Ryan Meagher (pronounced Marr) is a jazz guitarist and composer who grew up in San Jose, California. Perhaps best-known for his compositional acumen, he is also well-known for his flexibility and range. He is truly in his own space when exploring his thought-provoking original material with exciting and sensitive sidemen, but he has also accompanied a pool of incredibly diverse artists. He can lay down traditional harmonic and rhythmic framework for artists like Terell Stafford and Randy Brecker, and John Clayton. But he can also stretch and provide color like he has alongside very adventurous artists like trumpeters Cuong Vu and Taylor Ho Bynum, bassist David Friesen, and the poll-winning ensemble Mostly Other People Do the Killing.

It was during the period that he lived in New York City when launched his debut album Sun Resounding announcing his arrival on the modern jazz scene. Shortly after the success of his second album entitled Atroefy on Fresh Sound New Talent Records he attended the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) to attain his master of music degree in pursuit of a career in jazz education. His third album Tone was recorded in NYC in between his studies at UNR and it received international critical acclaim. After the completion of his master of music degree Meagher relocated to Portland, Oregon where he quickly became a recognizable force in the creative music community there. Along with releasing his fourth record Tango In the City of Roses on PJCE Records he has been instrumental in expanding the scene. He has been working closely with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble since 2013 and is now the organization’s Artistic Director. He is also a co-founder of the Montavilla Jazz Festival. He was previously Editor of the Jazzscene Magazine, and currently teaches at Mt Hood Community College, Willamette University, University of Portland and directs the jazz program at Lower Columbia College in Longview, WA. He has a total of nine albums as a leader, and has been a sideman on many more. His most recent release, AftEarth, is a multidisciplinary work that was featured in the October 2023 issue of Downbeat magazine.