Shawn Ryan

“Few performers in cabaret today who know how to involve the audience in the act and Shawn Ryan is a master at it, like some of the legendary stars of the past!”
--Joe Regan, Show Business Weekly

“Shawn Ryan is sensational in every sense of the word!” -David Cuthbert, Times Picayune

“...funny as HELL! This is what cabaret performance should be!” -Lee Hartgrave, BeyondChron.com
“This kid's got it! Unforgettable show!” -Lillias White, Tony Award Winner

“I could listen to him sing for hours...total perfection!” -Stu Hamstra, Cabaret Hotline Online
“The hottest new jazz cabaret singer to hit the scene ... the new jazz wonderkid!” -LA Times

“Shawn Ryan is one of cabaret's most ingratiating performers. While the youthful vocalist can deliver a tune with the best of them, few of his peers match his ability to turn a show into a rollicking house party. Prepare to stay longer than you planned. His audiences don't want to let him leave the stage, and Ryan -- having as much fun as anyone -- obliges, as one encore follows another.” -Peter Leavy, Cabaret Scenes
“Loads of charisma that pours off the stage by the bucketful!” -David Hurst, Show Business Weekly

Audience Reviews from Empire Plush Room - January 2008
We all love the critics, but let’s here what the Audiences are saying:

“Hands down! The funniest man alive! My sides hurt”

“Hysterical one moment, touching the next. I couldn’t tell which tears were from laughter or emotion.”

“THE NEXT BIG HEADLINER!”

“Why is tis kid not famous? A great date night for my boyfriend and I, who got picked out of the audience and had a blast!” “I loved it! Shawn is at the top of his game when he's playing in an intimate space, like the Plush Room. He is charming, funnier than ever, timing was perfect, his voice is great form (and I could listen to him sing for hours). He is a great performer and definitely a headliner. See him whenever you get a chance.”

“This guy should be a talk show host; he is so funny and so personable and so talented.”
“Shawn is a very talented performer, using comedy routines to enchance his singing talents. He is a real crowd pleaser!” “After seeing Shawn Ryan compete at the Cabaret competition years and years ago, I finally got to one of his shows, and it was so much fun —- especially because he was having a great time just having fun on stage and with a warm audience.” “Shawn is a fantastic, energetic performer! When he's in your area...GO SEE HIM...period.”

FROM SHOW BUSINESS WEEKLY’s JOE REGAN JR.
SHAWN RYAN - LIVE AT THE METROPOLITAN ROOM, March 20, 2009
There is no better relief from the current Recession/Depression blues than a lively, super-energetic spirited performance from West Coast based actor/musical comedy/singer Shawn Ryan. The fun began with an original song by Ryan, Shelley Goldstein, and Kelly Park, Ryan’s musical director/collaborator. "Plus One" is a laugh-filled song about the reluctance, indicated by pauses and stutters, to admit to being one decade older ("29 plus one," "39 plus one," "49 plus one,") which called to mind the hysterically funny Academy Award nominated performance of Geraldine Page in "Pete and Tillie." Working to familiar faces in the audience, Ryan proceeded to dedicate individual songs to them. Some were his familiars ("My Simple Christmas Wish," "Beat My Dog") done with updated, even wilder, new arrangements, but there were several new., One was "Here You Come Again" because he loves Dolly Parton and her musical 9 To 5 and he sang it not as a slow torch but as a bouncing rhythm number. His "ballad" for the night, which he introduced as being in the Cole Porter style, was the dynamic "I Kissed A Girl"; but the only part sung softly was the verse. "Bad Things" (Jace Everett) lists a lot of bad love/sex things he wants to do with his new conquest, and "Republicans" is a very funny 1970s song by William Finn about encounters, social and romantic, with committed card carrying members of that political party..
Another Ryan-Park original is "The Magic Wand" dedicated to Daniel ("Harry Potter", Equus) Radcliffe, with lots of clever unexpected (instead of the anticipated and obvious) rhymes and twists about Radcliffe’s recent stage success in London and New York. There were wild, frantic jokes in the style of Dean Martin and Frances Faye about traveling with his band (one of them about the drummer borrowed from Marilyn Maye,) an appearance at an Alan Jay Lerner tribute (taking "Wouldn’t It Be Loverly" to new heights, including jokes about some of the lyrics --- "someone’s head resting on my knee" and the word "Cockney") and funny stories about his appearance on "America’s Got Talent" and how Regis Philbin demanded his CD plug stay in the televised tape.
Ryan’s special guest was a friend from school who has just re-located to New York. Christopher Plank, coifed and dressed in very attractive "mod" Goth fashion, sang Jason Robert Brown’s humorous "Shiksa Goddess" (from The Last 5 Years) which has the refrain "I’m breaking my mother’s heart" in a strong high tenor voice with a very forceful "today" beat. I predict we’ll be hearing more from Plank.
Few performers in cabaret today who know how to involve individual and collective members in the audience in the act and Shawn Ryan is a master at it. He closed with Shel Silverstein’s "I’m Checking Out," one of his signature songs. Everyone checked out of the show with happy, optimistic moods, the perfect remedy for these troubled times. ----Joe Regan Jr.

