About

A rising young talent in the Los Angeles jazz and commercial music scene, Ryan DeWeese’s powerful sound, musicality, and stylistic versatility make him a highly sought-after performer and recording artist.  He has performed with groups such as Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Monk’estra, the Tom Kubis Big Band, and Joey Sellers’ Jazz Aggregation, and has shared the stage with Sean Jones, Candido Camero, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Donny McCaslin, to name a few.  DeWeese has also recorded on Michael Bublé’s “love” and “Higher” albums, Idina Menzel’s Christmas: A Season of Love, episodes of Will and Grace and Duck Tales, and the feature film Bullet Train.  He currently serves as a member of the Disneyland Band, the Kyle Athayde Dance Party, the Jon Hatamiya Big Band and Nonet, the Craig Cammell Large Band, the Afro-Peruvian Jazz Orchestra, and the Clare Fischer Orchestra. 

Aside from performing, DeWeese takes great pride in his work as a music educator.  Along with his private lesson studio, he runs sectionals and clinics for various school groups and has served as a clinician/adjudicator at the Irvine Jazz Festival, Sitka Jazz Festival, and Aztec Jazz Festival.  He is currently on faculty at the Lafayette Summer Music Jazz Workshop.  DeWeese draws inspiration for education from his mother, who originally sparked his interest in music education through her drive and passion for her students.  He has been fortunate to study from many great instructors including Laurie Frink, Justin DiCioccio, Tony Kadleck, Kye Palmer, Mark Gould, Brad Davis, Rita Watson, Chuck Tumlinson, and Jeff Jarvis, all of whom instilled in him a love of teaching music. 

DeWeese received a full-tuition scholarship to attend Manhattan School of Music where he was awarded the prestigious William H. Borden Jazz Award.  After his time in Manhattan, DeWeese returned to Southern California where he earned a Master’s degree at California State University, Long Beach.  While there, he served as the jazz studies department graduate assistant and directed jazz combos and the Jazz Lab Band.