INTERVIEW: MONIKA RYAN “On My Own Time and On My Own Terms”

Great news for jazz lovers. After a string of singles, which were teasing the upcoming release, Monika Ryan’s latest album is finally out. Titled “DELIGHTFULLY”, it is a 14-track celebration of all things jazz, a deep dive into the joyful vibes which will make you feel delight – full. Exploring the themes of living, loving and, indeed, delighting fully, Monika is focusing on authentic connection. The record, after all, features her longtime collaborators – jazz musicians who are more than friends. And, as you will find out while reading the below interview, they are one musical family. With “DELIGHTFULLY” now out for everyone to enjoy, I am happy to invite you to my conversation with Monika. We discussed her love for jazz, and her life as an independent artist who, over the last 25 years, has been self-releasing original jazz music. Monika is a pure inspiration that every aspiring DIY artist should hear about. As well as a living proof that once you focus on something that you are trully passionate about, nothing will ever stop you.

BARTEK: If you were to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?

MONIKA RYAN:

Shortform:

A poetic, whimsical deep thinker who believes music is medicine — I don’t wake people up with a jolt, I coax them gently out of their armor and back to their hearts.

Longerform, which is a more natural answer for me but quite a bit longer… I may have gotten carried away.

A poetic and philosophical deep thinker with a penchant for delight and whimsy, and the belief that when our hearts and minds are unburdened and in a playful state we have the greatest ability to create, and thus thrive, expand, and live beyond the confines of survival alone. It is through our humanity that we experience real and meaningful purpose and connection — and by every measure that matters, that is what makes a happy and fulfilling life. So, I impishly and lovingly remind people to get back to their hearts, to each other, and to themselves, and to look for the light in the tunnel — not just at the end of it. This is the space of security from which real progress is made. This is the voice I occupy. It is my belief that art is service, and music is medicine, when created with thoughtful intention to communicate beauty and reflection.

I have a wonderful friend who creates art that feels like a defibrillator — she wakes people up with a jolt, and I adore her for it, she is the perfect antidote to ambivalence. I wake people up by coaxing them out of their armor. I am the cure for those who have boarded themselves up knowingly or unknowingly. My approach is gentle and thoughtful, with almost an effervescent, featherlight playfulness. I offer the heart a moment of rest to drop the ballast and feel a little lighter — without crossing into another reality.

You have been releasing original jazz music on your own imprint for over 25 years now. What has drawn you to jazz in the first place?

I didn’t have words for the sound and the feeling of jazz when I was younger, but I connected to the music. I do believe that jazz is an intersection of empathy and consciousness — it is inward and outward facing simultaneously, has harmony that can be drawn back to the ancient world, and changes with every performance through the spirit of innovation and improvisation. When I was a child I felt this; as I have gone through life I have understood it to greater intellectual levels. It is a music that grows with the artist while maintaining deep roots.

Jazz is an intersection of empathy and consciousness.

Why have you started creating original jazz songs?

Original jazz has been something I have created because many of the songs that are considered “The Standard Jazz Repertoire” are give or take 100 years old. Though timeless in the feelings, many of them are very dated in how those feelings are processed, expressed, and felt in our time. Life has changed so dramatically in the last 100 years and we have changed with it. We think differently, flirt differently, work differently, relate to each other differently — the songs were stuck in a time capsule. So, while honoring the tradition, I offered modern alternatives, a little update, something that felt more relevant today, at least in the way it describes some of the timeless things, and of course weaving in elements of life that are new to our times.

I also believe in the medicinal balm of music. Music is both felt and understood, so we ingest music holistically. We listen to it both consciously and in the background unconsciously. Like affirmations that when repeated become realities simply by aligning and guiding our heads and hearts, I choose to affirm healthy outcomes for people. My songs carry supportive stories and messages of finding balance, of trusting inner wisdom, of communicating clearly, of honoring the teaching and exchanging of ideas between different perspectives, of looking for the joy in life and connecting with others. In my music I am modeling that. The ear worms are words that are full of joy and kindness and respect for self and others. That is also why I write original jazz.