From Joe Regan - Shawn Ryan Live at the East West Lounge in Hollywood - June, 2007 Shawn Ryan, a 2007 MAC nominee in the Musical Comedy category, is currently doing a recurring gig at a new club, East/West, on Santa Monica Boulevard. He has already done two shows, the first with guest star triple MAC Award winner Ray Jessel, and is scheduled for another Sunday, June 17th. He does two sets each night, at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. There is a $10 cover and two drink minimum. East/West is an upscale gay bar, a very art deco moderne, with a long bar, deep lounge seats, open booths, and a VIP room upstairs with a large glass window (from which the spot follows the performer). Shawn Ryan is appearing with the Kelly Park Trio, his usual musical director for his performances. Kelly set up a keyboard and the drummer was Mike Packer and on bass was Adrian Rosen. The room is configured so the musicians and Shawn perform just adjacent to the entry door. I attended the first performance Sunday, June 3rd with well-known composer, Lew Spence ("That Face", "Nice n Easy"). When we arrived about 7:30 p.m. Lew expressed his opinion he did not see how a cabaret performer could perform in such a noisy bar. Starting at about 8:10 p.m., Shawn took charge with a song that is titled "As Long As I’m Here With You". The first line is "Life Is A Holiday" and Shawn exploded that line as only he can and , yes, the room stopped talking and started listening. Lew was astounded. Then Shawn launched into "Getting To Know You", roaming up and down the room, greeting friends by name (including us) and also the new people, introducing himself to them, as he continued to sing up and down the bar. He introduced the trio, joking about their names, and making wild enthusiastic comments about certain members of the audience. One guy had just passed his MD exam and got a lot of attention! Shawn’s third number was "My Christmas Wish" (the one about wanting to be "rich, famous, and powerful") and he introduced it with a story of how when he came to Los Angeles from Phoenix, he got a job as a bartender with a catering service and the first party he did one of his idols, Brad Pitt, asked him for a martini. Shawn replied "Olive or twist" but he was so stunned by Pitt that he said it so it sounded like "Oliver Twist" which caused Pitt to look confused. He incorporated "Brad" and "Angelina" into the lyric of that hysterically funny song, twisting and shaking and shimmying as he delivered punchline after punchline. Then came the big ballad, Gershwin’s "Do It Again" sung slow and sexy, and with a brilliant jazzy riff by Kelly Park at the break. Shawn then told a very funny story about going to Disneyland and looking for highball glasses. Because Disneyland is non-alcoholic all over he and his friend go into one of the gift shops and the girl waiting on them tells them they don’t have any highball glasses but they have toothpick holders. Shawn and his friend keep insisting they want highball glasses and the girl keeps insisting they want the toothpick holders, finally showing them the toothpick holders (which are indeed the same as highball glasses!) Then he wants swizzle sticks and there is another hilarious euphemism for that cocktail utensil. When he asks her what makes her so energetic she stated she gets "Fairy dust" before she comes to work! Shawn launches into his Disney medley: "He’s A Tramp" from Lady and the Tramp, "Everybody Wants To Be A Cat" from The Aristocats, "I Want to Be Like You", and then "The Bare Necessities" as a smash finish! Shawn’s special guest for the first set was John Vance, a singer unknown to me, who had just worked in George Clooney’s latest film and stated what a wonderful experience it was. He sang a beautiful version of "Darn That Dream", again with a wonderful riff from Kelly Park and the trio on the break, and followed it with (including the verse) the Ned Washington-Victor Young standard "My Foolish Heart". Shawn returned and sat on the bar and said it was time for a "black girl" song. He sang "Beat My Dog", a raunchy blues by Jay Leonhart. Shawn then rocked everyone with his special arrangement of "Wouldn’t It Be Lovely", sung in a lively tempo, giving full value to all the lyrics and melody. After more jokes with the audience and some of the street people he could see through the entry door (Shawn’s fifteen year old foster son was outside passing out flyers and someone gave him -- the foster son -- a rose), Shawn wowed the crowd with another of his signature pieces, his version of the Peter Matz arrangement of Barbra Streisand’s "Down With Love" recording! He then jumped up on the bar, and strutting like Marlene Dietrich in "The Boys in the Back Room" number in Destry Rides Again, Ryan sang a surprising "Everybody’s Boy", the sexy number introduced by Debra Monk in "Steel Pier" as "Everybody’s Girl". Bumping and grinding and moving from one end of the bar to the other and back and demonstrating this double entendre lyrics, the crowd was cheering and laughing and it was one of those incredible cabaret numbers that was unique and wonderful and worth preserving forever on film (a video artist was recording the night and Shawn wore a special body mike for the video). I’ve said it before, ever since I saw Shawn Ryan the first time two years ago at one of the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Conventions, Shawn is a major talent unique in today’s world of singers-performers. Someone did call him "the love child of Bette Midler & Peter Allen" but Shawn also has one of the most beautiful and powerful singing voices in the business today, can hit you in the guts with his ballads, and turn around and have you holding your sides in laughter. He knows how to "read" a crowd and incorporate them into his act like some of the legendary stars of the past. A smashing act to be repeated two more times Sunday the 17th. East/West is at 8851 Santa Monica Boulevard (just East of San Vicente Boulevard) and reservations are recommended for the next two sets on Sunday, June 17th. The telephone number for reservations is 310 360-6186. Shawn Ryan’s website is www.shawn-ryan.com.
Shawn Ryan - Blue Skies - The Encore Don't let that golden hair and boyish grin fool you. Shawn Ryan may look more like seventeen than a twenty-seven year-old, but he's got a solid entertainer's soul under that just-out-of-high-school look. His show at The Encore in New York, the thirty-third city on his national tour, he liked to point out, was a collection of (mostly) standards given bright, rhythmic and lively arrangements, accompanied by a collegial foursome of musicians traveling with him. Although he enjoys a warm and appealing voice as he offers such ballads as "On a Slow Boat to China", "If I Were a Bell", and "I'll Know" (When My Love Comes Along), Ryan's hankering, and he was good at it, is to be more the entertainer than a vocalist. He engaged his audience in interactive repartee, he kidded with his musicians, and he was full of glib and amusing patter. Ryan charmed his audience, composed largely of young'uns, with his light-hearted and playful manner as he detailed some of the ups and downs of a gay life, and included a tongue-in-cheek adaptation of a few numbers to a male-to-male paean. Understandably, he reveled in their obvious enthusiasm. The late Saturday night show didn't conclude until the clock struck one, and it was a reasonable bet that, given the opportunity, many in the audience would have happily stayed on for another hour or so. www.cabaretscenes.com --Peter Leavy, Cabaret Scenes
