(Photo by Andrzej P. Pilarczyk)

Education:

• 1991, 1993: Received Blue Note scholarship to study at Skidmore Jazz Institute in New York
• 1993: Received bachelor's degree in jazz studies from DePaul University.

Performance:

• 1995-present: Member of the Orbert Davis Group. Performance activities with this group have included tours of Brazil, Korea, and Ukraine, and the critically acclaimed debut performance at Symphony Center in Chicago of Davis' Concerto For Jazz, Quartet and Orchestra. Also featured on Orbert Davis' With Strings Attached, a nationally released video featuring the Orbert Davis Group plus an eleven-piece string section as well as Orbert's brand new CD, Priority on 316 Jazz.
• 1996: Recorded first solo album, Real World, with many top Chicago jazz artists as well as members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Co-produced with Cliff Colnot.
• 1997: Composed four compositions including title track for jazz artist, Ramsey Lewis' 1998 GRP release, Dance Of The Soul.
• 1998-1999: Arranged five of the selections on Ramsey Lewis' 1999 release on Narada Records, Appassionata. This album was named "jazz album of the year 2000" by Billboard Magazine.
• 1999: Performed in concert with The Chicago Chamber Musicians as a guest artist.
• 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003: Faculty member of the New York State Summer School Of The Arts.
• Performed in concert with jazz artists such as Freddie Hubbard, Curtis Fuller, Jon Faddis, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling, Pat La Barbera, Joe La Barbera, Todd Coolman, Nick Brignola, Kent Jordan, and Michal Urbaniak.
• 2000: Recorded and produced second solo album of all original compositions, Here and Now, which was picked up by the U.K. based Sirocco Jazz label and released internationally in the fall of 2001. Five of nine selections were co-produced with Cliff Colnot.
• 2000: Received Artists Fellowship Grant from the Illinois Arts Council for Composition
• 2001: Contributed a composition on Ramsey Lewis' latest recording on Narada Records, Meant To Be.
• 2001: Debuted arrangement of Duke Ellington's The Star-Crossed Lovers in New York in a performance by Curtis Fuller, Dick Oatts, Vince DiMartino, Frank Mantooth, Todd Coolman, and Ed Shaughnessey.
• 2001: Music director for the Chicago Human Rhythm Project's tap dance festival
• 2001: Featured performer at the Chicago Jazz Festival with Orbert Davis, and Franz Jackson.
• 2001: Ryan Cohan Quartet fall West Coast tour featuring Bob Sheppard, James Cammack and Joe La Barbera.
• 2001: Performed CD release concert with original sextet at The Jazz Showcase in Chicago.
• 2002: Composed and produced original soundtrack to Michael Frolichstein's independently released short film, Dog Walker.
• 2003: Featured performer/clinician at the Purdue Jazz Festival
• 2003: Featured performer/clinician at the New Trier Jazz Festival
• 2003: Headline performer at the Neenah Jazz Festival in Neenah, WI
• 2003: Performed solo piano set at Symphony Center in Chicago as part of a concert event promoted as featuring "nine of the city's best performers."
• 2003: Headline performer/clinician at the Bloomington Jazz Festival in Bloomington, IN
• 2004: Featured performer at the Marshall Vente Jazz Festival at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago
• 2004: Featured performer with sextet at the Chicago Jazz Festival
• 2004: Pianist with Orbert Davis' Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in debut concert at Chicago Jazz Festival
• 2005: Featured performer at the IAJE Convention in Chicago, IL
• 2005, 2004: Featured performer at the Medicine Hat Jazz Festival in Medicine Hat, AB Canada
• 2005: Featured performer at The Calgary Jazz Festival in AB, Canada
• 2006: Featured on double-bill concert with The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet at The Medicine Hat Jazz Festival(Esplanade Theatre), AB Canada.
• 2006: Debuted 'One Sky: Tone Poems For Humanity'(commissioned by Chamber Music America NY) with RC Sextet in concert at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY to two standing ovations.
• 2007: Ryan Cohan Sextet featured at the Winter Jazz Fair sponsored by The Jazz Institute Of Chicago.
• 2007: Ryan Cohan Quartet selected by panel led by Wynton Marsalis for the 2007-2008 Rhythm Road program sponsored by Jazz At Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department Of State.
• 2008: Ryan Cohan Quartet selected for the 2008-2009 Rhythm Road program sponsored by Jazz At Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department Of State.

