Esther Berlanga-Ryan

Music Journalist, Radio Host & Producer and Voice Over Talent

About Me

Esther is the Barbara Walters of jazz!. - Marcus Miller

In 30 years of doing interviews I think Esther was the most insightful, knowledgable and invested interviewer ever. Some say she is the Barbara Walters of Jazz; I say she's BETTER than that!!!! - John Patitucci

I want to thank you so much for your thoughtful questions, and I just thank your heart for being such a great reporter. Don’t stop. I hope we get to meet! - Al Jarreau

Esther Berlanga-Ryan is a great music journalist who writes with incredible depth, intelligence and passion. I'm very glad to have been interviewed by her. - Billy Childs

It was wonderful talking with you, and I look forward to the day our paths will cross and we will meet! And remember what I said, Esther! Accept those challenges when they come, don't limit yourself. - Dee Dee Bridgewater

Esther is able to bring out in artists an intimate quality that most journalists can't. Because she is so close to the music, she's able to get that much closer to the musician. - Nicholas Payton

From my encounter with Esther, I found her to be a real advocate of jazz music. She brings back the excitement about jazz and the jazz artist. I find her refreshing and knowledgeable and also a really great person. I am honored to have her as a friend. - Nick Colionne

There are few people that manage to draw soul, honesty and emotion from the individual they are interviewing. Esther Berlanga-Ryan manages to fill each interview with poignant information about each artist while tapping into the deepest part of their soul! - Sean Jones

Esther Berlanga-Ryan has the ears, heart and soul to find great music, mostly by living artists. She is a rare pure voice, finding a worldwide audience on the strength of her taste! - Jon Burr (former bassist for Tony Bennett, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Art Farmer, Stephane Grappelli, Barbara Cook and Eartha Kitt, among others, and founding member of violinist Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing Trio, with guitarist Frank Vignola)

Esther is extremely tasteful as a radio broadcaster, I get to hear many new artist that I never heard before. She is simply brilliant as a writer. What makes her different as an interviewer is that she is totally in the moment. What I like the most is that she is my friend. - Aaron Akins, Jazz/Urban/R&B vocalist, songwriter and creator of the concept for the Capitol/King Cole Partners tribute album to Nat King Cole “Re: Generations” (2009)

The interview we did was so much fun! Esther asked such good questions! Thank you for everything. - Lisa Hilton, Jazz pianist and composer

It was a real pleasure to talk with Esther. It was a beautiful interview, and she did her homework, which I appreciate very much! - Arturo Sandoval

You can tell a lot about a person by the music that they play. Through each selection Esther reveals a heart & soul that evokes the spontaneity of jazz, the depth of rhythm & blues and the deliberate intention to encapsulate the music of life. It's programmers like Esther who make a difference. The old days where huge record companies beat the door down to make sure that fresh new artists (and established artists) get their music heard on the radio are gone. Even many legendary artists are left to their own devices to get their music to their fans. I say thank you and salute those open minded programmers who still give us hope! Thank you Esther for letting your love flow and your jazz show! - Rita Shelby, Jazz vocalist

What a great messenger you are! We need more messengers like you! Love what you're doing. - Linda Morgan, SmoothAhead

I met Esther through some vocalist friends whose music Esther was featuring on her show, “Music From the Heart”. I instantly fell in love with Esther's warm, loving spirit and her taste in music. I feel so honored to be included among those on her play list and count myself fortunate to call her my friend. - Donna Greene of Donna Greene & The Roadhouse Daddies

Esther has that rare ear that hears the music and the feeling behind the singer and the song. Besides that, she can put it all into words so that you know what she hears. She is a friend and supporter of good music whatever that music might be. Wish there were more like her. She loves singers! - Lainie Cooke, Jazz vocalist

Esther, your heart is heard! Thanks for your love and passion for jazz – truthful, heartfelt music. And thanks for caring enough to bring it to the people and then allowing us to further define our intentions through your thoughtful interviews. Wishing you continued happiness... - Nicole Henry, jazz vocalist

When I first spoke with you Esther, I was blown away by your kind and gentle spirit. You renewed my faith in believing that even if my music is not mainstream (not yet anyway), it can and will be heard and appreciated. You are a very focused lady and I'm proud to know you. Please don't stop what you're doing...”Music from the Heart” HAS to keep beating! - Maria Howell (Singer/Actor - Best known as the choir soloist in the movie “The Color Purple”)

You can tell Esther has an amazing and genuine closeness to music, especially jazz. The interview made me dig a little deeper than most interviews do. I wish her nothing but the best of luck in everything she does, and thank you Esther for supporting and helping out real music! - Matt Cusson (Brian McKnight Band)

I could feel Esther's passion for music the first time we connected. Her radio program ”Music From the Heart” is a reflection of that passion and her diverse musical palette. It's what radio should be about: great music! Thank you for inviting me into your family. Continued success! - Victor Fields

Esther created a program and named it “Music from the Heart”. And, it is just that. Music that she feels something for. That she has some connection with. Music from her heart. Not just what's hot now by the music industry's opinion. That's what I like about her. And, I'm proud to be one of the artist who's music she enjoys. Thank you Esther. - Stafford Hunter, NYC and Duke Ellington Orchestra Trombonist

Esther Berlanga-Ryan: Smooth, honest, soulful, passionate, caring, impartial...some of her characteristics. Esther goes deep into the matter with a free spirit and brings out the best in everything. “Music from the Heart” is straight from her soul. Great candidate for “cloning” for we need more like her. Bash!!!” - Bernice Fidelia, former management for Multi- instrumentalist Jowee Omicil

Your emotional connection with the soul of this music is VERY refreshing, and provides an altogether different insight in your writing that separates you from the 'others!' - Jeremy Pelt

Esther, been looking at some of your writings on the All About Jazz site - you are very good! You write with passion and understanding of the discipline - and you ask pertinent, intelligent questions. I appreciate your dedicated efforts to the keeping of the music alive and well. - Mort Weiss

My Jazz Story

I love jazz because it makes sense with its disorganized energy. It feels like home. I was first exposed to jazz at birth. My father loved jazz and he played it for me from day one. I met Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett, Jeremy Pelt, JD Allen, Esperanza Spalding, Kendrick Scott, Gregory Hutchison and a few others in NYC in May of 2010. It was the jazziest music trip of my life. The best show I ever attended yet was Christian McBride and Inside Straight at the Vanguard in NYC. I cried with his "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" rendition. The first jazz record I bought was "The best of Bille Holiday" and then Coltrane's "Giant Steps", Louis Armstrong's "Live at Symphony Hall'" and Earl Hines & Budd Johnson's "Dirty old men" (Black and Blue). My advice to new listeners is to take your time, because it will happen. One day you will wake up and it'll make perfect sense. Jazz will be "it".