Born and raised in Connecticut, Ryan Sands began his musical journey in 2012. He has performed with Phil Markowitz, Jimmy Bruno, Zach Brock, and John Escreet, and become a rotating member of the Christian Sands Trio. Notable past performances include a month-long residency in Shanghai for Lincoln Center, Boston Celebrity Series, Jordan Hall, Umbria Jazz, and EFG London Jazz Festival. We had the pleasure to catch up to discuss his music and career.
Ryan, thank you for catching up with Occhi Magazine. For readers unfamiliar with you, please tell us more about your background and what drew you to a career in music.
I was drawn to music my whole life. My Father played R&B around the house, and my mother played Gospel all the time. My first experiences with music were at my family’s church in New Haven, Varick AME Zion, on Dixwell Ave, and Neighborhood Music School. I remember being amazed by the musicianship in my church. The band was locked behind the choir led by Charlene McCorn and later Marcella and Dudley Monk-Flake. The music had command over everybody in the church and was infectious. The music got into your spirit, got into your soul, and made you believe you can do anything.
Neighborhood Music School is another place that holds near and dear to me. That’s where I learned and got my start. I started with my then-teacher turned friend Jesse Hameen II. We met at the New Haven Jazz Festival back in 99′-00′. My parents have seen that I wanted to pursue drums from an early age and were trying to find me a teacher. Various teachers denied me as a student except him. I met him backstage at the festival, and he asked me to play for him. After hearing me for 5 seconds he said he’ll take me on. We’ve been inseparable ever since. His teaching has led to many life-changing moments for me. I was able to meet a lot of different legends like Elvin Jones, Ben Riley, Bobby Watson, and Jackie McLean. He taught me how to groove and the importance of a drummer’s role. He gave me the foundation for playing Jazz/Black American Music.
The combination of those experiences and having an older brother who plays at a high level gave me all the confidence in the world that I can do this. I wanted to be a musician and be great one day. I wanted to touch people’s hearts, affect the world through music, and be a vessel of change in music.
Who were your early influences and how did they impact your career?
My brother is one of my biggest influences. His stage presence, style, and how he carries himself have affected me. Like Jesse, he’s the one that told me and believed that I could be something great. He took me under his wing since I was young. He brought me on the road with him while he was Christian McBride, brought me to his lessons with Dr. Billy Taylor, and now became one of the main drummers in his band. I had a front seat on many of these occasions to learn, develop and make some of the best music of my life. Being around him taught me how to read the room, put a setlist together, how to talk to the audience, and how to put on a show.
Speaking of musical influences, Elvin Jones, Roy Haynes, and Brian Blade were the ones for me. In High School, I had a HEAVY Elvin phase. I would go down to my local record store called Merles or Sally’s in Westport and get whatever I can with Elvin Jones on it. I had it all at one point. From Sonny Rollin’s Live at the Village Vanguard, McCoy Tyner’s Inception, or everything he did with Trane I had it all. I studied those records inside and out. The way Elvin lays back on the beat, the force he drives with, and how he builds intensity still keep me up at night.
Roy is special to me because there are some parallels in our playing styles, both share the same birthday, and he’s from Boston, and I used to live in Boston when I was attending New England Conservatory. We Three was one of the records that did it for me. The precision, clarity, tone, and orchestration of ideas were mesmerizing.
Brian Blade’s overall existence changed my life. His approach to music is breathtaking. He has a way of hitting your emotions through the drums that’s so extradentary that it made me want to do the same. His band, the Fellowship, inspired the way how I write melodies, how to convey emotion through my music and be authentic.
You spent your formative years at the Educational Center for the Arts and Manhattan School of Music. Tell us about your experiences and how time spent at these institutions shaped your appreciation of music.
I did ECA for one year before transferring to Manhattan School of Music’s Pre-College Division. ECA gave me the foundation of my musical journey. I learned my music theory and how to play in an ensemble from former director Jeff Fuller. ECA was special because my family came through that program for generations. It was a beautiful time from ’09-’10. What changed was when my parents arranged an audition for me to get into MSM’s Pre-College program that summer.
