Saxophone Loops + 
Effects + 
Drum Machine

banjoist/musician/producer
bluegrass-jazz-rock-abstract

www.ryancavanaughbanjo.com

Ryan Cavanaugh's innovative ideas of how and what is played on the 5-string banjo are occupied by few banjo players and musicians alike. Hailing originally from North Carolina, Cavanaugh’s first appearances as a child featured his hard-driving style on WPAQ radio and with greats like Doc Watson, Doug Dillard, and John McEuen. Cavanaugh is a US Champion of premier traditional banjo contests such as RockyGrass, MerleFest, FiddleFest and RenoFest. Having now honed his now uber-untraditional chops under the wings of Jazz sax legend Bill Evans, Cavanaugh has meticulously developed a technical approach and songwriting craft entirely his own while not compromising his instrument to play new genres. Lauded by roots music authority No Depression, the ambitious and musically relentless Ryan Cavanaugh is, “the most versatile banjo player in the world whose name isn’t Fleck…He can play anything, and he’s proven he’s crafty enough to impress John-Oh-My-God-McLaughlin.” 

Cavanaugh’s newest release, “Back Country,” is a series of “bluegrass/fusion singles” [Bluegrass Today, 2014] featuring Reuben’s Cube (Tribute to Earl Scruggs), Once Upon a Time in Appalachia and the title track, Back Country. 
“One of the best technical players ever.” – Bela Fleck, Elmore Magazine, 2011 

Recommended by John McLaughlin and Béla Fleck in 2006, Cavanaugh has spent nine years touring in the acclaimed saxophonist's Bill Evans Soulgrass band. Cavanaugh records and shares stages with greats Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, John Popper, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers, Warren Haynes and Robben Ford. In addition to his new series, Back Country, recordings to date include the new grass venture "Songs for the New Frontier" (2006) and the modern jazz tinged "Ryan Cavanaugh and No Man's Land" (2010). All available and distributed by digital resellers. Back Country recordings feature Cavanaugh on banjo, Bill Evans on saxophone, Mark Egan on bass, Tyson Rogers on keyboard, and Joel Rosenblatt on drums.
“Cavanaugh’s bluegrass credibility is undeniable but, while he’ll humbly tell you that he’s still got so much to learn, he’s already a remarkable jazz player.” - All About Jazz Magazine, 2010
“[Cavanaugh]brings his invaluable command of the banjo to the tunes while Latella makes singing like a songbird sound easy.” - Huffington Post, 2014


My name is Paul Amlehn. I am an artist working in the mediums of literature, music, visual art, theater, opera, dance, performance art, and film.

My poetry, prose, and texts for theater and opera have been published in literary journals in 23 countries, including Exquisite Corpse, the California Quarterly, Poetry Salzburg Review, and Evergreen Review.

My paintings, photographs, music, and video art works have been exhibited throughout the world, including at Artist's Space, Luhring Augustine, the Chelsea Art Museum, and Tate Liverpool, and at festivals which include Art 42 Basel (with the Serpentine Gallery - curated by Julia Peyton-Jones and Hans Ulrich Obrist), documenta 14, and the 51st, 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th, and 60th Venice Biennales.

On my music projects I have collaborated with Robert Fripp (King Crimson), Ulrich Krieger (Lou Reed), Chuck Hammer (David Bowie), Jamie Saft (Iggy Pop), Susan Stenger (John Cale), Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno), Michael Blair (Tom Waits), David Van Tieghem (Laurie Anderson), Michael Johnson (Joy Division), Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Joe Gore (PJ Harvey), Terry Edwards (Tindersticks), Mick Rossi (Leonard Cohen), Jem Finer (The Pogues), Mark Egan (Arcadia), Dieter Moebius (Cluster), Jess Stewart (Psychic TV), Eberhard Kranemann (Kraftwerk), Thomas Stern (Einsturzende Neubauten), Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire), Susan Alcorn, Suzanne Ciani, Keiron Melling (The Fall), Julia Kent (Antony and the Johnsons), Laurent Petitgand (Wim Wenders), Jen Baker (Werner Herzog), John King (Merce Cunningham Dance Company), Robert Black (Bang on a Can All-Stars), Frank Cassara (Steve Reich and Musicians), Andy Findon (Michael Nyman Group), Mick Rossi (Philip Glass Ensemble), David Crowell (Philip Glass Ensemble), Melanie Russell (Philip Glass Ensemble), Eleanor Sandresky (Philip Glass Ensemble), Frank Cassara (Philip Glass Ensemble), Andrew Sterman (Philip Glass Ensemble), Joan Jeanrenaud (Kronos Quartet), and many others.

On my film and video art projects I have collaborated with actors, actresses, singers, and dancers, including Philippe Nahon (Gaspar Noe), Artur Barciś (Krzysztof Kieślowski), Anne Louise Hassing (Lars von Trier), Kate Moran (Peter Greenaway), Kate Fisher (Robert Wilson), Elisa Lasowski (David Cronenberg), Pamela Flores (Alejandro Jodorowsky), Stefania Casini (Andy Warhol), and many others.

I am currently working on an album of music which has texts and vocals by William S. Burroughs, in cooperation with the Burroughs Estate. I am also presently working on an album of music which reimagines the work of John Cage, in cooperation with the John Cage Trust.

Cover art for my albums has been provided by painter Gerhard Richter and artist, musician, and filmmaker David Lynch.

At the end of 2024, I worked on several re-creation compositions which utilzed sonic elements from pre-existing songs by Brian Eno and David Byrne, Nine Inch Nails, and Grimes, from their albums "My Life in the Bush of Ghosts," Ghosts I-IV," and "Miss Anthropocene, combined with new music by myself and other musicians.

Earlier this year, I collaborated with painter Gottfried Helnwein on a short film called: Epigenetic Trauma Painting No. 1.

I'm presently working on a new music recording project. Musicians who have contributed to this project thus far are: Stan Harrison (Radiohead), Bill Gilonis (The Work), Jeroen Visser (Trio Kazanchis +1), Nicholas Currie (Momus), RK Faulhaber (Nurse With Wound), Peter Hess (Philip Glass Ensemble), Hans Peter Kuhn (Robert Wilson), Audrey Chen, Max Eastley, Conrad Harris (String Noise), Pauline Kim Harris (String Noise), Jeff Zeigler (Kronos Quartet), William Klugh Connor III (The Centre for Transgressive Behaviours), Alan Splet, Ann Kroeber, and David Lynch.

Soli Deo gloria.

Followers of Ben Somers