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Michael Ragonese: Stracci
by Pierre Giroux
It would probably be a hyperbole to say that young jazz pianists are “a dime a dozen." Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that there are some stellar younger jazz pianists working today, such as Emmet Cohen, Kenny Banks Jr., and Paul Cornish, and that if you are going to play in this league, you must have a style which sets you apart from the rest. Michael Ragonese possibly falls into that category as evidenced by his latest ...
read moreMichael Ragonese: Stracci
by Dan McClenaghan
Pianist Michael Ragonese is called Rags, a nickname given to him in childhood that stuck. His sophomore effort is entitled Stracci which means rags in Italian--a more musical sound than its English equivalent. It is a piano trio outing, a top-notch one. Ragonese's musical backstory is a common one. He began in classical studies and after a time felt constrained. He was introduced to jazz via a Bill Evans album--no better place to start--and he switched his focus. ...
read moreMichael Ragonese: Day to Day
by Paul Naser
If you haven't heard Michael Ragonese's name before, you're sure to hear it a lot more. The award winning pianist is a constant fixture in Los Angeles; if he's not a sideman at one club, he's leading a band at another. Among the many luminaries he has performed or recorded with are: Bennie Maupin, David Binney, Engelbert Humperdinck, Alphonso Johnson and Dave Koz, whose newest album will feature Ragonese. His busy performance schedule hasn't kept him from writing and perfecting ...
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