Spare time, what spare time? Over the past year, Rich Rankin has been working on developing an iPhone/iPad app with fellow musician, audio engineer and programmer Joseph Fosco. The experimental music app hopes to be very unique, inspiring and useful for anyone who enjoys the way music and everyday life go together. Nothing quite like it exists.

Lots of amazing guest artists appear on the latest CD release "Shining Like A Star" by artist Laura Doherty. Rich Rankin is recording and mixing the record and is co-producing with Laura. Guests include John Rice, Bryan Resendiz, Bau Graves, Andy Wilkins, Rob Newhouse, tap dancer Reggio the Hoofer, Cat Edgerton and special guest vocalist Ralph Covert of Ralph's World. Rich is also playing lots of instruments including mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and keyboards.

Rich is puting the finishing touches on a mix of the song "Lost Love" for John Wesley's Band.

Rich has just wrapped up composing and recording the score to Emmy Award-winning Writer/Director Chris Olsen’s new animated film "Karl Dahl and the Golden Cube". The hilarious action short, produced at Olsen’s Kai/Harding production studio, pits bickering vaudevillian brothers Karl and Vincent Dahl against gold-thieving villain Vile Tom in a series of scuffles and car-chases across the mythic metropolis of Atomiville. The film is the first installment in Olsen’s new animated series. The non-stop music is in a beatnik-jazz-meets-the-circus feel with ample slapstick cues in a classic cartoon scoring style. Check out the trailer!

Music artist Laura Doherty and Rich Rankin have co-produced music for Walt Disney that will be featured in an English language education series used in countries throughout the world. In addition to playing guitar, mandolin and percussion, Rich also recorded and mixed the all acoustic track which featured Laura on vocals and noted players Michael Miles on Banjo and John Rice on fiddle.

Songwriters Mary and Tom Erangey have been in the studio for a number of months teaming up with Rich Rankin on a series of new songs. The husband-wife songwriting duo, have written for and performed with several bands on the Chicago music circuit. They're working to craft songs for emerging artists, tv and film.

Tasty fast food restaurant chain Silver Mine Subs tapped into Mosaic Music again for a third year to write and produce a uniquely campy radio jingle for their western mining themed franchise. The songs are a series of throwback ditties that feature western style guitars, fiddles and an occasional harmonica.

Rich Rankin recorded and produced a handful of songs for the upcoming release "The Moleman of Belmont Avenue." Check out the trailer The horror comedy was written, directed and acted by Mike Bradechich and John LaFlamboy. The cast includes veteran horror actor Robert Englund (Best known as Freddy Krueger in Nightmare on Elmstreet), Second City's David Pasquesi and Tim Kazurinsky. The theme song was written and performed by Mike Bradechich all other songs were written and performed by the enigmatic Nicholas Barron who also plays a musician in the film.

Rich Rankin co-produced, recorded and mixed a music CD titled "Kids in the City" with artist Laura Doherty. In addition to guest musicians performing on the songs with Laura, Rich played melodica and lots of percussion including soup cans played with jazz brushes and a Honduran seed pod. Laura's version of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" was featured on the British TV Show, Dancing On Ice. Laura is has completed successful tours, won awards for the CD and teaches at The Old Town School of Folk Music, after serving for years there as the Director of the popular Wiggleworms program for early childhood music education.

Mosaic's Rich Rankin lent a 90's style, retro track (is that possible to be retro this soon?) to the indie release Carpe Millennium directed by Eric Bednarowicz. The film is a comedy about a guy who wants to lose his virginity on the eve of the year 2000. In order to do this, he starts telling lies about knowing a famous celebrity. As the lies get bigger and bolder, more and more women are interested in him. Just as he's about to get lucky, the celebrity shows up and things take a turn for the worst. Winner of 4 festival awards to date.

Mosaic recorded audio for a Bosch Tool promotion announcing their new Dual-Bevel Slide Miter Saws. Look for the promo online and at Lowes retail stores everywhere.

Mosaic provided an original score for a Qwest tv commercial that uses a comedic approach to tout their high-speed internet product. The mashup of polka and punk included performances from accordion legend Frank Caruso and clarinetist Jerry DiMuzio, Rich handled the guitars and programming.

Kate Simko composed music and Rich Rankin handled sound design and mixing for 137 Film's latest title The Atom Smashers.

Eclectic artist Andrew Bird stopped by Mosaic to record "I Shall Not Be Moved" for the Old Town School Recordings Songbook Series. Distributed by Bloodshot Records.