Sensational Shawn at Le Chat Noir - By David Cuthbert , Times Picayune Shawn Ryan’s reputation is such that I went to Le Chat Noir expecting a campy cabaret hoot and was not disappointed. He is funny in a flip, raunchy vein, encouraging his audience to become part of the act, which has a deceptively casual aura. Ryan, however, is a cannyentertainer who knows just how far to go; he’s always in control. And his charm is such that outrageous repartee is finessed by a boyishly naughty persona. But he is basically a first-rate jazz stylist. His voice is a sturdy, supple tenor with a nicely controlled vibrato. His new act, “America’s Got Shawn Ryan,” is essentially a display of vocal versatility; playfulness providing entrée to solid musicianship. The title comes from his making the semi-finals of “America’s Got Talent.” But “losing,” he says, wasn’t all that bad. It gave him major TV exposure, an NBC development deal and boosted his CD sales. Ryan begins with a requisite “up” number, “Long as I’m Here With You,” from the Jeanine Tesori-Dick Scanlan “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” while Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Getting to Know You” prompts the first of several forays into the audience. A stripper beat for “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” gives Lerner & Loewe’s sweet song hitherto undetected, insinuating overtones. Likewise, a serious verse prepares you for a torch song and instead segues into a gleefully vengeful delivery of the Matty Malneck-Johnny Mercer “Goody Goody.” His asides are quite smart. His blue shirt and tie, he says, is his “lesbian stand-up comic look.” After belting “Life of the Party,” from Andrew Lippa’s “The Wild Party,” he admonishes himself, “the 11 o’clock number at 8:45.” He pulls all the stops out on the Mary Rodgers-Marshall Barer “Happily Ever After,” noting, “finding a strong, gentle man is like casting Mel Gibson in ‘Yentl.’ ” “Everything I learned about jazz,” he says, “I learned from Disney cartoons,” proving his point with the Peggy Lee-Sonny Burke “He’s a Tramp” (“Lady and the Tramp”), Terry Gilkyson’s “The Bare Necessities” and the Sherman Brothers’ “I Wanna Be Like You” (“The Jungle Book”). Ryan pays tribute to artists as diverse as Nina Simone with a modern jazz parsing of Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn’s “Love Me or Leave Me,” Shel Silverstein’s “I’m Checkin’ Out” a la Meryl Streep in “Postcards from the Edge” and Judy Garland’s jubilant Carnegie Hall cry, ‘We’ll sing ’em all and stay all night!” Tellingly, Ryan may be at his best with a simple rendering of the Henry Mancini-Mercer “Moon River” and an exquisite “I Got Lost in His Arms,” the Irving Berlin standard which suddenly slips into a lively “jump” tempo. Ryan is backed by Kelly Park, a superb jazz pianist whose solos, digressions and keyboard filigree dazzle. There is excellent bass work from the very young Nathan Lambertson and drummer Cale Pellick. Shawn Ryan is sensational in every sense of the word. ------David Cuthbert
Shawn Ryan Empire Plush Room January 12 Shawn Ryan, the Clown Prince of Cabaret, dished up a heaping of his trademark tunes covering his history at the soon-to-close Plush Room along with the usual comic banter this older-than-his chronological age performer is known for. Ryan is a seasoned pro on the stage and has quite the extensive knowledge base of music and personalities to riff on. A running joke for the evening would be to dish a star, then ask the audience is they were present - the mighty and the lowly were equally skewered ("Is she here??"). Superbly backed up by longtime accompanist Kelly Park on piano, Adam Goodhue on drums and the wonderful Svetozar Buca Necak on bass, Ryan works each song with great ease and comfort, nimbly weaving his often hilarious banter during segues and even during a number. "The Way You Look Tonight" directed at each audience member opened the show, followed by a nice jazzy arrangement of "Blue Skies" and a swing version of "Getting To Know You", which is an opportunity for Ryan to get up close and personal with the crowd and do a little question and answer schmoozing. That Ryan is a very personable, bubbly, all-around entertainer makes his comic material all the more pleasing. "Taylor the Latte Boy" about his crush on a Starbucks coffee employee shone, as did his wicked rendition of "My Simple Christmas Wish" with the hope to be "rich, famous and powerful". A nice Frank Loesser medley including "Adelaides Lament", "Slow Boat to China", "I'll Know" and "I Believe In You" displayed both Ryan's playful and romantic sides. The show closed with a wistful "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" accompanied by Park on the piano. More significantly, the song illustrates Ryan's smart grasp of entertainment history - Bette Midler won an Emmy Award in 1992 for her memorable performance on the penultimate episode of The Tonight Show when she sang this emotion-laden tune to a teary Johnny Carson. It became a sweet moment for Shawn Ryan and a touching tribute to our lost cabaret jewel. Steve Murray, Cabaret Scenes Entertaining jazz vocalist 'socks' it to appreciative cabaret crowd Wednesday, October 5, 2005 By L. PIERCE CARSON Register Staff Writer A rangy lad with both gift of gab and rapier wit, Shawn Ryan is the complete entertainer. Sure, he's booked at this boite and that as a cabaret singer, chatted up in press releases as an award-winning vocalist with a penchant for jazz. All of that may well be true. But what's most appealing about this East Bay boy -- besides his impish smile -- is his command of a performance space. He has the ability to silence a heckler with the wave of a hand, to draw an audience into his world of song and chance with a mocking, playful glare. That's because we want to hear what he has to say, what he's prepared to sing for us. The witty repartee might focus on little more than the design of men's socks. On the other hand -- if we press him to -- Ryan might reveal intimate details of his personal life -- always with amusing fillip. Reared in Pleasanton and schooled at such prestigious institutions as New York's Academy of Dramatic Arts, Ryan returned to the Rainbow Room at The Depot last Saturday night for a marathon show before an enthusiastic crowd shoehorned into the intimate lounge on the right side of the tracks. At six-feet-four, the ebullient towhead is a commanding presence in most quarters, let alone the tiny Napa entertainment space maintained by restaurateur Russell Kassman. Backed by a classy trio -- resolute pianist/arranger Kelly Park, innovative bassist Daniel Fabricant (who also ministers to Bay Area vocalist Spencer Day) and polished drummer Josh English -- Ryan served up songs from the pair of compact discs he's recorded to date, ranging from Broadway classics to rewrites of pop songs with political bent. When he wasn't regaling the audience with stream-of-consciousness observations, Ryan serenaded all with jazzy arrangements of such Tin Pan Alley classics as Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies," Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Getting To Know You" and "Love Me or Leave Me," the Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn torch song that propelled '30s singer Ruth Etting into the spotlight. A pair of generous sets included material with a country/western accent -- Shel Silverstein's "I'm Checkin' Out (of This Heartbreak Hotel)" -- as well as a song that sounded like it might have come from a classic Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers song-and-dancer, "I'm Going to the Dance With You." The latter song turned out to be one written in recent times, from the pen of Richard Dworsky, keyboardist/arranger best known for his work on "A Prairie Home Companion." One of the evening's most touching moments came during a delicious medley of Broadway composer Frank Loesser's songs. Ryan's appeared in several regional stagings of Loesser's Broadway shows, including "Guys and Dolls" and "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." While the entire Loesser segment was top-notch, the inclusion of "I Believe In You" had the same appeal of the original, when it was performed four decades ago by the then-impish Robert Morse. In addition, one of few heart-tuggers in the show, "I've Never Been in Love Before" from "Guys and Dolls," raised gooseflesh. Ryan combines the smile of a cherub and the tongue of a benevolent viper throughout, having as much fun with the audience as the audience has with him. His shows are definitely for adults, although he rarely steps over the line with gratuitous innuendo and potty humor. If there's a nit to pick about last Saturday night's performance, it concerns Ryan's decision to dedicate the Gershwins' classic, "Embraceable You," to his new designer underwear. A trailer trash moment in an otherwise penthouse performance. One song that should be included in every show -- in addition to the Loesser material -- is sassy "Down With Love," a relatively obscure song from an even more obscure 1937 Broadway show ("Hooray For What!") by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Park's arrangement, ranging from the sensual intro to uptempo jazzer, is a keeper. And so is Ryan. I missed his first foray into wine country last July. I have a feeling he'll be back and bet every soul in the room the other night will be back in the same seats, anxious to have their fancies tickled by this masterful entertainer. Ryan and Company are off to the Big Apple midmonth to perform at the annual cabaret convention along with a midtown night spot. We can only hope those New Yorkers don't like Ryan too much. We'd like to have him back. --L. Pierce Carson SHAWN RYAN LOVES COMING HOME TO SAN FRANCISCO Acclaimed by critics as one of the brightest stars rising up in the cabaret/Jazz circuit today, Shawn Ryan is amazed at the ride and where his career is taking him. Ryan feels so fortunate because he is doing what he dreamed of all his life. “I was always drawn to theater all my life.” He credits that to his parents and grandparents who loved music and theater and were performers in local productions while he was growing up. With theater and performing “in his blood” so to speak, Ryan was eager to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. It was while he was there that he unexpectedly discovered cabaret. After school one night in Greenwich Village, he got the urge to sing at the piano bar at a nightclub. The path to cabaret and live performance was set before him. Ryan has been involved with cabaret ever since. “I love it because it is different each and every time. It is a free form type of art, an improvisation every show,” said Ryan. He feels that cabaret performing helps with his acting work. “I am content with all the work I am doing I love it, but I want more,” said Ryan. As he took some time to talk to Cabaret Exchange while taking a break on vacation in Reno/Tahoe. He was resting to get himself ready to perform at the Empire Plush Room at the York Hotel on January 11 to 13, 2008. Being able to perform at the Plush Room one more time is special to Ryan. He sees it as significant, because it was at the Plush Room where he made his professional debut back in 2000. All the singers he met he was eager to emulate. Singers such as Andrea Marcovicci, Linda Kosut, Lua Hadar and others are now his friends. The road to his cabaret debut was an unusual one. Upon returning home to San Francisco from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Ryan entered a local competition at Piaf’s Restaurant near Market Street. At that time the cabaret style restaurant was to provide the winners a full booking of shows. Kosut who also performed in that competition at Piaf’s said that, “since (meeting him in) 2000, I have been a friend and a major fan.” At Piaf’s is also where Ryan met accompanist Kelly Park. They continue to collaborate and perform together as Park is now his music director. “Kelly and I won the prize. But the restaurant went out of business,” said Ryan. Undaunted by the unexpected obstacle, Park encouraged Ryan to go forward just the same and find a venue in town to perform. He reminisced that “back then I was so new and green to all of this, that when I called the Plush Room to inquire about scheduling to put on a show, I was told, ‘No one just calls up and schedules a show date, you must audition.’” Ryan laughs about it now but at the time, his venture into cabaret performing was daring as he had little prior experience. In just eight years Ryan has managed to not only sing in cabaret and jazz spots from coast to coast but has appeared on TV as a semi-finalist in the competition show “America’s Got Talent.” Not yet 30 years old, Ryan has also appeared on stage in TV series episodes and films numerous times. His most recent acting work was an appearance on the new ABC network drama “Woman’s Murder Club.” He has recorded two CD’s and his latest “Blue Skies” is well received. His busy schedule would make any aspiring performer envious, no doubt. Cabaret Exchange was in the audience for his performance at the Plush Room. “Whether they call it the Empire Plush Room or Razz Productions at The Plush Room, I just refer to it as the Plush Room,” he told the audience that filled the long-standing venue on Saturday, Jan. 12. Ryan kept the audience laughing with clever banter between each song. Yet behind the wit and humor Ryan does not take any of the success for granted. Ryan expressed a bit of disappointment that the Plush Room is no more. Ryan’s show was among the last scheduled performers to appear at the Plush Room just before it shut down. Confessing his sentiments, he said that earlier that day before the show, he just sat on stage, taking in its ambiance. Looking up at the rich design of the large stained glass window on the ceiling above the audience, Ryan said, “Look at that ceiling, so beautiful, I am going to miss that.” “The new owners say they want to serve food and turn the Plush Room into a restaurant,” said Ryan. He was not alone in his sentiments as the audience agreed. Despite repeated attempts to save the Plush Room at the York Hotel by the cabaret community in SF, a new cabaret venue will emerge as The Razz Room at the Hotel Nikko next month. Standing to an ovation the audience did not want the show to end. Ryan obliging their