I remember doing the audition and getting the call that I made the school, but there was a stipulation; I couldn’t go to both schools. I had to choose one or the other. The family decided that MSM was the best choice. While attending ECA, I had to be at my High School, Amity High School, from 7 am to 12 pm, and then take a bus from Woodbridge, CT to ECA and be there from 12:30 pm to 4 pm Monday-Thursday. I didn’t have time to practice, my grades started slipping, my playing level was making minor improvements, and I was too tired. MSM was in New York, college-level classes, playing level was top notched, and it was one day a week on Saturdays from 10 am-3 pm.
While at the pre-college division, that’s when the switch came on for me. Richard Huntley, Felipe Salles, James Saltzman, and Jeremy Manasia turned my life upside down being their students. They were tough on me- I thank them dearly for their toughness because if they weren’t, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Every week they had me checking out records from left and right out of the school library; learning the linear notes in the records; learning the musical vocabulary of Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Roy, and Charles Wilcoxon; learning core, and extended, Jazz repertoire from Duke Ellington, Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, Horace Silver, and more; transcribing solos; learning the Jazz language inside and out.
In a nutshell, ECA got me in the door for learning but MSM got me ready once I was in there.
So, you’ve worked with the likes of Geoffrey Keezer, Phil Markowitz, and Christian Sands. Please tell us more about your collaborations and, to what extent, these experiences have influenced your artistic ingenuity.
Outside of those three, I’ve worked with some extraordinary musicians. The ones that stick out to me are Yasushi Nakamura, and Tamir Hendleman. I’ve worked alongside Yasushi in my brother’s band for years and with Amina Figarova. From my first gig with him in 2016 at Blues Alley in D.C., I’ve noticed his composure, professionalism, and how he gets straight to business. The man is solid like a rock. He nailed every transition, played with solid time, and constantly fed the music. I never experienced anything like that in my life at that point. I’ve never been around someone so calm and yet monstrous at the same time. It was by playing with him that I learned to perform with urgency. He would constantly drill “Get into it, Ryan” or “play with urgency” during my first two years with him. It was him where I learned to play with no fear.
Working with Tamir taught me how to shade and the beauty of dynamics. Tamir is coming out of the piano trio tradition of Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, and Oscar Peterson. Close-knit setup on stage, adding twists and turns to standard repertoire. The first time I worked with him, he would tell me to let the music breathe and play more in the air because I was being too bombastic. A tune that challenged me the most and changed my musical approach was his arrangement of Le Tombeau de Couperin by Maurice Ravel. That arrangement had everything; dynamics; space, pacing; surprises; and swung like crazy.
Please tell us more about your project, Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow.
Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow was first thought of in grad school and constructed during the pandemic. I wanted to record and make music that speaks to me and people. I had the title for the record was decided on back when I was a student at MSM. I remember being at the lunch table with my friend Conor O’Hale and telling him about the album title and how I wanted it to look. Conor was excited and encouraged me to pursue it when the time was right. That time didn’t come until three years later during the pandemic.
I just moved back home from Shanghai in February 2020, and everything shut down in March. Emotionally, and mentally it was a trying time for many of us performers. It was getting a lot to deal with. I started to doubt myself as a person, doubted my career path, and doubted that I can survive in this world. As a turning point, I sought out the help of a therapist during that time to work through my issues. Those sessions jumpstarted my love for music again, the drive to start the record, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have written, Never Say Die.
During the bulk of the pandemic, I worked at a bbq joint in my town called Mission BBQ. I temporarily took the job because I needed to support myself and needed a way to reach my financial goals to fund the record. Once I got the money, I contacted the musicians (Max Light, Alex Claffy, and Katie Martucci), got the photographer, Jati Lindsey, booked the other photographer Lorenzo Ash, and booked the studio Big Orange Sheep for two days.
I started picking tunes that’ll best support the album and my vision. I’ve Got a Tiger by the Tail, and Everybody Wants to Rue the World were the first songs that came to mind. Tiger is an interesting choice because it’s a country song by Buck Owens, and my mother and I would listen to that all the time on Willie’s Roadhouse on Sirus XM. Tears for Fears is a classic band, and I was always in love with the song, especially hearing Bad Plus’ rendition. Countdown wasn’t going to be in the record originally, but the more I listened to the song, the more I felt like it fit the album title. Call of the Ancestors was created on the spot at the studio. I wanted to create something that honored my ancestors before me and let them know they live through me. Duke Ellington’s Sound of Love was a late addition and was contributed by the guitarist on the album, Max Light. We were working hard all day on the last day and needed something to mellow it out.