Do you remember the first time you heard music? How old were you and how did it change/influence you?

I have heard stories from my mother about my reaction to music as an infant. My family are all visual artists. My mother has told me that she would give my older sister a crayon and a piece of paper and she would draw — she would give me a crayon and a piece of paper and I would use the paper as a drum and the crayon as a mallet, or crumple the paper by my ear and listen to the sounds. Another story she has told me is that I would sit by the speakers and bounce for an entire record as an infant. I grew up in an artist loft in lower Manhattan. The kitchen was open to the living room. The speakers were not far from the kitchen sink, so while my mom was doing dishes or cooking she could put on my favorite music and I would be happy next to the speaker within view while she washed a few dishes. So, music was always something I connected to. I played violin as a child, but I did not know how to practice and never got very good. I was always singing though, and I have an uncanny ear for vocal inflections and tone, which is highly technical and serves me as a teacher. So as a teenager I got some vocal training and my passion and education converged.

Your new album, “DELIGHTFULLY”, has just come out. Where are you taking us this time, what journey would you like your audience to experience?

“DELIGHTFULLY” is all about living fully. A lot of modern living is sitting at a desk, often alone, in a somewhat removed world of technical wonders — tinkering, moving through life with either a forward-facing goal-orientation or a backward-facing sentimental one, with less focus on our collective present presence. All of that is part of a whole life, but not the whole life itself. In this journey I am including that part of life, while shifting the focus to the person in the mirror, or the person on the other side of the table or room — looking to the exchange of ideas or the delights of the heart.

I’m including the individual busyness in “Give Me Time” and “Save Me A Seat,” as that is part of our lives today, but I’m shifting the focus toward presence in a very human sense. I would like the audience to consider meeting up with others more often. At least two of my songs offer the meeting up with friends as a vignette. Two mention going out to hear live music. Two talk about learning from strangers. Three talk about finding balance between work and play. One song removes judgment and competition about pace, while another recommends listening to one’s own heart. It is very much an album about making peace with agitations within and without and connecting with each other. It is about collaboration.

Do you have your own favourites among your songs? If yes, which of the new ones would you single out and why?

My favorites will shift over time — this is always the case. Right now, I am feeling the title track “DELIGHTFULLY” because it is like a thesis statement for the whole album: both aspirational and actionable. As a songwriter, all of these are my creations, and because I write prolifically, these songs were already favorites of mine chosen from a much larger collection.

Originally, I was going to include a song I wrote a year and a half ago called “Perfectly Imperfect” — a wabi-sabi appreciation of all that makes us different and unique. I decided against it because one of my collaborators wasn’t feeling it, and I thought: I can pick another one and save that for a future release. So, from a big collection of songs, these were my favorites — picking from them is difficult.

Let’s talk about one of my own favourites from “DELIGHTFULLY”, “If You Know You Know”. You referred to it as a “celebration of radical honesty and zero pretense”.

I’m truly delighted that you love that song! I’m a native New Yorker, and New York — very much a global city, a port that travels in every direction — is a blend of cultures and styles living together in a big, beautiful, colorful urban community.

We have a style of communication that is very direct in New York. It is meant in the highest form of respect: no one wants to waste anyone else’s time, no one wants to confuse anyone else or be confused. As with any generalization, this does not hold for every person, but it is an overarching cultural trait of the region. It’s not always soft around the edges, and one person’s truth is not always universally applicable — but it is direct and real for the communicator, and so it is that I find my comfort zone to be one of direct clarity. Assumptions are often wrong.

I try to be compassionately and honestly direct, and that is what I prefer from others in communication. Direct truth served in a kind, straightforward manner, even if it is unflattering to me or an unfavorable result, is still a kindness.

