Ryan Hamilton - lead (borrowed from CJO website) - Ryan is a versatile trombonist and educator, making music since the age of nine years old. His training began in fourth grade in Liverpool, New York and continued through high school in Columbus under the inspiring tutelage of Kie Watkins. While undergoing his collegiate studies, he joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra, playing trombone and singing in the vocal group, The Moonlight Serenaders. Upon finishing a two-year tour of the world he completed his degree at Capital University where he currently teaches in the jazz studies program.

Ryan is a member of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, the Cathedral Brass Ensemble, Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra, Yumbambe, New Basics Brass Band, New Orleans Funk Orchestra as well as his own trio/quartet. In addition he performs with the HooDoo Soul Band and pit orchestras of Broadway Columbus; has shared the stage with such performers as Frankie Valli, Bill Dobbins, Spoon, the Temptations, Jiggs Whigham, and the O’Jays; and world tours with the Guy Lombardo Orchestra. You can hear him as a soloist on a recent recording by Still Motion, in addition to recordings by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Wet Darlings, New Basics Brass Band, Jesse Henry, and the Famous Jazz Orchestra.
As an educator, Ryan leads a big band, daily master classes and improvisation classes, and performs in the faculty jazz combo as a faculty member for Music for All’s Summer Symposium. He also maintains a large private lesson studio teaching trombone, euphonium, and tuba to students of all ages. His duties at Capital University have included directing jazz combos, teaching the jazz improvisation and jazz audiation classes, and teaching jazz trombone lessons. Previous teaching positions include at Kenyon College and Mount Vernon Nazarene University.