MICHAEL RAGONESE
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Genre: Jazz
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Aline Séjourné
Short Bio​
Los Angeles based jazz pianist and composer Michael Ragonese has become one of the most in-demand voices of his generation, performing, touring, and recording with icons such as Barbra Streisand, Walter Smith III, Ben Wendel, Mark Turner, Dayna Stephens, Charnett Moffett, Bennie Maupin, Dave Binney, and Engelbert Humperdinck. With two acclaimed albums, Day to Day (2019) and Stracci (2023), Ragonese has established a distinct sound rooted in jazz, classical music, and his Italian heritage.
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His third album Chasing Calm, recorded in January 2025 and released October 10, reunites his powerhouse quartet featuring Walter Smith III, Luca Alemanno, and JK Kim. The record has already drawn early attention and will be featured in the December 2025 edition of DownBeat Magazine.
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In support of the release, Ragonese is currently on a full U.S. tour throughout 2025, with a European tour planned for February 2026. A regular performer at top jazz clubs and a featured clinician at universities, Ragonese continues to expand his voice and presence in the modern jazz landscape.
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“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