affection then gave the audience a few more songs. Everyone lingered after the show. There was a collective sigh of sorts as it was clear this indeed was closing night for a venue spot that can trace its roots back to the roaring 1920’s. After all the music stopped, some stood in line to greet Ryan and buy a copy of his “Blue Skies” CD. Many just wanted to sit and savor that last drink. Roberta Quick from the Napa Valley enjoyed Ryan’s performance. “He’s fabulous, I listened to his CD while in the car – just adore his music,” she said. “Birdie” as she likes to be called, also admired the stained glass ceiling. She then noted, “but things do change and we must move on. I am sure the Razz Room will be great,” said Quick For more information about Shawn Ryan and his music visit: http://www.shawn-ryan.com Cabaret Exchange Shawn Ryan introduces his show as "a little jazz, a little cabaret, a little gay, a little L.A." It's also all entertaining. Flip and funny, with a boyish, winning presence (he's 26), and a playful rapport with the audience, Shawn is above all a fine singer, whose rich and expressive baritone is at home equally on jazz, swing and blues, comic songs and standards. Stopping for four shows at The Duplex as part of an eleven-city tour, he is backed by Kelly Park on piano and Skip Ward on bass, whose superb musicianship is as much a part of the evening as the vocals. Shawn scores on romantic numbers such as "Getting To Know You" (with a gently jazz flavor), "Moon River" and "Something Good." He's broadly humorous on Popular (complete with boa), More and his own take on "Rich, Famous and Powerful" and he brings a tender strength to "I Am What I Am." Much of Shawn's stage style tilts toward a gay audience, unnecessarily, since it's clear that his talents as a singer and showman mark him as favorite-to-be in the broad cabaret community. Peter Haas, Cabaret Scenes With Shawn Ryan, It’s Blue Skies Everywhere By Sister Dana Van Iquity Published: January 4, 2007 The album is Blue Skies and it’s sung by Shawn Ryan, who started in cabaret in the City in 2000, winning the Bay Area Cabaret Competition. This young, blond, blue-eyed, out and proud 28-year-old does the classics like a ’40s crooner – adding his own “out there” comedy patter throughout. You might have seen him in the film American Pie 3, First Daughter, or The Job. You might recall him from the semifinal round of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. But this album proves beyond a doubt that Ryan’s got talent! A collection of Ryan’s favorites from mostly bygone years, Blue Skies has everything from cabaret to country. Opening with the title song, Ryan starts off a cappella with just percussion and then gets jazzier with piano by Kelly Park and sax by James Grantham. “Nothin’ but blue skies ahead,” goes the song, and could easily be a fortune teller’s prediction for Ryan. He takes the ol’ Mel Torme song, “The First Thing You Know,” and totally gayifies it with same-sex references while singing, “You let yourself go, and the first thing you know, you’re in love.” “I’m Checkin’ Out” is a down home country boy’s lament of living in Heartbreak Hotel and drinking too much to drown his sorrows. But “Chug-a-luggin’ Charley” is checking out. Ryan puts the slide in slide guitar (which he does not play, but his voice purposely slides up and down into the notes to give it that country twang flair. Then in just the opposite direction, he goes into “two drifters off to see the world” in a super-mellow version of “Moon River” and a sweeping tremolo piano solo, which Ryan eases into and out of and back in with total placidity. Of course it’s amusing to us queers that the phrase “we’re after the same rainbow’s end” pops up in there. Since this is really winter weather here in the City, how appropriate “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” really is. Making it into a cute duet, cabaret chanteu se Kim Nalley joins with a clever take on this usually hetero song. Their patter back and forth hints rather broadly about Ryan’s orientation. He replies to Nalley that he hasn’t really had many women up to his place. “But you’ve such wonderful interior design here; certainly you must have a woman’s touch around here somewhere,” she hints and he confesses, “I haven’t had a woman’s touch for quite some time.” When he compliments her ‘do, “Your hair looks gooood,” we know the boy is a ‘mo fo’ sho’. Continuing with the winter theme, “My Simple Christmas Wish” is something that the average cynical wannabe singer can relate to: he wants to be rich, famous, and powerful: “I don’t wanna audition; I don’t wanna take class; I wanna be discovered while I’m sitting on my ass.” And when he goes into his gay patter, I dare you not to double over laughing. He recently performed this number to perfection at the Richmond Ermet AIDS Foundation’s “Help Is on the Way for the Holidays” in Herbst and brought down the house. And speaking of down, “Down With Love” is yet another cynical bit, and this time it’s against all the corny clichés about true love: “Down with eyes romantic and stupid; down with sighs; down with cupid; moreover let’s dump that dove.” Then he suddenly picks up the pace with double-time and a massive montage of stupid love song lyrics through the ages. Are you down enough yet? Then take a listen to “Here’s That Rainy Day” and its downpour of depressing lyrics. It’s a great song, and it’s sung great, but yeesh is it ever a call for suicide. Fortunately the next track is “Goin’ to the Dance with You,” and the weather is not a reason to be depressed: “The rain may fall and the wind may blow, it may get down to twenty-below, but I don’t mind, ‘cause I’m goin’ to the dance with you.” Now that’s the spirit! Put away the razor blade and noose, because this bouncy little ditty will pep you right up. Then there’s the sweet son g from Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls, “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” to touch even the biggest cynic’s heart – especially accomplished with the lyrical baritone of Ryan. What makes “Beat My Dog” so especially fun is his silly introductory monologue: “This is a song about the wrong kind of man. It makes me feel good, because I get to be a black woman for one number. As we all know, gay men and black women are one and the same.” Oh don’t deny it, grrrlll, you know it’s true. Snap! “Fools in Love” is written by Ryan’s pianist Kelly Parker and speaks of how not really foolish it is to be in love, all nicely woven in with the strumming of John Nichols’ guitar. Ryan’s sweet baritone would do Nat King Cole proud in “The Very Thought of You,” as does Park’s piano tinklings. Cap it all off with a gritty “Feelin’ Good” by Nina Simone with Ryan’s sultry voice and Rocky Tatarelli’s sexy sax, and you have definitely had a good feelin’ experience with Blue Skies. To buy it, go to any store or log onto shawn-ryan.com. Sister Dana Van Iquity, SF Bay Times Shawn Ryan by our Music Guru Maureen ("Mo") Mahoney When testing your own personal vision first ask yourself: Does the vision tap into my voice, my energy, my unique talent? Does it give me a sense of "calling", a cause worthy of my commitment? This noble quote expresses the artistic talent and contributions of my December Artist: Shawn Ryan Well, here we are at my last