PRESS QUOTES

Jim Dragoni performed at Who Got The Jazz? at World Cafe Live! and brought the fire. His clear, sharp and warm tone accented our celebration of guitarist, George Benson without needing to be George Benson.  Dragoni's style fits in that dynamic valley between the mountains of McLaughlin, Zappa, Montgomery and Coryell. That's a great place to be.  As featured special guest guitarist Jim Dragoni provided powerful solos, thoughtful accents and hot rhythms all night.   -Homer Jackson, Producer, Painted Bride

“From the very first notes of Jim Dragoni’s guitar, you know that this musician is FOR REAL and in full command of his instrument. Dragoni’s technique is flawless, empowered by a soulful spirit and years of experience and training. As his compositions and singing continues, you have a warm smile and nod your head, because you know this is going to be a truly magical evening. DRAGONI has got the GOODS!”  David Foss, Director, Da Vinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
 

...his playing is simply brilliant..." Dr. Herb Wong, international jazz critic and record company executive  

"...his compositional skills far surpass many of his contemporaries" Ed Wismer, Cape May Star
 

"Jim Dragoni is a musician of considerable skill, talent, and versatility, to say nothing of his historical knowledge of jazz and folk music.  He recently agreed to sit in with my big band, and he absolutely nailed every style we attempted, including swing, Latin, ballad, contemporary, and funk. He also gave a wonderful master class, giving our students a spot-on picture of the real life of a modern musician.  I personally was most thrilled with the concert we played that night. Jim has a great voice and delivery " Chris McCourry, Artist/Teacher, Director of Jazz Studies/Trumpet--Hillsdale College, MI

 "Sometimes it rocks, sometimes it swings, sometimes it is pure sweet poetry" Steve Lopez of the Philadelphia Inquirer 
 

"Jim's ensemble playing and original compositions are superb..." Gerry Givnish, the Painted Bride Arts Center  
 

"...soulful rhythm with strong guitar riffs and an intense solo from Jim Dragoni" Steve Randazzo, Germantown Courier, reference to recording "Worlds" on Gazelle Records 
 

"Exciting performance...it was a gas!" Jenneth Webster,  Lincoln Center, NYC. 

"Check out his technique, the effortless speed...has thoroughly mastered his instrument...it would seem there's not much more for him learn about his craft" Jack Lloyd, in feature article, the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Review by Karl Stark,  Philadelphia Inquirer

Jim Dragoni
Gargantua
(jim@dragoni.com ***)

This salty disc from guitarist Jim Dragoni is kind of a rough recording, but the playing startles the synapses.

The Philly guitarist, who studied with jazz sage Dennis Sandole (teacher to John Coltrane and other jazzerati), is a questing soul who can venture inside or outside the chord changes with the grace of a cat burglar.

Working with a series of venerable axes, from a Kubicki Stratocaster to a '43 Epiphone Emperor, Dragoni makes the antiques sound nubile again.

The solo "Night of the Firefly" lives up to its name, giving a kind of Celtic cascade to some fierce playing. The session of mostly originals features a challenging improvised piece, "Circles of Infallibility" with another regional treasure, tenor saxophonist Odean Pope.

Dragoni, who likes occasionally to flex his chops caveman-style, cooks to a driving froth on "Cloud Dance." The bugaboo feel with tenor saxophonist Elliott Levin, drummer Ed Watkins, and bassist Stephen Rossmeisl recalls some old glory.  (actual bassist:  Dylan Taylor, Rossmeisl played on other cuts)

Jim Dragoni is a composer, guitarist and teacher.   His performance areas include blues,  jazz and his own fiery original brand of hyrbidized cross genre art-music.  His music has received airplay in Europe as well as in the United States. He has been recognized for years on the East Coast as an artist, teacher and performer.

Call 866-450-0826 for info on the Music Studio in Chestnut Hill where Jim practices his art.

Review from Cape May concert, 2005

Past performances include:

Lincoln Center,  Mellon Jazz Festival,  Cape May Jazz Festival, Odette's, Havana, Academy of Music, Painted Bride Art Center,  The Art Alliance,  River Blues Festival, West Chester University, WHYY.FM, WRTI.FM, Widener University, Odettes...to name a few.

"Exciting performance...it was a gas!" Jenneth Webster, Program Director, Lincoln Center;  reference to performance on 8-20-93  

"...his playing is simply brilliant..." Dr. Herb Wong, international jazz critic and record company executive  

"One of Philly's finest"....Karl Stark, Philadelphia Inquirer
 

"Sometimes it rocks, sometimes it swings, sometimes it is pure sweet poetry" Steve Lopez of the Philadelphia Inquirer  
 

"Jim's ensemble playing and original compositions are superb..." Gerry Givnish, the Painted Bride Arts Center  

"Music flows from Dragoni's instrument as smoothly as maple syrup...his compositional skills far surpass many of his peers" Ed Wismer, Cape May Star and Wave
 

"...soulful rhythm with strong guitar riffs and an intense solo from Jim Dragoni" Steve Randazzo, Germantown Courier, reference to recording "Worlds" on Gazelle Records  

"Check out his technique, the effortless speed...has thoroughly mastered his instrument...it would seem there's not much more for him learn about his craft" Jack Lloyd, in feature article, the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

