Jazz pianist and composer Michael Ragonese returns this fall with Chasing Calm, his highly anticipated third album — a beautifully introspective project reflecting his ongoing search for stillness, balance, and peace in an often chaotic world.
Set for worldwide release on October 10, 2025, Chasing Calm showcases Ragonese's continued growth as a composer and bandleader, drawing on jazz traditions, classical influences, and his Italian heritage. The music is at once modern and grounded, lyrical and complex, exploring that elusive space between tension and serenity.
Ragonese kicks things off with the release of “Alone Together” on August 8 — a jazz standard reimagined in 9/8 meter. “This arrangement flows differently,” Ragonese says, “but it still feels lyrical and natural. It opened up new rhythmic ideas I hadn’t explored before.”
Featuring his trio with Luca Alemanno on bass and JK Kim on drums, the track sets the tone
Ragonese describes Chasing Calm as “probably the most personal record I’ve made so far.” Written and recorded in January 2025, the album blends modern jazz, classical harmony, and improvisational dialogue in compelling and innovative ways.
“It’s not about achieving peace,” he explains, “but about the search for it — how my mind is always moving, always thinking, yet striving for presence and focus. The music reflects that in its structure and flow — a balance between clarity and complexity.”
The album features a top-tier lineup:
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Michael Ragonese – piano
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Walter Smith III – saxophones
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Luca Alemanno – bass
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JK Kim – drums
Smith, who appeared on Ragonese’s debut album Day to Day, brings his signature voice to the project, while Alemanno and Kim provide a deeply intuitive rhythm section that balances energy with restraint.
Beyond his work as a performer, Ragonese is also a passionate educator and mentor. He founded the Rags School of Music in 2021 and co-created the Modern Artist program in 2023 to guide high school students toward creative careers.
His most recent initiative, the Libretto Conservatory (in partnership with Libretto Jazz Club), supports college musicians preparing for professional careers. Students from his programs have gone on to earn top honors from DownBeat Magazine and gain acceptance to elite music schools across the country.
“A fresh, transcendent level of expression – high energy, hard swinging and off the charts imaginative improvisational trad jazz.”
– Jonathan Widran, JW Vibe
“Michael Ragonese falls into that category as evidenced by his latest release ‘Stracci’… a propulsive and unpredictable trio.”
– Pierre Giroux, AllAboutJazz
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