J. Ramada “Imaginary Thunder”

Producer – Artist – Songwriter. J.Ramada is currently recording with 4-Time Grammy Award winning engineer Seth Atkins Horan. His debut record “Tongue & Groove” was written, arranged, performed and recorded while holding down an FM Radio DJ Spot on KOTR 94.9 FM and a small art gallery in San Luis Obispo county, Cambria/Big Sur. The album went on to receive international airplay with television and film credits, including multiple MTV Behind The Music performances. Local gigs along the central coast of California led to busking in Europe and catching a ride with several major touring bands, helping out behind the scenes.

After two years of crisscrossing North America and Europe Mr. Ramada made a hard landing back in Los Angeles. “I saw a lot of the world but I needed a job”. Remembered for his gallery work, he received a call one day to work with a special effects team in Hollywood. Suddenly he was blowing up cars for rock stars and making it rain on Hollywood back-lots.

While filming one day at Paramount Studios, J.Ramada was approached by two men who asked him if he could provide special effects for a house party. “Uh, not really – I don’t really do house parties”… “Are You sure?” the gentlemen asked. “It’s going to be a really big party up in the hills”. It turned out the celebration was Prince’s Academy Awards Party. The “Uh, not really” quickly turned into “Hell Yah!!”. And so an excited and somewhat nervous J.Ramada set off to visit Prince with his special effects to create purple clouds and laser lights at his mansion in the hills. Coincidentally he had just seen the legend perform two months prior at San Jose State University stadium from the nosebleed seats.

The afternoon before the party, while J was testing out the purple cloud machines and lighting, Prince came out of his studio to see if he liked what J was doing. It turned out that Prince didn’t really like what J was doing and he wouldn’t need the purple clouds after all. J hung his head in shame and told Prince that he could leave all the lighting effects on a timer and he would return in the morning to pick everything up. “Oh no” said Prince “You are invited to the party”.

He couldn’t believe it! J.Ramada was soon back at Prince’s house after midnight in the Hollywood Hills. Watching, listening and standing in front of the small stage in the 3rd floor ballroom of the mansion. Prince was jamming with Sheila E wailing on the drums and the original Revolution rocking hard for a hundred of tinsel towns biggest stars. Suddenly Prince signaled to J with his telecaster to get up on stage and sing. “Come on!.. You Know The words!” Prince launched into a couple of cover tunes … Workin Day & Night and Play That Funky Music White Boy with J.Ramada on backups then lead vocals… The tinsel town stars were poppin and the famous people thanked him when he got off stage. At the end of the night as the sun was coming up and everyone was leaving, J.Ramada thanked Prince for inviting him to his party and the jam.

Prince said two words… “You Sing”

Thus the stage was set for J.Ramada’s follow up record. Not sleeping for almost three days after the Prince jam, J.Ramada began writing what would become “Too Many Days Without”. The record was recorded in Los Angeles and Prague featuring the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. The orchestral sessions were arranged and conducted by noted film composer Ludek Drizhal. Songwriter/Filmmaker Monty Greenlee collaborated on the title track as well as the soul-searing Americana numbers Hard Times and Cadillac Angel. The record launched a single and music video “Star Sixty Nine” utilizing a fractal hologram, the first of its kind in a rock video.

The video became particularly popular in South America. Musician friends contributing: David Leach-Drum & Percussion (Ben Harper, Marvin Etzioni, Earth Wind and Fire), Bass player Johnny Flaugher on 405 (Ryan Adams, Joseph Arther, Joshua Radin) and guitar legend Doug Pettibone-Laptop Steel on Hard Times and Cadillac Angel (Ray LaMontagne, Elvis Costello, Sting).

In between recording projects “J.Ramada Radio” was released – surpassing 750,000 streams on digital platforms worldwide. “J.Ramada Radio 2” is currently in production.

J.Ramada’s newest record is Turquoise, a 5 song EP featuring the current single Imaginary Thunder. Seth Atkins Horan returns to the helm (their 5th project together) with J.Ramada writing, producing and playing most of the instruments. Percussionist extraordinaire David Leach also returns to lay down Drum and Percussion with Scott Wright stepping in on trumpet and flugel horn.

Turquoise is scheduled for U.S. release in Spring 2021.