So, this is where this song is coming from. It asks: Why would anyone need to communicate any other way? Fear? The truth is fine and it’s safe here — I can handle the truth from you. Manipulation? Not welcome here. Let’s just be real together. We can all handle that. From this position, a fair-minded person like me can usually find a win-win outcome to most situations — but first I need to see what the real factors are.

It takes the whole practice of Machiavellian maneuvering out of the equation. That is a huge drain on joy — like a bog or quicksand, it can swallow one whole. I’m not interested in any of that.

Do you think the world would be better if more people were compassionately direct?

Sure! For me it would be. Being direct is laying one’s cards on the table, and this world is full of people who do not want to do that — illusions are part of the norm for many. I prefer the truth. As someone who is straightforward, without much game, I am not one to make many waves in circles where people are manipulating. I am, however, the person to turn to when you want the straight answer delivered with empathy and, when appropriate, optimistic grounding.

“DELIGHTFULLY” was recorded in one day which, as you say, is “the reality of being a self-funded indie artist”. Do you ever regret going the independent way?

I cannot regret going independent because I did not have the option to put out music any other way. When I was younger I wanted a record contract and I was never offered one, so I — always close to the reason I created and with enough confidence to believe in my skills — moved forward as an independent artist. It, like all paths, comes with both benefits and drawbacks and I am comfortable with both. There is a famous quote — “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair” — by Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress in 1968, and this is the spirit of not giving up one’s place in the conversation. As an artist I did not give up my place in the creative conversation just because no one offered me a chair.

With independence I have total freedom to make what I like, when I like, release it on my own schedule, move works out of print that I feel I have grown beyond, and that is incredible. I make all of the royalties for my own work, which are good by comparison, but are still not what they should be.

What I don’t get is the support of the business as a system and network structure. My albums have a tight budget and I have to fundraise for them and promote them myself. That is not easy to do. I do not have a team of resources behind me and that is not easy.

As an artist, I did not give up my place in the creative conversation just because no one offered me a chair.

How do you overcome the obstacles of being independent?

When one is determined and resources are scant, one learns how to creatively overcome barriers that might have stopped someone less determined. There are a lot of ways to make up the difference. Compromise is personal, especially with art. I do compromise but never with the quality of the content. I work with top-of-the-line players, I record in the most respected studios, and hire the strongest engineers — and I do so for shorter periods of time, through efficiency and proficiency. We have a day in the studio because that is what I can afford when stretched.

I treat everyone and everything with the highest level of respect, and I spend as much as I can afford on the best production I can muster. I do this because I have the highest levels of respect for wonderful artists and people, and also because the quality of the music dictates the effectiveness of the music, the feeling of the music, the whole point and purpose of the music.

Over the years I have gotten quite good at this, as it is true that we improve at anything we practice with thoughtful intention. We self-correct, and retool our approach, and ultimately get better and faster. With “DELIGHTFULLY” we actually recorded enough music to be a double album in one day.

How do you think your life would have been affected, had you not gone the independent route?

If I had gotten a big record contract when I was a young woman it would have been a dream come true — I don’t know what my life would have looked like, and I am very fond of the life that I have. I have had and raised two incredible children who are now young adults, and I was able to be present for them every step of the way. This was a blessing of doing music my own way. My youngest will be 18 in January, off to university in one year, and I will be free to be fully engaged in touring, recording, and anything else music related — and if the right deal from a label came along I would seriously consider it. But if it did not, I know that I will continue to put out music as often as I can assemble the funds to make it happen, on my own time and on my own terms, and that right there is a win-win for me. I believe in the power of music, and I believe in the power of independent perspectives and voices out in the world. Life is a journey, mine has been one of resilience and creative abundance, so I have no regrets.

When I listen to “DELIGHTFULLY”, I feel positively charged and exhilarated. Is it always your intention to make your audience feel uplifted?