Max mentioned this tune, learned it in 5 minutes, and knocked it out in two takes (the take you hear on the album is the first take). Oleo was another late addition. The one that sticks out here is Faith. This tune meant the world to me. Katie Martucci knocked it out of the park and her pen game was strong throughout the song. The story is about longing for love and letting it go, and hope was the perfect ending to the record. And Christian’s piano solo was insane! Love it to pieces. Claffy was the MVP during the whole session. He nailed every tune, gamed me up, and assured me I was solid throughout.
After recording, mixing, and mastering for a couple of months, it was time for the artwork. I’m used to drummers having their faces or portraits on the album cover. I wanted something unique. I wanted an illustration like some of my favorite albums have. Svhen did the artwork Michael Mayo’s Bones. When I saw that, I knew I wanted him to work on mine. We went through weeks of swapping emails and drafts of the work. Lastly, we landed on an illustrated version of Lorenzo’s photo of me.
When it was all said and done, it took about eight months to complete everything, including physical CD orders, Bandcamp creation, website, promo, etc.
Congratulations on the album. We wish you the very best of success with it. What do you love most about being an artist, and particularly a musician?
I love the freedom and expression of it. It’s endless possibilities and explorations. Music can transport you anywhere mentally, physically, or spiritually. To be able to reach people in that way means the world to me.
What would you say are your three strongest character traits, and how are they applied in your career as a drummer?
Adaptable, easy-going, and versatile. Adapting to new surroundings has kept me on my toes and learn new things. I’m always down to have fun. I never take myself too seriously, and keep things light on and off the bandstand. Versatile in knowing many kinds of music and genres. With versatility, I have more influences to pull from to create something new or add flavor to the music.
What advice would you give to fellow artists and the start of their careers?
Health. Your mental, emotional, and physical health is number one. You are a human being before you are an artist. Going to therapy, eating healthier, and exercising have saved my life. It teaches you to work through and overcome internal struggles, teaches regulating your emotions, build self-love, and work on your interpersonal relationships. How you eat, sleep, and exercise all matters down the line. I strongly encourage all musicians to try it. We need you out here, and YOU matter.
If you believe, keep God first and understand your calling. God didn’t call you to be a musician. You’re calling is to be a bridge, a messenger, a healer to the world. God blessed you with music and chose you to bless lives that way. Understand that what we do is a gift from the creator and should be treated with appreciation. Understand even if you fall, God will be there to bring you back up, mashallah.
A dream will stay a dream until you act on it. To make the dream come true there’s a mantra I like to say; I can, I will, I must. I can succeed, I will succeed, and I must succeed. I can do the work, I will do the work, I must do the work. Write your goal on paper and attach it to I can, I will, I must. Write down who and what you do this for. Let that be your driving force because nobody takes the dream from you but you.
It’s not always about what you do on stage; it’s what happens off-stage. It’s easy to get caught up on the music alone, but it’s more than that. Be professional by showing up on time, keeping your composure, and looking the part. Promote your shows like your life depends on them by creating posters and contacting radio stations and newspapers.
What other projects are you working on?
I’m a part of a band called Altus. It’s a chordless quintet featuring Neta Raanan, Nathan Reising, David Adewumi, Isaac Levien, and myself. We’re releasing our first studio album, Myths, either this year or next. Be on the lookout for that record. It’s going to be amazing! I’m recording with my brother for his next studio project on Mack Avenue this Summer. This October/November, he’s dropping his Christmas album. It’s so tight! It jams like jelly.
Other projects include a possible tribute concert to Geri Allen and Ralph Peterson’s project, Triangular this Fall/Winter. Another thing I’m working on is creating a late-night Jam Session in New Haven. It’ll be great for the city of New Haven.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
Ryansmusic.com or follow me on Instagram at ryan_sands_drums
Photos, courtesy of the artist, by Eva Kapanadaze and Adam.artphoto.jazz
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