Since the 1980s, US artist Jim Ragland has been composing and producing incidental, scene change and underscoring music for the professional theater. Projects have included tiny fringe theaters as well as The Kennedy Center. Credits include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway production, "The Kentucky Cycle," and 100s of other shows - like Shakespeare, Chekhov, August Wilson, and Sam Shepard. With dozens of Spotlight Awards from The Seattle Times, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Theater Puget Sound, Variety says: “[Jim Ragland] creates worlds that capture the imagination."
Jim Ragland creates music that is perfectly aligned with a project's story line, and is a genius at combining styles, ethnicities and periods to come up with something that sounds familiar and catchy, but is still original.
Amazing solo ragtime guitar piece. Sounds like two guitars, but it isn't. Make a great silent movie score, Instrumental, Folk Music, Finger-Picked Guitar
Piano with a string trio in a yearning, emotional transition piece composed for a production of Harold Pinter's "Betrayed" Instrumental, Classical Music, 20th Century
A choir of angels with orchestra and harpsichord builds to a dramatic climax that just keeps going, with a celestial blues guitar finish, Instrumental, Action Music, Action Adventure Music (pending)
Swampy, smart, slinky little country blues piece for one finger-picked acoustic guitar, one slide and a harmonica, Instrumental, Blues Music, Country Blues
Old-fashioned non-resonator finger-picked banjo with stiff acoustic guitar and gritty slide, evokes a simple cheerful hobo on a country road, Instrumental, Blues Music, Country Blues
Sophisticated, elegant violin and piano in a 30s-40s style upscale bounce. Perfect for luxury items, well dressed beautiful people out on the town. Very New York, Instrumental, Dramatic Music, Smooth Music
Slightly fruity, dignified, maybe even stuffy, somewhat cartoony piece for piano and pizz strings. Nice melody, very catchy, nice humorous touch. Pantomimish, touch of BBC, Instrumental, Classical Music, Romantic Period
Passionate, swaggering slow blues shuffle with a searing lead guitar. Composed for a production of August Wilson's "Fences" Instrumental, Blues Music, Chicago Blues
Slow, sexy trade between sax and trumpet leads over piano chords. The last tune of the night while the slightly drunken couple weaves out of the club, Instrumental, Blues Music, Chicago Blues
A 20s/30s show music feel ala Gershwin by way of Danny Elfman, with clarinet and sax over piano and percussion. Could be great in a cartoon or a period piece. Nice ritard at the end makes it a great transition, Instrumental, Dramatic Music, Broadway Music
A bright, cheerful violin melody over a Broadway-style 30's piano. Very stylish and elegant, evokes beautiful people in evening gowns and tuxedos getting into expensive cars. Great commercial music for luxury products like perfume, cars. Instrumental, Dramatic Music, Whimsical Music
Loping, confident, swaggering 60s R & B with piercing lead guitar and sexy trumpet (Pink Martini's Gavin Bondy), Instrumental, Blues Music, Chicago Blues
Joyful gospel-flavored hand-clapper with great trumpet (Pink Martini's Gavin Bondy) and organ solos. Can easily be edited to feature your favorite solos. Same feel as "Jesus Be a Fence" Instrumental, Blues Music, Chicago Blues
Alice has a bad dream. Synth horns over drums, constantly modulating until it is ridiculously high. A bit of a scary clown feel. Instrumental, Dramatic Music, Hectic Music
From a swing stage production of Alice in Wonderland. Great Fanfare into followed by a bouncy swinging kick-line, great solos on sax, muted trumpet and vibes, Instrumental, Cartoon Music, Cartoon Jazz
Light, airy delicate Croatian melody in ten-four time with a choir of "ahs", a mandolin, viola and accordian. Gorgeous, simple and distinctive. Instrumental, East European Music, Croatian Music
Circus march with a flute in the lead, a melodramatic break, a marching drum break and a calliope feel. Could be a merry-go-round. Instrumental, Circus Music, Amusement Park Music
A belly-dancing piece for two mandolins and percussion. structurally repetitative, done to click, easily edited. Dynamically simple but melodically infectious, makes a great background. Instrumental, Middle East Music, Bellydance Music
Circus march, merry-g-round or amusement park music with a marching drum a xylophone, oom-pah organ and a tuba. Smart and very catchy. Instrumental, Circus Music, Amusement Park Music
