His universe of work as composer, arranger, and instrumentalist ranges from rock to jazz to classical to experimental to ethno to fusions of respective genres thereof.
As collaborator and sideman, he has recorded with pianist Franck Amsallem, Phil Woods, Tom Harrell, Al Foster, John Patitucci, Dave Liebman, Danilo Perez, Maynard Ferguson, Red Garland, Badal Roy, Maria Schneider (musician), and Donald Byrd.
Ries arranged compositions by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, which were recorded on off-days during the Stones' A Bigger Bang World Tour.
As a saxophonist soloist, he performed the American premiere of Takashi Yoshimatsu's Cyber Bird Concerto with the Brooklyn Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall.
His influential saxophone teachers have included James B. Forger (born 1951), Michigan All State Band, Ann Arbor (1971–1972), Larry Teal, Interlochen Arts Academy (1971–1972), Lynn Klock, Interlochen Arts Academy (1976–1977), Jim Riggs, University of North Texas (1979–1982), Donald Sinta, University of Michigan (1982–1984), Dave Liebman, New York (1986–1988), and Michael Brecker at Hastings-on-Hudson, New York (1996–1999).