review of the year and I couldn't think of a better way to end it than with the charm and skill that encapsulates this amazing performer. Shawn Ryan's Debut CD "Shawn Ryan" and his follow up album titled "Blue Skies" will leave you longing for more from this artist. Please join me on this captivating journey to learn about an artist who has achieved greatness and is taking the world on an unforgettable ride. Shawn's Debut CD titled "Shawn Ryan" is a remarkable CD full of romance and will impress you from the start. Shawn will launch you into a timeless journey filled with happiness and splendor. Starting with "Somewhere Along the Way" you will hear in this man an extraordinary voice surely meant to arouse the most passionate of emotions. From his soft romantic renderings, he has begun this album with a song longing to live in your heart. The expression of Shawn's voice will deliver to you hours of enjoyment and you will come to cherish his gift of song. With such songs as "Wink and a Smile", Shawn will have you racing to dance. The orchestrations only add to the delight you will be feeling. With all debuts, you need one that is going to pack a punch and Shawn hit this one on the mark. A masterpiece for his first album which alone shows me he has so much more in store for us in the future. How lucky are we?? Shawn has given us such beautiful tracks as "Where or When", "Do It Again", "It Had To Be You" and "Bewitched" and with these songs you will feel so much love. He truly will enchant you with his honesty and tender performance. Shawn has the ability to speak to you through his voice, telling each of us a love story. How fortunate we are to enjoy the talent of this man for it shows in every song he sings. There is just something about his voice that will endear him to you. With these tracks, you must get out of your chair and dance.....his interpretations and spine tingling vocals will have you feeling so alive. "I Got Rhythm" with the amazing horn section and piano, turn this track into a work of art Judy Garland would approve of! Shawn Ryan has soared somewhere "over the rainbow" and back again.... I also must touch base on "Just You, Just Me" for this song alone combined with Shawn's vocal wit, make me feel so energized. How can one not love this man? It would be impossible not to adore him. With such tracks as "It Might As Well Be Spring", "It Had to be You", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "Bewitched", "Love Me or Leave Me" you will feel the versatility only Shawn can convey. He has proven with hard work and talent, this man can take any song and turn it into a masterpiece of his own. It didn't take long for me to fall madly in love with this album. To end the Debut CD with "Orange Colored Sky" makes this an album worthy of a spot in everyone's library. Shawn can sing the standards, the show tunes and make you feel a special part of the moment. What an ending..."Flash, Bam, Alcazam!"......Yes Shawn Ryan has certainly packed his debut with enough punch and fun to last a lifetime. But the fun doesn't end here, oh no.......... Shawn then followed up with an incredible album titled "Blue Skies"... an album that is always with me. I thought Shawn's first album was spectacular but with "Blue Skies", you can see how Shawn's artistry has grown and matured. An album so inviting, he made the Grammy list with the likes of Tony Bennett, Keely Smith and Carly Simon. Yes, Shawn Ryan is well on his way to the stars.... The first track "Blue Skies" starts you on a journey you will take often....What a carefree and innocent tune and Shawn can sing this like nobody's business. His vocals are pure, smooth and he will have you feeling joy a thousand fold. With such tracks as "The First Thing You Know", "I'm Checkin' Out", "Moon River", "Down with Love", "Here's That Rainy Day", "I've Never Been In Love Before", "Beat My Dog", "Fools in Love", "The Very Thought of You" and "Feelin' Good"...you have just listened to an album that sets this man apart from the rest. "Goin' To the Dance with You" is sheer genius. From the onset and hearing the crackling of the record, Shawn swings you into a bygone era. The words are so beautiful, but it is Shawn's voice and interpretation that stills me with each listen. I can envision Shawn looking for his true love, he does tell a story here and through to the ending he has gained my attention and applause. Well done Shawn! I absolutely LOVE "Baby, It's Cold Outside" where Shawn duets with Kim Nalley. How I enjoy singing this song with Shawn (in my home!). I won't surprise the ending but I will say....Shawn...I love you!!!!!!!!!! I must write something about this next song and for those of you who are already fans of Shawn, you will remember this song from his appearance on "America's Got Talent" where all the judges voted him on to the next round. The song is called "My Simple Christmas Wish" and here on this CD it was taped from a live performance. I love love love what Shawn does with this song...so much fun... it shows Shawn at his supreme best. Not just a singer, he is an entertainer, a performer with so much joy in his heart. You can feel how Shawn truly loves what he does...for it spills out from this track. Each of these albums can be purchased from Shawn's website www.shawn-ryan.com and on www.lmlmusic.com and of course, www.amazon.com . Shawn Ryan can sing but this is not where his talent ends. Shawn is the Founder of the Young Actor's Theater Camp, a program for young actors. Celebrities have joined in to help inspire the youth of today. Shawn seems to always give back to the community and offers a helping hand any way he can. Shawn not only encourages these young people, he helps them reach a goal that has brought him so much satisfaction. He strengthens their dreams, and makes their wishes hopeful and well within their reach. Shawn is a true inspiration to those of us who want to make a difference, and he has proved this over and over. If you have the stamina and strength to pursue what you love, it is attainable. Thank you Shawn for showing all of us the worth we hold inside. You encourage and motivate all of us to aspire to be all we can be. Since this review is landing in the merry month of December, and with the holidays just around the corner, I couldn't think of a better gift to recommend than either one of Shawn's CD's. These albums make the perfect gift for the music lover on your holiday list. Christmas for most people is about families, not just the ones you are born into, but the ones you find along the way. I'm happy and fortunate to have found Shawn and will always welcome him into my heart, for his music lives there. Please remember those who are less fortunate and do something wonderful for someone this holiday season. Give the gift and joy of music! Sing out loud, and sing out strong, I promise you, you will be "Feelin' Good!" "Hang a Shining Star upon the highest bough.....the Shining Star of Shawn Ryan" . Mo Mahoney WWhen all things post-modern, retro, and ironic are the rage, it’s a welcome jolt to hear an earnest standards singer performing without irony or (too much) affectation. In a world of manufactured pop acts and thin-voiced, talentless lip-syncers, a performer like Shawn Ryan seems to stand little chance. A solid vocalist with talent belying his age, Mr. Ryan