I am thrilled that you feel positively charged and exhilarated when you listen to “DELIGHTFULLY” — that is exactly what I would hope for. Yes, it is always my intention to help people find their way back to their own vitality. There is a question that people muse upon: “If you had one superpower, what would it be?” It’s been fairly common in my life to have this question come up at all ages as a kind of conversation and connection device. Some years ago, I stumbled upon the answer that has been applicable to me since childhood. I had wished to have the power to soothe people’s pain through music — and I have been doing this a very long time. My mother remembers a time when I must have been 4 or 5 years old and she was crying about something, one of life’s sadnesses — all lives have moments of tears — and I came into her room and started singing to her to cheer her up. There was something so humorous about my delivery that she couldn’t help but laugh. I used to make up little songs about my lunch and make my father laugh as a young child as well.

Across my entire life people have said to me “talking to you makes me feel calm.” I don’t know why, but it has been said to me many times. I know that whatever it is in my emotional DNA, it is often soothing to others. I don’t even know I am doing it most of the time. Sometimes people say things like “Wow! You really are good at this bright-side thing” — and that’s true. I look for the opportunity for growth in every setting, and what we look for we often can see. So when someone shares something with me that feels deflating to them, if appropriate, I can often — though not always — point out how there is an opportunity for something hopeful present.

Have you written songs that feel sad or melancholic?

Yes, many. They are not the best use of my abilities. As someone who has a high level of empathy and draws others into feeling deeply through music, bringing someone low rather than raising them up is not something I want to do. That said, I have nothing against other artists who find their work supports others in a form of catharsis or release. Everyone’s art serves in different ways — but I do not want to bring people low. In fact, some of the work I have taken out of print are expressions of deep sadness in music. The practice of making those songs can be wonderful, but I do not want to repeat heaviness like a mantra in anyone’s earbuds. I want to repeat “you can do it,” “this world is full of beauty,” “you are loved” — and things like that.

What is the story behind recording “Save Me A Seat”, the final track on the album?

This is a song that I debuted at a live show a year and a half ago and it had such a strong reaction from one person, who was new to me and my music, that I put it on “DELIGHTFULLY”. He wanted to know where he could buy a recording of it right then and there.

The story behind this song is one of gathering — being responsible to the work of life at the pace of life, but getting to the dinner party even if a few minutes late.

In my mind this is at a jazz club where friends are gathered to be together and to listen, and I might miss the first song or two, but I’ll be there. I said I would be there and if you know you know — I’ll be there. We’re all moving so fast. Sometimes the compromise is getting there a song or two late but being there for the rest of it. Something comes up in a meeting, or the train is delayed, or whatever — getting there is worth it. Being together is a joy.

If you were to perform any of the new songs with another singer, who would you invite to such a duet?

This is a hard question for me to answer — there are so many great artists I would love to work with, both living and gone. But thinking about what might make for an interesting vocal complement and contrast, I keep coming back to Skowa, who passed in June 2024. What a velvety voice he had. He was part of the samba rock trio Trio Mocotó, a Brazilian band originally formed in São Paulo in 1968, influential in creating the style known as samba rock. If you don’t know him and want to hear his beautiful dulcet tones, search for “Voltei Amor” by Trio Mocotó — he’s singing lead. I would have loved to sing one with him. I have loved his voice since I discovered it in 2001 or 2002.

Since you often debut your songs during your live performances, what was the audience’s reaction that has particularly impressed you, or stayed with you for a long time?

I had mentioned the reaction to “Save Me A Seat” earlier. New songs always draw comments, which I love. Another vocalist I know heard the rhyme scheme and said “table, able — clever.” A member of the band playing a song for the first time might say “this song plays itself” — meaning it is logical, feels good, and has a completeness to it. Two different musicians said that the first time they played “Give Me Time.” Then there are the reactions where people are completely silent and alert in the audience, listening so closely I can feel it — that tells me the song is engaging. There isn’t one thing that tells me a song is strong; it’s a series of small reactions that tell me it’s connecting.

