Ryan Cavanaugh - acoustic 5-string banjo; electric 5-string banjo.
Who you might see Ryan playing with:
Bill Evans
Dennis Chambers
Victor Wooten
Sam Bush
Richard Bona
Joel Rosenblatt
Mark Egan
Ric Fierabracci
Christian Howes
Josh Dion
Chris Boerner
Nyk Bagglio
Influences
Earl Scruggs, John McLaughlin, Bela Fleck, Dennis Chambers, Hadrien Feraud, Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Allan Holdsworth...
Whether playing traditional bluegrass music, country music, blues, funk, jazz, or adding a unique twist to a modern fusion quintet with the best in the Jazz world, Ryan Cavanaugh strives to be original and innovative on the banjo.
Having shared stages with Jazz legends such as Bill Evans, John McLaughlin, Dennis Chambers, Richard Bona, and Bluegrass legends like Sam Bush, Cavanaugh's journey has taken him from the fiddlers' conventions of VA to the Jazz audiences of europe.
NEWS:
"Songs For the New Frontier" is now available for download on Itunes. Get the disk itself at www.abstractlogix.com
Also, look for Ryan on Bill Evans's new release, "The Other Side Of Something," featuring Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers and more...also available at www.abstractlogix.com
Ryan's review from the Ottawa International Jazz Festival 06.21.07:
"But the real surprise of the set was banjoist Ryan Cavanaugh. At 27 he may be a new name to most, but that won’t last long, as he’s poised to parallel Béla Fleck’s legitimizing of the banjo in contemporary jazz. Cavanaugh’s bluegrass credibility is undeniable but, while he’ll humbly tell you that he’s still got so much to learn, he’s already a remarkable jazz player. With a more aggressive edge than Fleck, Cavanaugh’s sometimes overdriven, rock-influenced tone and rapid-fire delivery suggest how John McLaughlin might sound had he picked up a banjo instead of a guitar. No surprise, really, since McLaughlin is one of Cavanaugh’s staunchest advocates and recommended him to Evans in the first place."
Read the whole article here: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26165
"Cavanaugh proved to be the surprise of the evening, his dexterity on the banjo exceeded only by his superb taste..." David Miller (All About Jazz, April 2009)
"Cavanaugh’s advanced chordal voicings and arpeggios provided some intriguing harmonic textures behind Evans’ urgent tenor sax solos..." Bill Milkowski (Jazz Times, April 2009)
More news to come soon.
dude you ruined the day of those people waiting to get on the bus! WITH YOUR HICK ASS BLUEGRASS-STYLE BANJO PLAYING!!!!!!!!! hahaaha just kidding ryan. the music is #%$^#ing rediculous as usual. love it - youve changed the course of my life!
thanks, have a great memorial weekend, and when in Nashville , stop by
the Commodore Grille weekend shows, we're there every weekend, where
the writers are.
get yourself a rest! :-) I found out today that you are contributing on Richard Bona's new album? Exciting! Let me know when you are going to play in Germany!
yo, yo, YO! Ryan! What's good wit'cha, my dude??? Shawn here- Dennis' friend- met/hung at The Iridium in nYc. Just noticed your update... didn't even realize we were linked here... !
Hope the tour is goin' well, bruh. Say "yo" to D, Vic, 'n' the rest of the fellas for me.
Ryan, the clip that you have called "Professor Pork" is completely awesome! I have played it for most of my friends and we are all blown away. I'm looking forward to hanging out with you in July. Take care man.
