sequential.js

var Q = require('q')
  , R = require('ramda');

function play(message) {
  return Q.Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
    setTimeout(function () {
      console.log('Playing ' + message)
      resolve();
    }, 3000);
  });
}

function playChain(messages) {
  return R.reduce(
    Q.when,
    play(R.head(messages)),
    R.map(
      R.curry(R.partial)(play),
      R.map(Array, R.tail(messages))
    )
  );
}

playChain(['Message 1', 'Message 2', 'Message 3', 'Message 4'])
.then(function () {
  console.log('All messages played!');
});