Ryan Montana has arrived. Through journeys with industry stars, and studies with music legends, Ryan has developed as a contemporary indie artist belonging to the growing community of studied, genre melding, multi-faceted performers that are taking music back to it's collective roots.

A singer-songwriter, jazz saxophonist, recording artist, touring musician, producer and studio engineer, he was born and raised in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Bozeman, and has been living and recording in Southern California for about 9 years.

Initially moving to San Diego to serve as the Artist Community Director for MP3.com after studying music performance at The Hartt Conservatory, and Duke University, Ryan has since been an active teacher, studio musician and live performer world-wide.

Ryan's freshman effort on SOTA Records "A Dance Called Life," was produced by the Big Mountain founder, Quino, and was mastered by the legendary Bernie Grundman.

His latest studio time and production work has been with some great up-and-coming artists; Jamie Varley, The Fryday Band, and miss Brandy Vaughan (an amazing singer-songwriter whom in 2004, took top honors in the Gibson Acoustic New Musician Award.

In 2004 the intensely hip "ArmchairIntelligentsia/DancefloorSuperheroes" release by the ever elusive Mr. DSP took awards in the LA Music Awards for "Artist of the Year".

Ryan is currently recording new indie projects with Steph Johnson, his own band The Ten O'Clock Scholars, and touring internationally with The Kings of Rhythm.

Education and Background:

• Attended The Hartt School of Music, University of Hartford, Connecticut
• Majored in Music Performance and African-American Studies -Studied with Jackie McLean, Nat Reeves, Steve Davis
• Duke University, Durham, North Carolina -Majored in Music Performance, with Minor in Cultural Anthropology
• Studied and performed with Paul Jeffrey, Ellis Marsalis, Sonny Rollins -Lead and orchestrated Duke Big Band during European summer tours
• Arranged music for Duke Concert Jazz Ensemble

Performed in numerous international music workshops and festivals, including:

• Stanford Jazz Workshop & Festivals -Aspen Jazz /Snowmass Festival sponsored by the Thelonious Monk Institute
• Jazz Montana Festivals -The SweetPea Festival
• Acqui Terme Jazz Festival, NC International Jazz Festivals (Italy)
• Boys Harbor Music Festivals, East Hampton, NY -Vienne Jazz Festival (France)
• Kansas City Barbeque and Blues Festival -Bordeux 24 Hours of Music Festival
• Alicante Jazz Festival
• Rauma Blues Festival
• Santa Blues Festival
• Gexto Jazz Festival
• Sparta Blues Festival
• Adjudicated Jazz composition competitions at the Conservatory of Monaco (FR)
• Studied and taught at various music workshops and festivals throughout Europe

On the web:
http://ryanmontana.com
http://myspace.com/ryanmontana