Here’s one I did not see, but someone else in the audience told me about afterward. When I debuted “Tortoise and Hare” and sang “I’m a tortoise, you’re clearly a hare,” several couples in the audience started pointing to themselves and their partner, identifying as either the tortoise or the hare. The person who told me was sitting at an elevated bar seat and could see the whole room. The song was being identified with immediately — people were miming the words along with me. I had the lights in my eyes and was fully in the song, completely unaware — but hearing about it afterward gave me a real sense of its connection to the audience.

I would like to find out more about how you form your live band as well. You said a lot of people who play with you on stage have been friends for a long time.

I only hire people who are both talented and kind. So, it is always a pleasure to make music with people who have both well-honed skills, a generous heart, and an inventive nature. Live shows are made up of who is in town and available for the show from a group of incredible players whom I love to work with.

On this album we are mostly old friends, and those who are not, feel like old friends. The person I have known the longest on the album is the percussionist Daniel Freedman — as it turns out he and I went to elementary school (primary school) together, though we became close friends when I was around 16. Also, at that age I met drummer Joe Strasser at my audition for The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and while at The New School I met saxophonist Keith Loftis, who was also a student there. Around the same time, I met Neal Miner, who was playing on the New York jazz scene — so these friendships go back quite a ways. I started working with pianist Steve Einerson around 10 years ago; we have such a nice rapport and friendship. And last but certainly not least is Adrian Galante, who just turned 30. He arranged the album and played clarinet on “If You Know You Know.” I met him at a jam session at Birdland Jazz Club in 2023. I felt the impulse to ask him if he wanted more arranging work after hearing one of his arrangements of an obscure Cole Porter song. He said yes, we met for coffee in the next few days, and discovered that we were well-suited collaborators. “DELIGHTFULLY” is the second album we have made together — the first was my 2025 release, “Sweetness”.

It literally feels like one big musical family. What do you think draws all of these people together?

Everyone in this group has a wonderful sense of humor and a deep respect for the music and for each other, so our one day in the studio was hard work with giggles between songs, and the kind of comfort with one another that leads to freedom of expression at a deep level. There is room for vulnerability, and for risk-taking, when everyone knows how good everyone is and a misstep creatively is safe — great art must have risks in its making.

The team at The Bunker was also fantastic — Aaron Nevezie and Jasper Leach were incredible recording engineers, really sensitive to us and perfectly matched our vibe, which made for a joyful and comfortable recording. When it was time for mixing I called up Chris Allen, who I first worked with on “Sweetness” — but we both have observed that our rapport is so good it feels like we’ve been friends for decades. There is a natural easiness in the mixing sessions; we tell stories between mixes and geek out on the sound together.

It was a really nice vibe creating this album top to bottom. In short, yes — this did feel like family. A family that totally loves and respects each other. We all walked away from the studio buzzing, overflowing with the energy we had been pouring into the music all day.

Finally, have you already started creating songs for your next album, and where do you think it will take you, musically speaking?

I have two additional albums already written — the thing between me and making them is funding. An album like this, with one day in the studio and 14 songs, costs me around $13,000 from having written the songs to releasing it, not including pressing vinyl or anything like that. So, I need to earn, fundraise, or be granted the funds for another album. As soon as I have the funds ready, I will start organizing the recording session. My turnaround time is fast from recording to release — we recorded “DELIGHTFULLY” on April 17th and by June 12 I was releasing the first single, so I can get music out pretty quickly. Ideally, I would secure enough money to give everyone a small raise and pay myself, and record a new album in the fall and release it over several months.

Comparatively to the market in jazz, I am making albums very inexpensively — but as an independent artist, getting funding feels like a magic trick that I manage to pull off every year. So, to answer your question: yes, I am always writing. I have the next album ready to go for when the funding turns up.

Photos: Provided by Monika Ryan

More info: http://monikaryan.com