The young entertainers

Walking into the Missouri Theatre on Monday afternoon was like walking straight into the past, where ragtime reigned supreme and musicians conquered the crowd. Two large pianos pressed against each other on stage, and the lights beamed on a solo artist pounding away at the piano during the “Blind” Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival. The powerful piano player with the patriotic vest and top hat, however, was not the usual performer at the festival, which ends tonight. Instead, 15-year-old Adam Swanson added a new spice for the ordinary salt and pepper festival-goers.