Juno-nominated Saxophonist Ryan Oliver steeped his concept and artistry in the creative fires of Amsterdam, honed his craft in Toronto and realized his dream of joining thousands of saxophonists at crowded jam sessions for several years in the jazz metropolis of New York City before returning to BC and the natural beauty of Vancouver Island. For over 15 years, Oliver toured the world with legendary Canadian jazz group the Shuffle Demons along with performing with a who's who of the Canadian jazz scene. He has been nominated for the Prix De Jazz at the Montreal Jazz Festival and for this the 2022 Western Canadian Music Awards "Jazz Musician of the Year". Oliver has recorded over a dozen albums as a leader and co-leader including his most current release, "Ryan Oliver with Strings" on the Vancouver-based Cellar Records label. His upcoming release "Ryan Oliver Live in Vancouver" is scheduled for release in the summer of 2024 and features vocalist Dee Daniels, Brian Dickinson on piano, Neil Swainson on bass and Terry Clarke on drums Oliver holds a Masters degree in music from Rutgers University, where he led the undergraduate big band, and has taught saxophone and ensemble clinics at universities and schools throughout the world for over 20 years. He has worked as an adjudicator for the Fraser MacPherson Scholarship and the Victoria, West Coast and Powell River Jazz Festivals. “Ryan Oliver is one of the most promising Canadian jazz musicians to emerge on the scene at the dawn of the 21st century” – ALL MUSIC GUIDE “Canadian jazz is in good hands with players like Ryan Oliver.” – Pat Labarbera