Ryan Barski

Ryan Barski is an active jazz drummer, composer, and community organizer originally from Rochester, New York. A graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music (BM ’22, MM ’24), where he studied under Rich Thompson, Ryan has performed extensively across the United States. He has shared the stage and collaborated with numerous Grammy-winning and nominated artists, including Maria Schneider, Christian McBride, Dafnis Prieto, John Clayton, Ryan Keberle, and Reuben Rogers. Ryan is the co-founder of the modern jazz quartet Side Step. Inspired by the spirit of jazz legends like Elvin Jones and Steve Grossman, the quartet began touring shortly after its formation in 2022 and released their debut album, "Blues Clues." Beyond jazz, Ryan is active in the contemporary music scene, recording with artists across various genres. His festival credits include BottleRock Napa Valley, the Rochester International Jazz Festival—where he was a recipient of the Rochester International Jazz Festival/Eastman School of Music Jazz Scholarship—and the Lilac Festival. In addition to his performance career, Ryan is a dedicated educator. He served as the Functional Jazz Drum Set instructor at the Eastman School of Music and maintains a private teaching studio, working with students ranging from ages 8 to 70. Ryan takes a melodic and equine approach to the drum set while respecting the great drummers of the past.