The Following article was written in 2005 by British jazz cornettist, author and broadcaster, Digby Fairweather:
JOHN RYAN
“All through my life, my real love has been music...” Thus John Ryan, whose first showcase album (Words Alone – The Music and Lyrics of John Ryan) this is, and who seems now set fair to join the heritage of contemporary songwriters which enfolds talents as diverse as Lennon and McCartney, Paul Simon, Neil Sedaka, Tom Waites and maybe their creative predecessors too. At forty six years old, he may seem like a latecomer to an already overcrowded genre. But John has spent most of his younger life honing his talents in preparation for what may well be – and certainly deserves to be – worldwide exposure. For twenty-five of those years he worked as a professional firefighter in Florida (a job which lends extra poignancy to the stirring anthem ‘Never Forget’‚ which concludes this album). But from earliest memories, amid a large all-musical all dancing family, music was and remains – his first love. “I grew up through the rock years” he remembers “– Elvis, Buddy Holly, and the Beatles singing live on Ed Sullivan. But at the same time my father would be listening to classical music; I found 78s of Gershwin which I loved, and in any room in the house someone would be playing music. Then of course we were raised in a good Irish catholic family of ten, so of course there were the church songs and hymns!”
A largely self-taught pianist, whose teacher soon found she had nothing to show him, Ryan took his first paid job as church-organist at thirteen but spent the weekends playing for fun (and occasionally money too) with anything from jazz bands to rock groups. Then he discovered the American milieu of lounge piano. “I found out that solo pianists worked in bars” he observes “– people around the piano, and of course the tip jar! And these men, as well as making money were playing the great American songbook which carried on inspiring me”.So for twenty or more years he fought fire by day and played lounges by night, tunes racing around his head. “I never had to work at it then” he says–nor now.”Almost every day I wake up with some sort of melody or phrase in my head which just keeps going over and over, until I’m haunted by it. So then I find free time and write it down”.
It was some of these songs that producer Peter Clayton heard when he met John in Florida in 2004 and a year later invited him to come to Britain to record this magnificent showcase of a debut album. “I was just doing my piano bar job” says Ryan “– and Peter walked in and started talking about how he’d love to bring me to London to record. Usually those sorts of things don’t materialize as you know! But then he sent me his portfolio of Robinwood CDs – beautifully produced with all top musicians – and I thought maybe this is gonna happen! And it did! When I got to London I just couldn’t believe it kept pinching myself in case this was all a dream. I’d brought about ten songs for Peter to hear and, you know; he has about the best ear of any non-playing musician I’ve ever run into. Uncanny! He naturally hears things like a correct tempo, how to treat a song much better than some musicians do! And of course working with Pete Moore! When I realized who he was, the discrepancy was huge! He was up there on a throne and I’m down here, looking up and admiring him! And what was so great; a person of his experience might easily have had an attitude problem. But he was just the nicest person and would ask ME questions which made me feel very humble. I knew about his work with Johnny Mercer, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly and so many more. And when I hear what he’d created around my songs there was welling up, goosebumps everything. He’s so progressive too; always creative – just goes and goes! Pete and Peter – a musical partnership made in heaven for me!”
