Ian Shaw

Ian Shaw began his professional path on trumpet and flugelhorn before achieving his greatest recognition after redirecting his energies toward baritone and tenor singing. The New York Times lauded his “complete emotional control of the classic jazz-idiom standards,” while Cadence magazine highlighted his “buttery sound and real jazz singer’s ability to improvise along instrumental lines.” Born in the small Welsh village of St. Asaph, Shaw grew up in a musical household: his grandfather, Chick Smith, performed trumpet in dance bands; his father played cornet in brass ensembles; and his cousin, Jimmie Deucher, appeared with the Clarke/Boland Big Band. At fifteen he took up the trumpet, receiving instruction from Joe Csibi, principal trumpeter of the Irish National Symphony Orchestra, and from Bobby Shaw, who had worked with the Buddy Rich and Horace Silver bands. Vocal performance soon claimed equal attention. He pursued harmony studies with Trevor England, undertook vocal training at the College of Music, and gained choral experience at Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin. While enrolled at Trinity College, Dublin, Shaw earned a living performing jingles, television documentary scores, and engagements with local rock outfits, among them the British soul band Brave New World. After completing his degree, he turned to songs by American pop composers such as Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael. A frequent presence at Ronnie Scott’s in London, Shaw captured his debut solo album, Ghostsongs: Ian Shaw Live at Ronnie Scott’s, on the club’s stage. His first North American release, In a New York Minute, issued in 1999, was a collaboration with pianist Cedar Walton. His second solo album, Soho Stories, appeared the next year.