Ryan was born in King's Lynn, Norfolk and began learning piano at the age of seven.  He then started learning Clarinet when he was twelve, achieved ABRSM Grade VIII Piano and Grade V on Clarinet by the age of 16 which is when he took up the Tenor Saxophone and Flute. 

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He began performing professionally at 14 years old and regularly played at Park House on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

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He studied jazz piano at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he was taught by among others, Liam Noble, Julian Siegel, Jean Toussaint, Mike Williams and Arnie Somogyi. He later moved to London and was a member of 'Funkshone'. He performed in many places with them including the Jazz Cafe in Camden, 100 Club, fashion guru Wayne Hemingway's house for his 25th wedding anniversary, live on the Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show for BBC 6 Music and the worlds biggest extreme sports festival in Norway.  

 

He also has performed at The Jagger Club in St. Petersburg, Russia and with Maurice Cannon from 'The Drifters' in Stuttgart, Germany.  He has toured the UK with US country singer Jessica Clemmons and also performed with The Urban Voices Collective, Freddie Hall (The Temptations), Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Howie Rogers & Never 42, Sam Kelly (Cymande), IT, Miss Amy Baker Peggy Lee & Ella Fitzgerald Show, at The Hideaway and Pizza Express Live in Holborn.

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He has appeared in many prestigious venues such as Madame Tussauds for the release of the new Meghan Markle wax figure, The Wellesley, The Lanesborough, the Great Room at Grosvenor Park Hotel, The Haymarket, The Ivy, The Corinthia, The City Wine Show at Stationers' Hall near St. Pauls Cathedral and The Great Hall in St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.  He has also performed at numerous other venues across the UK including Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, Caerphilly Castle in Wales and Chatsworth House in the Peak District.  He has also performed at Holkham Hall and Felmingham Hall in Norfolk and a private party for the owner of IBM. 

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He has worked on many ships for Brittany Ferries, Uniworld River Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Disney Cruise Line where he accompanied Broadway stars Merle Dandridge and Alton White to hundreds of people.  He also played with Mickey Mouse himself!

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He managed to successfully run a jam session every month for over a year and performed with Roberto Manzin, Alan Barnes, Clark Tracey and Trevor Tomkins.  He has since played with John Hallam, Amy Roberts, Paul Booth, Alan Wakeman, Sid Gauld, Freddie Gavita, Andrew Panayi, Greg Heath, Richard Exall, Robin Banerjee, Tiago Coimbra, Jerome Marcus, Mamadi Kamara, Roger Carey, Chantelle Duncan, Amy Pearson, Matt Wates, MC E-Mix, Nigel Goffin. Eddie Seales Big Band, Jazz Colossus and Symphonic with four time DMC World Champion DJ Mr Switch and DJ Hype.

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He has also made appearences on London Live, BBC Radio London, BBC Berkshire, BBC Introducing on Radio Norfolk and done several interviews at Wogan House a lot of which was to promote his own music which he has written, recorded and produced and is available to listen and purchase at https://cong-fusion.bandcamp.com/ 

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It has been played on Ronnie Scotts Radio Show for Jazz FM, Mi-Soul Radio, BBC Introducing, Kane FM, Switch Radio, Radio Cardiff, Marlow FM, Premier Radio, Phoenix FM, Hayes FM, GetLooseRadio, Solar Radio, Totally Wired Radio, Worldwide FM and his debut album The World As We Know It made album of the month on IndieSoulRadio.

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Thanks for viewing the page!

 

Ryan McCaffrey

BMus Hons Jazz