Writing:

• 1997: Composed four compositions including title track for jazz artist, Ramsey Lewis' 1998 GRP release, Dance Of The Soul.
• 1998-1999: Arranged five of the selections on Ramsey Lewis' 1999 release on Narada Records, Appassionata. This album was named "jazz album of the year 2000" by Billboard Magazine.
• 1999: Arranged piano parts for Daniel Baremboim's Tribute To Ellington on Telarc records produced by Cliff Colnot.
• 2000: Received Artists Fellowship Grant from the Illinois Arts Council for Composition.
• 2001: Contributed a composition on Ramsey Lewis' latest recording on Narada Records, Meant To Be.
• 2001: Debuted arrangement of Duke Ellington's The Star-Crossed Lovers in New York in a performance by Curtis Fuller, Dick Oatts, Vince DiMartino, Frank Mantooth, Todd Coolman, and Ed Shaughnessey.
• 2002: Composed and produced original soundtrack to Michael Frolichstein's independently released short film, Dog Walker.
• 2004: Commissioned to write solo piano works for Ramsey Lewis.
• 2004: Arranged for Richard Marx.
• 2005: Composer of the theme to The Legends Of Jazz TV show hosted by Ramsey Lewis
• 2005: Arranged for The Grant Park Orchestra and Otis Clay in a televised concert event celebrating WTTW Chicago's 50th Anniversary.
• 2005: Awarded the 'New Works: Creation and Presentation Grant' from Chamber Music America.
• 2006: Awarded the CAAP Grant by The City Of Chicago
• 2007: Composed and produced the original score to the feature film, Tapioca, starring Ben Vereen and Mike Houlihan. In addition to to Ryan performing on the soundtrack, featured artists include John Moulder, Orbert Davis, Geof Bradfield, Tom Garling, Kobie Watkins, and The McLin Ensemble.
• 2007: Awarded The Artist's Fellowship Grant from The Illinois Arts Council for composition.
• 2007: Awarded the CAAP Grant by The City Of Chicago.
• 2008: Ryan's score for 'Tapioca' is nominated for The Park City Film Music Festival's 'Best Impact Of Music In A Full-Length Feature Film’ award
• 2008: Awarded the 'Encore Grant' from Chamber Music America
• 2008: Awarded the 'New Works: Creation and Presentation Grant' from Chamber Music America

Recording:

(As a leader)

• 1997: Real World
• 2001: Here and Now(Sirocco Music)
• 2007: One Sky(Motema Music)

(As a sideman)

• 1992: DePaul University I, Have You Heard
• 1993: Byron Febbs, Blue With Envy(Lakeshore Jazz)
• 1995: Orbert Davis, With Strings Attached(Copia)
• 1996: Tom Hipskind, Circle Of Friends
• 1999: Sergio Pires, Umbigo(Dende Music)
• 1999: Natalia Nazarova, Listen With Your Heart(The Orchard)
• 2001: Orbert Davis, Priority(316 Jazz)
• 2004: Orbert Davis, Blue Notes(316 Jazz)
• 2004: David Bloom/Cliff Colnot, Duende
• 2006: (arranger): John Moulder, Trinity
• 2006: Ed Breazeale, Just Beyond
• 2007: (piano, producer): Sabina L. Lilly, Let The Music Speak
• 2008: Orbert Davis, Collective Creativity(316 Jazz)

(Commercials)

• Bravo Card
• Nissan
• Sears
• Oprah Winfrey
• Budweiser
• Toyota

Teaching:

• 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004: Faculty member of the New York State Summer School Of The Arts.
• 1993-present: Represented Urban Gateways in a variety of contexts working with students in schools in the greater Chicago area.
• 1997-2000, 2005: Accompanist/Instructor at The Bloom School Of Jazz in Chicago
• 2001-present: Clinician at:
  • New Trier HS(Winnetka, IL)
  • Bloomington High School South(Bloomington, IN)
  • Northern Illinois University(DeKalb, IL)
  • LaFayette Jefferson HS(LaFayette, IN)
  • North Central HS(Indianapolis, IN)
  • Purdue University(West LaFayette, IN)
  • Centre College(Danville, KY)
  • Youth Performing Arts School(Louisville, KY)
  • Skidmore College(Saratoga Springs, NY)
  • Medicine Hat College(Medicine Hat, AB CANADA)
  • Columbia College(Chicago, IL)
  • LaPorte High School(LaPorte, IN)
  • University Of Louisville(Louisville, KY)
  • Cuyahoga Community College(Cleveland, OH)
  • Niles North HS(Skokie, IL)
  
• 1993-present: Private instruction on piano, composing and arranging.
• 2008-present: Assistant Director Of Jazz Ensembles, University Of Illinois At Chicago