represents the seemingly-soon-to-be-lost art of cabaret singers. On his second album, Blue Skies, he brings the beauty of a classic group of songs to a whole new generation. A younger crop of crooners, including Michael Buble, Josh Groban, and even Clay Aiken, have stolen the hearts of real-life desperate housewives and soccer Moms — a generally-untapped audience for modern music. Whereas the aforementioned trio insures its success by supplying mainstream Adult Contemporary fare (cross-over stuff with mass appeal and little spice or strength), Mr. Ryan produces riskier fare on “Blue Skies,” with its return to simple standards and unassuming vocals. Pandering to white-washed mass-appeal may have its lucrative advantages, but it rarely produces anything of exceptional artistic merit. True, the two sometimes coincide — and there is no doubt that all of the above-referenced performers carry a certain amount of talent and musicianship. It’s simply a matter of how they present it, what material they decide to produce, and the manner in which it is executed. There’s something decidedly slick and commercial about the Josh Grobans and Clay Aikens of the world, something that the publicists and the agents and the music industry glosses over all of their products. Rather than resulting in sparkle or pizzazz, the results are more often dull and bland, as if all the fiddling has ended up muddling and diluting any power or passion that may have originally been there. Shawn Ryan’s work retains the raw reality of a live performance (two of the tracks were actually recorded live). It sets him a bit apart from his contemporaries – he seems less polished, more gritty, more real. He’s the guy in the lounge, sitting behind the piano and regaling the patrons with authentically passionate performances and honest, from-the-gut banter. Along the lines of that open honesty, he is one of the only openly gay performers out there. Even Mr. Aiken, whom many assume is the gayest thing since Liberace, plays it safely straight - with nary a nod to sexuality of any sort. Of course, political leanings and social matters have little place on such an enjoyable album, and the matter-of-fact way Ryan unobtrusively presents his gayness is charmingly innocent. Rather than conforming to any sort of teeny-bopper pop, Mr. Ryan’s style has more in common with an accomplished singer like Harry Connick, Jr. Both share a bit of a Southern drawl, and an often-understated delivery that is at once gentle and soothing. He displays an uncanny understanding of a song — rather astounding for someone of his young age — and demonstrates a masterful sense of phrasing. (Listen to the way he deftly inserts a quick bit of “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” to underscore the sweet bitterness of the goings-on in “Down With Love”.) Though the production is a little rough around the edges, it does not at all detract from the overall performance, and Ryan shows off a knack for selecting songs that perfectly complement his style. His greatest strength may be as a performance singer (credit a long roster of theater credits), as in the second track “The First Thing You Know.” Give him a character song and he will absolutely devour the aural scenery. At turns wistful (“Moon River”) and full of attitude (“I’m Checkin’ Out”), there is quite an expanse of emotions conveyed in the fourteen tracks, and Ryan successfully navigates the choppy stretches between innocent and jaded, young and old, and hopeful and cynical. “Going to the Dance With You” evokes the by-gone era of the gramophone, with its vinyl scratch intro and innocent lyrics, while “Here’s That Rainy Day” smokes with world-weary resignation. At the same time, his voice lends itself perfectly to a youthful rendition of “I’ve Never Been in Love Before”, starting off with wide-eyed wonder and deepening to a soulful understanding by the song’s end. The album takes a slight downturn on “Beat My Dog”, a live throw-away novelty that doesn’t quite mesh with his voice, which is more suitably used to delicately draw forth the subtle longing on “The Very Thought of You” (done so very right here). With its jazzy undertones and soulful delivery, the best of this music smolders with sultry pining, crackles with sharp wit, and offers a cozy refuge from the cold calculation of so many young singers today. “Blue Skies” is also a timely holiday album, with its inclusion of a winter staple, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” and a cheeky Christmas ode in the form of “My Simple Christmas Wish,” (a hilariously catty holiday romp invoking Bette Davis, where Ryan ticks off his Christmas wishes to be “rich, famous, and powerful.”) Both encapsulate the warmth and fun of Mr. Ryan’s ineffable charm. The future of a dying breed of vocalists may be found in the no-longer-so-smoky lounges, inhabited by crooners and chanteuses channeling emotion and meaning through standards and classic songs. Shawn Ryan finds inspiration here, and his music speaks to anyone with a keen ear for standards and the classy delivery of a seasoned-pro. Alan Bennett Ilagan, Boston Edge When all things post-modern, retro, and ironic are the rage, it's a welcome jolt to hear an earnest standards singer performing without irony or (too much) affectation. In a world of manufactured pop acts and thin-voiced, talentless lip-syncers, a performer like Shawn Ryan seems to stand little chance. A solid vocalist with talent belying his age, Mr. Ryan represents the seemingly-soon-to-be-lost art of cabaret singers. On his second album, Blue Skies, he brings the beauty of a classic group of songs to a whole new generation. A younger crop of crooners, including Michael Buble, Josh Groban, and even Clay Aiken, have stolen the hearts of real-life desperate housewives and soccer Moms, a generally-untapped audience for modern music. Whereas the aforementioned trio ensures its success by supplying mainstream Adult Contemporary fare (cross-over stuff with mass appeal and little spice or strength), Mr. Ryan produces riskier fare on "Blue Skies," with its return to simple standards and unassuming vocals. Pandering to white-washed mass-appeal may have its lucrative advantages, but it rarely produces anything of exceptional artistic merit. True, the two sometimes coincide, and there is no doubt that all of the above-referenced performers carry a certain amount of talent and musicianship. It's simply a matter of how they present it, what material they decide to produce, and the manner in which it is executed. There's something decidedly slick and commercial about the Josh Grobans and Clay Aikens of the world, something that the publicists and the agents and the music industry glosses over all of their products. Rather than resulting in sparkle or pizzazz, the results are more often dull and bland, as if all the fiddling has ended up muddling and diluting any power or passion that may have originally been there. Shawn Ryan's work retains the raw reality of a live performance (two of the tracks were actually recorded live). It sets him a bit apart from his contemporaries, he seems less polished, more gritty, more real. He's the guy in the lounge, sitting behind the piano and regaling the patrons with authentically passionate performances and honest, from-the-gut banter. Along the lines of that