversational rather than carefully preserved, with clarinets, cornets, trombone, banjo and rhythm section constantly trading ideas as if these tunes were being discovered in real time. Waldo’s piano sits comfortably at the center of the action, alternately nudging the momentum forward, answering the horn lines and stepping into the spotlight with the easy confidence of someone who has devoted a lifetime to understanding the language.

Among the collection’s many standouts is the witty, uber-charming opener “Minnie the Mermaid,” whose playful spirit immediately establishes the album’s light touch and storytelling flair. The Gotham City Band then digs into King Oliver territory on “Canal Street Blues,” transforming the classic into a rambunctious showcase for the group’s seamless interaction and period-perfect swagger. Waldo’s affection for Jelly Roll Morton surfaces throughout the set, particularly on the exuberant “Kansas City Stomp” and the closing “Black Bottom Stomp,” both delivered with infectious momentum and enough collective firepower to remind listeners why Morton’s music remains foundational to early jazz.

Elsewhere, “Louisiana Fairy Tale” offers a gentler interlude filled with warmth and graceful ensemble textures, while “Buddy’s Habits” balances sly humor and musical sophistication in equal measure. Throughout the album, the musicians never sound as though they are recreating history. Instead, they immerse in and inhabit it completely, bringing personality, spontaneity and genuine delight to every phrase.

By the time the final notes fade, Treasury Volume 3 has accomplished something increasingly rare. It invites listeners to appreciate the artistry and ingenuity of a bygone era while experiencing the music as something fully alive in the present. As a fitting conclusion to Waldo’s ambitious trilogy, it reaffirms not only his stature as one of America’s foremost champions of ragtime and early jazz, but also the timeless appeal of the music itself.