TO the Beat: Jesse Ryan Trio

Jesse Ryan is a JUNO-nominated saxophonist and composer whose work explores the connections between jazz and Afro-Caribbean traditions, expressing deeply transcendent ideas through music. Raised in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, he is the grandson of Calypso legend Clifton Ryan, “The Mighty Bomber.” A recipient of the Toronto Arts Foundation’s Emerging Jazz Artist Award, he is also the founder of Kaiso Street Society, dedicated to preserving Calypso heritage. African Women Acting (AWA) is a pan-African nonprofit empowering women, artists, and youth through cultural programming, mentorship, and festivals, fostering cross-cultural collaboration and celebrating African and diasporic arts globally.