Contemporary Jazz Flute Phenomenon Ragan Whiteside Premieres New Video ‘Thrill Ride"

Flute-playing soul-jazz phenomenon Ragan Whiteside premieres her brand-new video, “Thrill Ride,” the title track from her forthcoming album, on her label, Randis Music. Written and produced by Dennis Johnson, Bob Baldwin, and Whiteside, the single is available on all digital download and streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, and more. To view the video, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oqm0aK5GzmY.

“Thrill Ride” takes you on an energetic, musical adventure with melodic twists and turns skillfully navigated by Ragan on flute. The music video has a light-hearted, comical storyline, following Ragan on her impromptu stroll before her show. After getting dolled up by her glam squad, Ragan takes advantage of some downtime and ends up engaging in various thrill rides, skydiving, and a scooter sojourns around neighborhood. Ragan returns to the show venue a little worse for wear – much to the chagrin of her glam squad.

“I am a complete goofball at heart, and I wanted that silliness to be a part of the video,” says the native New Yorker, who now resides in Atlanta, Georgia. “If I can perform music that makes you nod your head and make you laugh, then mission accomplished.”

Composer, producer, and music partner Dennis Johnson adds, “I felt my heart racing while composing the framework of the song. I pictured rollercoasters and race cars; hence ‘Thrill Ride’ was born. The video has the perfect blend of music and comedy that complements our quirky personalities and thrill-seeker tendencies.”

This summer and fall, the classically trained flutist has a series of upcoming concert dates including Marcus Anderson’s Jazz and Coffee Escape in Asheville, NC (Saturday, August 6); Ferrario Elmira Jazz Festival in Elmira, NY (Saturday, August 13); Jazz in the Park in Huntsville, AL (September 4) with additional dates to be announced in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, as the host of her four-hour Saturday morning radio show on Atlanta’s NPR affiliate radio station Jazz 91.9 WCLK, Ragan Whiteside’s show is growing exponentially with an increase of listeners and supporters internationally.

With a streak of seven career records on Billboard’s Top 10, which includes “JJ’s Strut,” “Reminiscing,” “Jam It,” “Early Arrival,” “See You At The Get Down,” and “Off The Cuff” and the Billboard No. 1 song, “Corey’s Bop.” Whiteside was also a featured artist on two Billboard No. 1 hits, “I’m Every Woman,” and Willie Bradley’s “It's On Now.” Whiteside has released five albums to her repertoire including the 2020 five-track EP Five Up Top, 2017’s Treblemaker, 2014’s Quantum Drive, 2012’s Evolve, and 2007’s Class Axe. The instrumentalist, composer, and vocalist was also a finalist for the Smooth Jazz Network’s Artist of the Year, and for two consecutive years, she remained in the Top 5 in Billboard’s Top Smooth Jazz Songs Year-End chart issue – the only woman to rise into the year-end Top 5 in the male-dominated world of jazz.

Originally from Mt. Vernon, New York, Whiteside was mentored during high school by members of the National Association of Negro Musicians, participated, and ultimately won Silver at the NAACP’s ACT-SO (Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics) competitions for young people. She continued her education at the Cleveland Institute of Music before transferring to the highly competitive HARID Conservatory in Florida. After graduation, she attended a show at a local jazz club and met keyboardist and producer Bob Baldwin, who encouraged her to pursue a career as a contemporary instrumentalist.