{"title":"Will And James Ragar","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"will-and-james-ragar","title":"Will And James Ragar","description":"\u003cp\u003eA wonderful album full of Balearic vibes, funky riffs and mellow moments, originally released in 1980. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e BBE Music are excited to announce this highly sought after album titled \u003ci\u003eWill \u0026amp; James Ragar\u003c\/i\u003e which will be reissued on vinyl and CD as well as across digital platforms. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e James and Will Ragar hail from Louisiana, where their early education into music began. At a young age they moved to New Orleans - where they heard live Jazz for the first time. This inspiration is demonstrated through their free approach to this album.  Their natural evolution through the Louisiana club scene saw them develop and hone their talents of adding that southern swag to covers they did, almost making them their own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWill \u0026amp; James Raga\u003c\/i\u003er is a blend of acoustic and electric tones, carefully and cohesively put together by the brothers. \"As The Day Grows Tired\" is the first song on the album and one of the first songs James wrote. The theme for \"She's Laughter\" is about returning home to someone you love and features a heavy guitar solo. \"My Shining Sun\" has an unusual jazz form and is an ode to the joy of playing music. \"Don't Wish\" was inspired by a jazz chord progression that was a favourite, James played the solo on a pearwood soprano recorder. Gary Roberts played percussion on the session and also played the flute on \"Just A Wanderer\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Barely Breaking Even","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":50469494882635,"sku":"2020619","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"LP","offer_id":50469495374155,"sku":"2020620","price":37.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/0196626188458_b490bcaf_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727361641"},{"product_id":"forever-bayou-paradise","title":"Forever \/ Bayou Paradise","description":"\u003cp\u003eBBE Music with the first-ever re-issue of this sun baked folk\/jazz hybrid 45 by Louisiana brothers Will and James Ragar. First released in 1981, this private press 7\" showcases their songwriting skills, refined performance and sophisticated compositions. Remastered by Frank Merritt the re-issue has an analogue warmth that the brothers say sounds even more pleasing than the original. Will and James Ragar began as the Will James Band performing on the popular 'Crawfish Circuit' of Southern Louisiana - this circuit included New Orleans, Thibodaux and Baton Rouge. They played blues, rock and jazz combos, covering everything from James Taylor to Jimi Hendrix. Eventually evolving into an acoustic folk-rock duo by the time they entered the studio in 1980. Both tracks on the 45 were recorded at River City studios in Baton Rouge in 1980. The engineer had the Allman Brothers on his list of recording credits, so they felt they were in excellent company. \"Bayou Paradise\" was an ode to the beauty of Southern Louisiana. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe studio band included Will \u0026amp; James, John Smart on keyboards, his solo on \"Forever\" was achieved with the Legendary Analog Prophet synth and saturated the studio with rich layers of its distinctive sound, driving the up-tempo chorus. Dave D'Aubin, a versatile bass player whose resonant tone is very present on both songs. Tommy Jefferson is on drums, an alumnus of the Southern University jazz program, the same place Randy Jackson and Billy Cobham studied. Tommy used a tight higher pitch snare drum on the recording, a sound that would soon become very popular, but at that time was a little ahead of the curve. The session was recorded on analogue tape using the 24-track MCI recorder and mixed down to analogue tape for the single. Will \u0026amp; James added vocal harmonies and soaked up the fidelity during mix-down. The release coincides with the long-awaited re-issue of the brothers' album \u003ci\u003eWill \u0026amp; James Ragar One\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BBE","offers":[{"title":"7\"","offer_id":50477277872459,"sku":"2006003","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d507a18d9e275a5815ca97c027c094c7_125f436e_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727467939"},{"product_id":"the-baton-rouge-ep-2","title":"The Baton Rouge EP","description":"\u003cp\u003eLeading the way for the upcoming release of their Acoustic Album LP, Will and James Ragar's Baton Rouge EP is four tracks of sublime southern swagger, soulful Americana and lazy, summer afternoon grooves blending with some sweet, sweet vocals. All four tracks were originally written in the late 1970s and recorded in Baton Rouge in 1980, adding a flavour that reflects the musical melting pot of Baton Rouge and the wider Louisiana cultural exchanges that can be heard in acts ranging from the Neville Brothers through to Doctor John, James Booker and very definitely, Will and James themselves. Releasing on BBE Music as a 12” vinyl record and as a digital download, the Baton Rouge EP precedes The Acoustic Album vinyl LP release which will feature tracks written mainly in the 70s and 80s and recorded in Arkansas in 2016. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bbe","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50984478474571,"sku":"2227315","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_41cea649_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1734414347"},{"product_id":"the-acoustic-album-3","title":"The Acoustic Album","description":"\u003cp\u003eComing as part of a series of releases on BBE Music that have been curated by Paul Hillery, Will and James Ragar's The Acoustic Album is another masterpiece of Americana and the brothers' folk-soul sound that links to artists including Terry Callier, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Richie Havens. A sound that has a geographical spread from across the USA, and in the case of of James and Will develops a Southern Bayou breeze that drips with AOR, Country and Soul with echoes of Woodstock and Laurel Canyon. Will and James Ragar were born in Texas and Arkansas respectively and their 'Will and James Ragar One' debut album, recorded in 1980, was the first to be re-issued on BBE Music. With the four track Baton Rouge EP now joined by the vinyl release of The Acoustic Album the label offers music fans an absolutely essential cannon of music that defines the genre. The Acoustic Album features 16 tracks written between the late 70s and mid-90s and recorded as an album over one session through April of 2016 in Conway, Arkansas. With the brothers playing acoustic guitars (Will a Rainsong and James a hand made S. Yairi) this session allowed them to record dual guitar and their vocals into layered harmonics. The album becoming a series of songs that reflect and pertain to periods of transition in the lives of the brothers as individuals and as a musical duo. Releasing as both digital and a double vinyl LP The Acoustic Album complements the BBE releases of Will and James Ragar's One LP, the recent Baton Rouge EP and adds yet another 'must have' LP in a music lover's collection.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BBE Music","offers":[{"title":"Black LPx2","offer_id":50993216127307,"sku":"2236825","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/test_6a6ba426_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1734631626"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/collections\/will-and-james-ragar.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}