open honesty, he is one of the only openly gay performers out there. Even Mr. Aiken, whom many assume is the gayest thing since Liberace, plays it safely straight - with nary a nod to sexuality of any sort. Of course, political leanings and social matters have little place on such an enjoyable album, and the matter-of-fact way Ryan unobtrusively presents his gayness is charmingly innocent. Rather than conforming to any sort of teeny-bopper pop, Mr. Ryan's style has more in common with an accomplished singer like Harry Connick, Jr. Both share a bit of a Southern drawl, and an often-understated delivery that is at once gentle and soothing. He displays an uncanny understanding of a song, rather astounding for someone of his young age, and demonstrates a masterful sense of phrasing. (Listen to the way he deftly inserts a quick bit of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" to underscore the sweet bitterness of the goings-on in "Down With Love".) Though the production is a little rough around the edges, it does not at all detract from the overall performance, and Ryan shows off a knack for selecting songs that perfectly compliment his style. His greatest strength may be as a performance singer (credit a long roster of theater credits), as in the second track "The First Thing You Know." Give him a character song and he will absolutely devour the aural scenery. At turns wistful ("Moon River") and full of attitude ("I'm Checkin' Out"), there is quite an expanse of emotions conveyed in the fourteen tracks, and Ryan successfully navigates the choppy stretches between innocent and jaded, young and old, and hopeful and cynical. "Going to the Dance With You" evokes the by-gone era of the gramophone, with its vinyl scratch intro and innocent lyrics, while "Here's That Rainy Day" smokes with world-weary resignation. At the same time, his voice lends itself perfectly to a youthful rendition of "I've Never Been in Love Before", starting off with wide-eyed wonder and deepening to a soulful understanding by the song's end. The album takes a slight downturn on "Beat My Dog", a live throw-away novelty that doesn't quite mesh with his voice, which is more suitably used to delicately draw forth the subtle longing on "The Very Thought of You" (done so very right here). With its jazzy undertones and soulful delivery, the best of this music smolders with sultry pining, crackles with sharp wit, and offers a cozy refuge from the cold calculation of so many young singers today. "Blue Skies" is also a timely holiday album, with its inclusion of a winter staple, "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and a cheeky Christmas ode in the form of "My Simple Christmas Wish," (a hilariously catty holiday romp invoking Bette Davis, where Ryan ticks off his Christmas wishes to be "rich, famous, and powerful.") Both encapsulate the warmth and fun of Mr. Ryan's ineffable charm. The future of a dying breed of vocalists may be found in the no-longer-so-smoky lounges, inhabited by crooners and chanteuses channeling emotion and meaning through standards and classic songs. Shawn Ryan finds inspiration here, and his music speaks to anyone with a keen ear for standards and the classy delivery of a seasoned-pro. Alan Bennett Ilagan, EDGE Boston "SWEET MUSIC!" "The upcoming season offers a bounty of lesbian and gay releases. On "Blue Skies" (LML Music), Shawn Ryan earns extra points for covering an unusual array of songs, including "Goin' To The Dance With You" (complete with scratchy record sound effects), the live recording "Beat My Dog," Bricusse and Newley's Nina Simone hit "Feelin' Good," Mel Torme's "The First Thing You Know," and Shel Silverstein's "I'm Checkin' Out," to mention a few." Gregg Shapiro, Chicago Free Press Openly gay and flat-out adorable, Shawn Ryan is also blessed with a warm, buoyant baritone that you can really relax with: He never sounds forced, and he always sounds like he's having a wonderful time. His second disc of cabaret and pop standards (available at www.shawn-ryan.com) more than fulfills the promise of his first, thanks in part to Kelly Park's swinging arrangements and a jazzy studio combo. High points include a gay rendition of Mel Torme's underperformed "The First Thing You Know" and Jay Leonhart's "Beat My Dog," performed live with witty panache. Tom Steele, OUT Magazine If you think a CD can't be simultaneously sweet and swinging, if you think a singer can't be vulnerable and vivacious, then you haven't heard Shawn Ryan. Blue Skies is his second album and, like his first one, it's been living in my CD player a lot. Shawn is a young, openly gay performer who uses the pronouns "he" and "him" when singing love songs. In his liner notes, he dedicates the album to his "true love," John Ainsworth, who is one of its producers. This smooth-voiced guy could have easily crooned his way through a full album of ultra-romantic ballads (which he can do very well), and called it a day, but instead he shows us his versatility. A happy, finger-snappy "The First Thing You Know" by Mel Torme is a great pick-me-up that could make a statue smile. Shel Silverstein's "I'm Checkin' Out" displays broad humor, a flair for parody and the otherwise unexplored deep tones his voice can reach. It's a hoot. "Feeling Good" (Anthony Newley/ Leslie Bricusse) from The Roar Of The Greasepaint ... shows some soulfulness. He has fun with "Beat My Dog" from the fertile mind of Jay Leonhart, master of the quirky tongue-in-cheek tune. Two Frank Loesser gems are featured: a warm-all-over "I've Never Been In Love Before" (Guys And Dolls) and "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Duetted with a spunky lady named Kim Nalley, the latter is not handled with its usual boy-girl playful seduction scenario, but is playfully gayfully fun, with spoken asides. I especially like the old-fashioned treatment of "Goin' To the Dance With You," complete with a sound effect at the beginning to simulate the scratches of an old vinyl (or shellac) record. There's one original song ("Fools In Love") by musical director-pianist-co-producer Kelly Park, with whom Shawn continues his partnership. Park's musicality and skilled playing are even more in evidence in their second outing. Rolf Johnson's trumpet is a welcome presence, and sax and guitar are used very effectively on a few tracks. Although it's enjoyable to hear David Friedman's brilliant and outrageous "My Simple Christmas Wish" and Barbra Streisand's 1960s tour-de-force version of "Down With Love" with snippets of famous love songs, I'd rather see this talented performer get ahold of some comic special material numbers of his own, tailor-made. Two of the cuts are from a live show, and it's clear that he has comic timing and a way with an audience. Much as I like this recording, and I like it a whole lot, I am willing to bet that each succeeding album will succeed even more to show the full potential of this still-burgeoning talent. But don't hesitate to get his first two albums now. This one will make you smile a lot, from the comically "coy boy" moments to the happy-go-lucky numbers to the lush valentine-worthy love songs like the nicely-phrased trip gliding along "Moon River." Highly recommended and a treasure of pleasure. Bravo! http://www.talkinbroadway.com/sound/jun2305.html Rob Lester, TalkinBroadway.com