 Jim Dragoni’s Workshop on Dave Van Ronk   The Philadelphia Folk Festival   Sponsored by The Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation  Friday August 14, 2026 at the Culture Tent   Jim Dragoni addressed the nearly 100 attendees at the workshop on Dave Van Ronk with  this: “It’s no small thing to be interpreting Dave Van Ronk’s stuff; especially (as) everyone  here has seen him just about, and I’ve seen him many times here and at the Main Point.  The first one is called, “The Loving Spoonful.’” Dragoni then accurately fingerpicks this  double entendre Rev. Gary Davis song as his phrasing of the lyrics is both articulate and  heartfelt as he wields his full sounding Emerald Custom Carbon Fiber X-20 12-string  guitar. Van Ronk sings this on his 1966 LP, No Dirty Names. He then segues into “Losers”  from Van Ronk’s 1983 LP, Going Back To Brooklyn, with biting lyrics such as, “See that  kid sitting back at the bar? He's picking up a storm on a Martin guitar; that poor fool  thinks he's gonna be a star! He's just another loser like me.”  Watching an interview with Van Ronk prior to him playing “Losers” on the internet, Van  Ronk says that he was originally into playing jazz and he was probably the only folksinger  at the time that could play diminished chords. This makes it even more apropos for  Dragoni to interpret his songs as Dragoni is one of Philadelphia’s premier jazz guitarists  and has played many gigs, including with Mose Allison and performing at the Lincoln  Center in his ongoing career.  From Van Ronk’s 1959 debut LP, Dave Van Ronk Sings Blues, Ballads & A Spiritual,  Dragoni gives the Walker Davis tune, “Come Back Baby,” life with his perfect picking. This  was a wise choice by Dragoni as “Come Back Baby” is one of Van Ronk’s finest songs and  has also been included in several of his later releases.  “Dave’s songs were not heard for many reasons; as he was singing about real life which  includes murder, being abandoned, drugs and so on. So, you can see why he died broke  and he also did lots of songs in the Public Domain as he didn’t have to pay to do them  but then didn’t make any money on them. He did have 20 albums between studio and  live albums but these songs are the ones that I’ve heard for over 30 years and really  love,” explained Dragoni to his audience.”   He then offered up the Van Ronk’s interpretation of the Traditional murder ballad,  “Frankie’s Blues,” taken from the 1964 LP, Just Dave Van Ronk. Next, avoiding murder  but singing about being left behind, Dragoni cleverly picks out Ben Harney’s 1896’s first  ragtime song, “You’ve Been a Good Old Wagon but You Done Broke Down,” ala Dave Van  Ronk style. This first appeared on Van Ronk’s 1963 LP, Folksinger, but it can also be heard  on several of his other recordings due to its popularity. In homage to the recent passing  of Roy Bookbinder, a fellow musician and friend, Dragoni played Bookbinder’s, “You  Can’t Do That No More,” and with lyrics like, “Barbeque will kill you; fried chicken might  do the same. Fried ham and red-hot gravy, don’t even say their name,” which Dragoni  explained as “health advice.”   Dragoni then shared, “Dave had a very self-deprecating humor and he once said, ‘I  wanted to play jazz in the worst way; and I did!’” Appropriately, he plays Van Ronk’s  version of Billie Holliday’s “God Bless the Child,” again from Just Dave Van Ronk. Up next  was the double suicide ballad, the Traditional “Silver Dagger” from the 1964 LP, Inside  Dave Van Ronk.  Van Ronk did put out a jazz CD, Hummin’ To Myself, in 1990 and, as  Dragoni introduces Walter Donaldson’s and Gus Kahn’s song from that recording,  “Making Whoopee,” as “marital advice,” he shows off his expert jazz phrasings. Jumping  right into the Traditional “Long John,” again from Van Ronk’s Folksinger LP, Dragoni  speeds up the tempo as you again appreciate the mastery of his instrument.  Sharing the story how Dylan had released Van Ronk’s version of “House of the Rising  Sun” on his 1962 Bob Dylan LP ahead of Van Ronk releasing it on his 1964 Just Dave Van  Ronk LP, which nettled Van Ronk, Dragoni sings this song in the appropriate woman’s  point of view.  He then segued into Les Chandler’s “Green Rocky Road,” a standard at many of Van  Ronk’s shows that first appeared on his 1963 LP, In The Tradition. Every time I saw Van  Ronk perform it, as he sang the line, “Ooka dooka soda cracker, does your mama chew  tobacco? If your mama chews tobacco, then ooka dooka soda cracker.” He would then  stop the song to interject, “In math, that’s called a tautology!”  For you fellow Dave Van Ronk lovers and those who haven’t discovered him yet, please  try to seek out the CD of his live 1964 concert entitled Hear Me Howl, as it’s Van Ronk at  his best. To seek out Jim Dragoni’s music, simply click on dragoni.com. Kudos to The  Philadelphia Folk Song Society and The Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation for having  Jim Dragoni grace the attendees of his workshop on Dave Van Ronk with an expert,  enlightening and informative experience. --Pete Sardon, Writer     southlandblues.com and Blues Music Magazine