Bolcom studied at the University of Washington, Mills College, Stanford University and with Messiaen in Paris. He has served as professor at University of Washington, Queens College and City University of New York. He also served as music critic for Yale and as artist in residence at NY University School of the Arts. Bolcom wrote two operas, Dynamite Tonite and Greatshot, in the style of modern cabaret with topical satire. His keyboard works Black Host and Frescos are of a philosophical nature, communicated with ornate and flashy music. Bolcom has participated in the restoration of ragtime, both in his recordings of standards and his composition of original tunes. Some of his larger works contain bits of rag. He has published a book with Robert Kimball titled Reminiscing with Sissle and Blake (1973). ~ Lynn Vought, Rovi