Percussion Studio Guest Artist: Ryan Brown

Percussion Studio Guest Artist: Ryan Brown

 Free and open to the public 

A native of Denver, Colorado, Ryan Brown has played drums and percussion since he was 11 years old, when he made the fateful switch from trumpet in elementary school band. He spent countless hours in his parents’ basement over the next seven years honing his craft. He then headed to Indiana University, where he studied with rock legend Kenny Aronoff and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in jazz studies and percussion, earning the university’s prestigious Performer’s Certificate as well. He moved to Los Angeles in 1999, and worked his way up in the music scene, becoming one of the busiest live and session drummers in town. In addition to his gig as the drummer for Zappa Plays Zappa, Ryan plays with Los Angeles-based bands Black Belt Karate, Madras, and in the bands of artists Arrica Rose, Keram Malicki-Sanchez and Space Oddity, among others. He has performed with many prominent artists, including Taiwanese pop star Chyi-Chin, Ingrid Michaelson, Niki Haris, Frank Stallone and the Norwegian Wind Ensemble. He has recorded tracks and albums with producers Marti Frederiksen, Mark Hudson, Mikal Reid, Russ Irwin, Rob Seals, Rob Shrock, Dan Garcia, Brian Dobbs, Klaus Derendorf, Brian Paturalski, Billy Morrison, Larry Crane and David Weisberg, to name a few. Ryan played drums on the hit single “The Real Thing” from Bo Bice (American Idol), and can be heard on releases by Foreigner, Circus Diablo, Hannah Montana, Clay Aiken, Cassie Davis, Madame Mayhem, Nick Lachey, Jesse McCartney, Heather Graham, Suzie McNeil (Rock Star INXS) and Stephanie McIntosh, as well as on the movie soundtracks for Kung Fu Panda (Hans Zimmer and John Powell), The Dark Knight (Hans Zimmer) and Ice Age: Continental Drift (Adam Schlesinger). He’s performed on recordings with Alex Lifeson, Earl Slick, Elliot Easton and Rudy Sarzo. Ryan has also appeared as a sideline musician in numerous TV shows and movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End, Mixology, Desperate Housewives, Jag and Samantha Who? (with John Taylor from Duran Duran). Ryan plays all styles of music, including rock, R&B, jazz, ska, funk, blues, folk, country and orchestral. He is a member of the drum faculty at Musicians Institute, and helped write the school’s new drum curriculum as well. He was featured in the October 2014 issue of Modern Drummer magazine.