We Compose, Perform, and Produce Great Music
MOTY PEOPLE
Ed Ryba
A rebel yell takes many forms. Ed’s natural talent with dialects and comic delivery enhance all his work behind a microphone, but it doesn’t stop there. He expresses new compositions on keyboards, displays a reverence for technique when playing saxophone, and he celebrates the warmth of electric guitar with an unrivaled devotion for producing a pure sound. None of that is driven by any particular music tradition—Ed is a stylistic chameleon. The driving force behind all of his creative work is an unstoppable inventiveness. The pitch of the moment is always merely a vehicle to express Ed’s endless stream of great ideas. - Andy Rosen
Here’s Ed with some of the instruments he plays
Jennifer Ryba
If Jennifer Ryba’s last name sounds familiar, there’s a reason for that. Ed found Jennifer on California’s Central Coast, or rather she found him. He’d just taken a job as the late-night DJ on a local radio station and was soon to become the top-rated afternoon radio personality in the area. One night early on Jennifer called him to request a song, and they got to talking. In fact, night after night for over a year she called, and they spoke of all sorts of musical and theatrical things, getting to know each other before they ever met. By the time she showed up at the studio window, she knew she loved Ed, and within a short time into their developing friendship she’d decided that he was for her. Now when Jennifer makes up her mind about something she makes it happen! It took more than a few years, as they both had other plans and obligations; but through all those years they had a connection that couldn’t be broken. Eventually the stars aligned, and Ed married her, making them both very happy. Jennifer is a woman of many talents. She’s a wonderful vocalist. She’s also an artist, working in ceramics as well as creating mosaics. She’s an avid reader, has written a children’s book, likes to experiment in the kitchen and play in the dirt, um, garden. Ed says she’s a wonderful wife, and according to him, she’s the most amazing woman on this planet or any other!
Oscar statue ©A.M.P.A.S
Kristen Mann
KRISTEN MANN, one of our lead singers, hails from California’s Central Coast. While there, she performed with a number of local bands. When she moved to the Los Angeles/Hollywood Area at the tender age of 19, she started working with us, but shortly after that became the “Queen of Photoshop” for an advertising agency as well, creating the graphics for nationally advertised products as well as regionally advertised products (Magazine Ads, Billboards, TV Commercials), often being the person who designed the labels for those products. You may have one or more of those products in your home right now.
Kristen and her husband Dré decided to move to Florida, where they’ve brought both a girl and a boy into this world. She still sings for us - but we have to fly her to Hollywood in order to do it!
Kristen is an amazing vocal talent. She has done things like sing the double-tracked Lead Vocal, along with SIX backup Vocal tracks in ONE AFTERNOON!
MT Jackson
M.T. Jackson is our Associate Producer and All-Around-Something-Or-Other. M.T. has worked with Ed Ryba since they were both in High School (!), doing all sorts of musical and theatrical things. In addition to being Associate Producer on many projects, M.T. is also conversant in stage settings, computers, Television and much, much more. Sometimes you might even find him in the Rhythm Section! If there’s something around here that needs doing, M.T. can get it done.
Joe De Simone
Joe DeSimone is one of the great Trumpet and Flugelhorn players of the Western World. In addition to those instruments, he’s also learning to play the Saxophone! And on top of all that, Joe has a PhD in education, and has taught people all over the world in computers and computer science.
Joe has played in bands with Ed Ryba for about 41 years now, and they are very good friends. Ed is extremely pleased that Dr. Joe plays for us, along with the many other gigs he is often called upon to play. If you had to sum up Joe’s talent in one word, that word would be “Virtuoso”!