Regular Gig-Mates:
Hugh Pool
Charlie Kohlmeyer
Mark Shulman
Mike Visceglia
Joe Bonadio
Aaron Swinnerton
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Valerio Piccolo
Joe Taylor
Jeff Franzel
Rob Silvan
Don Wallace
Rick Quintinal
Marshall Toppo
Maartin Allcock
Pete Zorn
Annie Roboff
Ernest Chapman
Tripp Dudley
Donnie Sowell
Steve Holley
Paul Ossola
Alan St. Jon
Jeremy Wall
Tony Cimorosi
Steve Benson
Spiros Exaras
Emre Yilmaz
Gilad
Alejandro "Alex" Garcia
Rich Goodhart
Shahram Shiva
Deepak Chopra
Occasional Gig & Stage-Mates:
Curtis Winchester
Gil Parris
Thierry Arpino
Anthony Candullo
James Wormworth
Brian Mitchell
Wynot Jansveld
Jordan Trotter
Enrique Haniene
Pablo Vergara
Jorge Bringas
Bob Baldwin
K.J. Denhert
Ray Levier
Steve DePra
Dave Fields
Melvin Sparks
Gina Breedlove
Richard "Cookie" Thomas
Joe Carter
Tim DeHuff
Rob Mathes
Tracy Silverman
Allison Brown
Joe Craven
John R. Burr
Garry West
Fiamma Fumana
Daevid Allen
Gilli Smyth
Randy Brecker
Prasanna
Andy Bey
Vernon Reid
Hubert Sumlin
The Roches
Bernice Johnson Reagon
SaRon Crenshaw
Montgomery Delaney
Michael Mugrage
Rex Fowler
Darden Smith
David Wilcox
Jane Siberry
David Johanson
Richard Barone
The Kennedys
Steve Forbert
Arlo Guthrie
Shawn Colvin
Michael McDonald
Josh Joplin
N'dea Davenport
Marshall Crenshaw
Felicia Collins
Nils Lofgren
Paul Avgerinos
Jamie Sieber
Jim Brickman
Randy Crafton
Paul Horn
Michael Harrison
Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Hansa Aldin
Discography:
Rob Silvan; This Night, Skyhook Records 2008
Kathleen Deignan; The Gift, Round Sky Music 2008
John Ragusa; Deseo, Moonwatcher Music 2007
Beth Nielsen Chapman; Prism, BNC Records 2007
Joe Taylor; Accidental Sugar, Moonwatcher Music 2007
Rob Silvan; The Breathing of the World, Skyhook Records 2007
Tony Cimorosi; Horizon, Epoch 2006
Shahram Shiva; RUMI: lovedrunk 2006
Montgomery Delaney; Changing Shoes, Nightstick Records 2005
Murray Low; Slipping Away 2005
Rivka & Sara Rothstein, Mirele Rosenberger; Woman Soul 2004
Murray Low; Stories 2004
American Lullaby; Bedtime Songs, Ellipsis 2003
Michael Jonathon; Homestead, Poet Man 2003
Beth Nielsen Chapman; Deeper Still, Artemis 2002
Mulebone, Red Tug Records 2000
Rob Silvan; Quintet, Skyhook Records 2000
John Ragusa & Rob Silvan; Beneath It All, Skyhook Records 1999
Rich Goodhart; The Gathering Sun, Beginner's Mind Productions 1999
Ben Murray & Siobhan Quinn; Two Rivers, Rosewood 1999
Tom Ze; Fabrication Defect, Luaka Bop/Warner Bros. 1998
A.J. Gundell; Collection, Andes Records 1998
Larraine & Skip Morrow; Partners, United Anarchist 1998
Lou DelBiano; Around The World, Storymaker Records 1998
Steve Cramer; A False Sense of Security, Hourglass Soul 1997
Montgomery Delaney; Walking in the Light, Nightstick Records 1996
Bernice Lewis; Isle of Spirit, Blue Bikku 1996
Rich Goodhart; Never Give a Sword to A Man Who Can't Dance, Beginner's Mind Productions 1995
Not Necessarily the Blues; Live From Uptown, Whale Bone Records 1992
Rich Goodhart: Affirmative Reply, Beginner's Mind Productions 1991
Not Necessarily the Blues; Live at Lena's, Whale Bone Records 1990
Rich Goodhart: Divining Signs, Beginner's Mind Productions 1989
Not Necessarily the Blues; Live, Whale Bone Records 1988
Cathy Winter; Breath on my Fire, Rounder Records 1986
Also:
Best of the Lazy Lounge 2006
Musical Gifts; JRM Holiday Sampler 2005
Oasis Blues Sampler Volume 4, 2001
The Best of Anyone Can Whistle; Vol. 1" Sampler, Anyone Can Whistle 1994
As Yet Unreleased:
Manhattan Prairie Reserve; Radiant Living
Corbin Dooley; Deeplooker
Al Gorgoni; untitled
Deepak Chopra w/ Beginners Mind; Soul Offerings: The Yoga of Love
Films:
Count Me In: Story of A Swing State, Frameless Films 2004
Tie Died: Rock n' Roll's Most Deadicated Fans, Sundance Film Festival, BMG 1995
Rumi Documentary Film
Influences
...and INSPIRATIONS: Ian Anderson, Paul Horn, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Herbie Mann, Yusef Lateef, Joe Farrell, Hubert Laws, Frank Wess, James Moody, Sam Most, Eric Dolphy, David "Fathead" Newman, Ian McDonald, Jeremy Steig, Charles Lloyd, Wendy Stern, Julius Baker, James Gallway, Jean Pierre Rampall, Robert Dick
Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Tommy Johnson, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf, Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Sonny Boy Williamson, Slim Harpo, RL Burnside, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Bill Evans, Tony Bennett, Paul Winter, Oregon, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Bruce Cockburn, Bonnie Raitt, Ry Cooder, Gong, Yes, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush
Henry David Thoreau, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Daniel Berrigan, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Theresa, Victor Frankl, Rumi, the natural world
“John Ragusa is one of today’s finest improvisational flutists” Paul Horn
John Ragusa is a veritable one-man orchestra and has been called “One of today’s finest improvisational flutists” by the legendary Paul Horn. Known for passionate performances on a range of instruments, from traditional western flutes - bass, alto, concert and piccolo - to unique wood flutes, pennywhistles, harmonica, jews harp, pocket trumpet, and the didgeridoo, John is also one of the world’s premier conch shell players.
John performs an original and compelling mix of jazz, roots, latin, blues, and world music as a soloist and with his band - in New York City and around the world. Along side his favorite bluesman, Hugh Pool, John is one half of the award-winning blues duo, Mulebone, and for the past 10 years has been featured in concert and on recordings with the acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman.
John provides original music accompaniment for poets and authors Shahram Shiva and Deepak Chopra, as well as for Jonathan Starr, Margot Anand and others. He is featured on dozens of albums and movie soundtracks and has recently released his newest CD – “Deseo” which is available through Moonwatcher Music, on iTunes, and on the internet.
In addition, John manages a “boutique” music booking agency, John Ragusa Music, which provides exceptional music for private events in New York and around the country. He grooves happily and peacefully in New York City.
With Paul Horn at The Abode of the Message, Lebanon, NY
With T. Model Ford at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 1998
With Beth Nielsen Chapman at the Bierskeller, Bristol, England
deseo....just released!
The album is produced by the multi-talented Joe Taylor and features live-in-the-studio band performances of jazz, soul, rock and pop songs including originals and some surprising covers. It features two songs from one of America’s great singer-songwriters, Beth Nielsen Chapman, who contributes a stellar vocal performance on her song “That’s the Easy Part” as well as background vocals on two other songs.
THE BAND IS:
Joe Taylor - Guitar (Al B. Sure, Dave Koz, Donna Summer, Oracle)
Alan St. Jon - Organ & Fender Rhodes (Billy Squier, John Entwistle, Foreigner)
Jeff Franzel - Piano & Fender Rhodes (Shawn Colvin, Clay Aiken, Frank Sinatra)
Paul Ossola - Bass (Saturday Night Live Band, Phoebe Snow, The Roches)
Steve Holley - Drums (Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, Junior Brown)
THE TRACKS ARE:
1 Trouble Man - Marvin Gaye
2 Deseo - Joe Taylor, Jeff Franzel & John Ragusa
3 Riders on the Storm - The Doors
4 That's the Easy Part - Beth Nielsen Chapman (guest vocalist)
5 Hounds of Winter - Sting
6 Living in the Past - Ian Anderson (A tip of the hat to Tull)
7 Last Train Home - Pat Metheny
8 Beyond The Blue - Beth Nielsen Chapman & Gary Nicholson
9 Cloud Creatures - John Ragusa & Rob Silvan.
10 Not Yet - Joe Taylor, Jeff Franzel & John Ragusa.
The band from John's new album "deseo", The Living Room, NYC
Hey Buddy....Can't wait to get a hold of an autographed copy of "Deseo"....sufice to say, Yo deseo esto immediatamente!....I'll hear you at the Ear Inn soon...and will be sending you rushes from the new record so you can add that beautiful touch of yours to it...all the best
Hi John, saw you twice in Nottingham playing with Beth Nielsen Chapman - brilliant! We bought your album too. Thank you for your beautiful music, Carmina
John, thanks for your kind comment, I saw you play recently with Beth at The Stables in in MK. A great gig and you played wonderfully, so I'm even more chuffed!
