MICHAEL RAGONESE
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Genre: Jazz
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Management Contact:
Aline Séjourné
Short Bio​
Los Angeles–based jazz pianist and composer Michael Ragonese is one of the most in-demand voices of his generation, performing, touring, and recording with artists such as Barbra Streisand, Walter Smith III, Ben Wendel, Mark Turner, Dayna Stephens, Charnett Moffett, Bennie Maupin, Dave Binney, and Engelbert Humperdinck. With three acclaimed albums—Day to Day (2019), Stracci (2023), and Chasing Calm (2025)—Ragonese has developed a distinct sound rooted in modern jazz, classical influence, and his Italian heritage.
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His third album, Chasing Calm, featuring Walter Smith III, Luca Alemanno, and JK Kim, has received widespread international acclaim, including praise from DownBeat Magazine, which called it “a deceptively deep album” that “rewards repeated listening.” Following the release, Ragonese completed a largely sold-out U.S. tour in 2025 and continues touring extensively in 2026, including major European appearances such as Camera Jazz Club in Bologna, sponsored by the Bologna Jazz Festival.
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In addition to his performing career, Ragonese is the co-founder of Modern Artist, an advanced high school jazz program, and a founding director of the Libretto Conservatory in partnership with the internationally recognized Libretto Jazz Club.
Listen
“Ragonese is what happens when a rising star studies Brad Mehldau, dreams in Rachmaninoff, and wakes up in Los Angeles.”
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- Cadence Europa
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“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 falls into that category as evidenced by his latest release "Stracci." Ragonese and his cohorts confirm that they are assured partners in a propulsive and unpredictable trio.”
- Pierre Giroux, All About Jazz​
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"Some outstanding younger jazz pianists today, like Emmet Cohen, and Paul Cornish, stand out with unique styles. Michael Ragonese is one of them, as shown in his 2nd album, 'Stracci.' Ragonese and his trio demonstrate themselves as confident and dynamic collaborators.” ​​
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- All About Jazz
“A fine piano trio outing. Stracci reveals not so much an Evans influence as it does, compositionally, a Brad Mehldau one. Ragonese wrote six of the eight tunes presented here, and they all have beguiling prettiness combined with an assertive rhythmic insistence.”
- Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz