Michael Ragonese is an acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and educator based in Los Angeles. Born and raised in LA, he began his musical training in classical piano before developing a deep commitment to jazz in his high school years. He went on to earn a degree in jazz piano from California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where he received top honors at major festivals including Reno and Monterey and was recognized as an outstanding soloist.

Since graduating, Ragonese has become one of the most in-demand pianists of his generation, performing, touring, and recording with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Walter Smith III, Mark Turner, Charnett Moffett, Bennie Maupin, Ben Wendel, Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Alphonso Johnson, John Daversa, Tierney Sutton, Stanley Jordan, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, Shoshana Bean, Dave Binney, Bob Sheppard, and others.

Ragonese made his debut as a leader in 2019 with Day to Day, featuring Walter Smith III. His second album, Stracci (2023), drew from his Italian heritage and classical background. In 2025, he released his third album, Chasing Calm, featuring his quartet with Walter Smith III, JK Kim, and Luca Alemanno. The album blends modern jazz language with classical textures and intricate rhythmic concepts, marking his most personal and reflective work to date. Chasing Calm received significant critical acclaim in the U.S. and Europe, including praise from DownBeat Magazine, which wrote in its December 2025 issue: “Acclaimed pianist Michael Ragonese has created an album that celebrates the search for peace; the originals are striking - especially the title piece. A deceptively deep album... take time with it, it’ll pay you back several times.”

Following the album’s release, Ragonese completed a full U.S. tour in 2025, with the majority of performances selling out. He continues to tour extensively with his band throughout 2026, including a major European tour beginning in February, with appearances at leading venues and festivals. Highlights include performances at Camera Jazz Club in Bologna, sponsored by the Bologna Jazz Festival.

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Alongside his performing career, Ragonese is deeply committed to music education. He founded the Rags School of Music, an outreach-based program for young musicians pursuing serious musical study. He is also the co-founder of Modern Artist, an advanced high school jazz program led with saxophonist Alex Hahn, which brings together some of the most outstanding young players in the state. In addition, Ragonese is a founding director of the Libretto Conservatory, a partnership with the renowned Libretto Jazz Club in Paso Robles, California—recognized as one of the Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the United States. The program works with high school and college-level combo ensembles and regularly hosts guest clinicians including Sullivan Fortner, Joel
Ross, and Taylor Eigsti.