Sam Ryder has made a place for himself by adapting to many musical situations. As a saxophonist and woodwind player from a jazz background, Ryder has performed with David Liebman, Joe Lovano, Ravi Coltrane and recorded with Stefon Harris & Blackout on the Grammy nominated album Urbanus. Ryder was a charter member of the now defunct soul band C-Phineas, and is comfortable in hip-hop and soul horn sections while maintaining jazz big band upbringing as a member of the Kyle Saulnier Awakening Orchestra. That group has recently released their debut album entitled Volume 1: This Is Not the Answer. Ryder is currently leading two projects; Sam Ryder and The Emotions, an original R&B/Soul Jazz group with words and music written by Ryder and The Young Holiday Heritage Band which pays homage to the music of Billy Holiday and Lester Young.  Both bands can be heard the first and third Monday nights of every month at The Wayland.