Ryan served as Director of Jazz Band Classic.

Few musicians have managed to navigate the richly varied avenues of New York City’s abundant music scene with the same passion and adaptability as trombonist and composer Ryan Keberle. Since arriving in 1999 his diverse talents have earned him a place alongside a staggering array of legends, superstars, and up-and-coming innovators. Leading his pianoless quartet Catharsis or arranging for the little big band setting of his Double Quartet, Mr. Keberle draws upon lessons learned playing alongside masters of a multitude of forms, from jazz legends to indie rock groundbreakers, and R&B superstars to classical virtuosos. That includes playing with jazz greats, including Maria Schneider and Wynton Marsalis; hip-hop and R&B superstars Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, and Alicia Keys; Latin jazz leaders Pedro Giraudo and Ivan Lins; indie rock groundbreaker Sufjan Stevens; and playing in the house band at Saturday Night Live, on the soundtrack of a Woody Allen film, or in the pit for a Tonywinning Broadway musical.

Born and raised by music educator parents in Spokane, Washington, Mr. Keberle started out playing classical violin and piano before adopting the trombone. He studied at the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of renowned trombonist Steve Turre, and became a member of Jazz at Juilliard’s first graduating class in 2003. His first two releases featured his Double Quartet, a malleable, brass-heavy octet that showcased his deft composing and arranging skills. Early 2012 marked the debut of his latest group, the pianoless quartet Catharsis, comprising some of music’s most compelling young voices, including Mike Rodriguez (trumpet), Jorge Roeder (bass), and Eric Doob (drums). Mr. Keberle’s writing for the band reveals his more melodic and emotional side on pieces driven by groove, the blues, and Latin jazz. His compositions and arrangements demonstrate Mr. Keberle’s expansive tastes, which encompass Duke Ellington, the Beatles, Sufjan Stevens, and Ravel, among countless others.