Effective period / Period of releases: 1987 - 1993

Members: Jeff Venho, Lawrence Zoernig, Rick Benjamin, Henry Kao, Jimmy Musto, Anton Miller, Mark Lieb, Michele Zanky, Joe Russo (12), Roger Riccomini, Rich Gradone, Leslie Cullen, Rick Shapiro (2)

The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra is the world’s only year-round, professional ensemble re-creating “America’s Original Music” – the syncopated sounds of early musical theater, silent cinema, and vintage dance.

The orchestra came into being as the result of Rick Benjamin’s 1985 discovery of thousands of turn-of-the-century orchestra scores. In 1988 the Orchestra made its formal debut at Alice Tully Hall – the first concert ever presented at Lincoln Center by such an ensemble.