Bio

NH Jazz Pianist, Teacher, Recording Engineer, DJ

Ryan Parker is a musician who has been active in the New Hampshire Seacoast music community for 20 years. A jazz pianist, teacher, recording engineer, and DJ, Ryan offers an unmatched mix of talent, leadership, and cutting-edge sound technology.

Studying piano since age 12, Ryan graduated cum laude from University of New Hampshire with a degree in music education and went on to earn his Master’s in Jazz Studies from the New England Conservatory on a scholarship. Loving the freedom of jazz, Ryan really started understanding its history while at UNH and had the opportunity to play with the best there, including Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, and Dick Hyman. At NEC, he studied with and was inspired by global musicians such as Michael Cain, Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, and Danilo Perez. Ryan has also been an instructor of jazz studies and jazz piano at the University of Southern Maine, University of Maine Augusta, and Philips Exeter Academy High School.

Today, Ryan plays in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire and around New England. He directs and plays with musicians from all over the world almost every Sunday night at The Press Room, filling the vacant piano bench left by the passing of Seacoast fixture Tommy Gallant in 2003 and originally joining the Jim Howe Trio. He first had the opportunity to invite the likes of Herb Pomeroy, Gray Sargent, and John Lockwood when he served as Director of the Celebrity Concert Series at UNH Manchester in 1996. In 2007, Ryan formed the New England Jazz Initiative—along with Les Harris Jr on Drums, Keala Kaumeheiwa on Bass, and Chris Humphrey on vocals—with the goal of educating and energizing the jazz community.

Ryan is currently working on an album of recordings from The Press Room. His first jazz album featured Herb Pomeroy on trumpet and presented himself in quartet and duo settings, overdubbing three piano tracks on a single cut (a technique introduced to the jazz world by Bill Evans). This recording was instrumental in Ryan becoming the youngest recipient of a NH Council on the Arts Grant in 2002. Known for his sophisticated sound engineering, he also records the jazz concerts at UNH and is sought out by area musicians to make full-length classical and jazz recordings.

For the past decade, Ryan has also been an in-demand DJ and Master of Ceremonies for weddings and events in New Hampshire and Maine. His discerning clients—who want to create a high-quality atmosphere for their guests—appreciate his extensive music education and experience. With his talent, style, and attention to detail, Ryan provides just the right amount of interaction and seamlessly mixes his client’s playlist with songs that work right in the moment.

A New Hampshire native, Ryan lives on the seacoast with his son Zachary.