Music Notes | Monika Ryan

One Songwriter's Approach.

I have always written music quickly. Capturing moments or thoughts as they pass through my lens. Imagine that you are sketching the...

We Are Prewired For Music Whether We Understand It Or Not.

I always found it to be an amazing thing that folk music around the world, across time, uses the pentatonic scale. It seems to be part of...

Thank you, Duke Ellington

There are many reasons to be thankful to Duke Ellington, (born Edward Kennedy Ellington: April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) — a founding...

Overcoming Barriers in The Creative Process

I write music. A lot. I make creating a daily practice, as doing something is the only way to get better at anything. There was a time in...

She is known as "The Mother of Jazz"

Born as Mary Elfride Scrubbs on May 8th, 1910, the world knows her as Mary Lou Williams, an American pianist, and composer. She wrote...

Vocal music and the brain

We know that all living things respond to music. Plants will lean towards or away from music based on the nature of the soundwaves...

Timeless advice from two jazz masters.

Thelonious Monk and Chick Corea are two of the most dynamic and thrilling pianists in the pantheon of great jazz artists. Thankfully they...

An Exciting Musical Gem For Everyone's Collection

I was just talking with a well-known fellow jazz professional musician, and I mentioned this album in conversation. They didn't know it....

An introduction, by way of my influences.

What makes an artist who they are? Their life, their experience, their worldview, their training, and THEIR INFLUENCES. One of the things...

AI Radio: what could this mean for DJs, Artists, and Listeners?

AI is getting incredibly sophisticated. Query ChatGPT and be prepared to be blown away by its capabilities. As with all things...

Monika Ryan