Biography
Alto & Soprano saxophonist and bandleader, Jaleel Shaw, won the 2014 Downbeat Critics Poll's for Rising Star Alto Saxophonist. He is a longtime member of the Roy Haynes Quartet, Tom Harrell’s “Colors Of A Dream” and has performed with Christian McBride, Jason Moran, the Mingus Big Band, Pat Metheny, Stefon Harris, Roy Hargrove, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Jimmy Cobb and several others.
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Shaw picked up the alto saxophone and surrounded himself with music at an early age. Immersing himself in the local jazz scene, he studied and performed with many of the city's great musicians and educators and, following high school, received a full-tuition scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, where he received a dual degree in Music Education and Performance. While at Berklee, Shaw was awarded the Billboard Endowed Scholarship for Outstanding Academic and Musical achievement (1998), Woodwind Department Chair Awards (1998 & 2000), The Boston Jazz Society Award (1999) and The Outstanding Student Teacher Award (2000). He later received a scholarship to Manhattan School of Music in New York, where he obtained a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance.
Shaw's debut album, Perspective (2005), received rave reviews from The New York Times and Jazzwise Magazine and All About Jazz named the album one of the top five debut albums of 2005; his composition “The Heavyweight Champion” received an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.
In 2006, Jaleel joined the Roy Haynes Quartet and was featured on the legendary drummer’s Grammy-nominated album Whereas. Two years later (2008), Shaw founded his record label, Changu Records, on which he released his second album entitled Optimism. The album received reviews from The New York Times, Downbeat and All About Jazz among others. That same year, he received his second ASCAP Young Composer Award for his composition “The Flipside” and was nominated for the Jazz Journalist Association’s “Up-And-Coming Jazz Artist” award.
Shaw was among the musicians listed in the 2011 JazzTimes Magazine’s Readers Poll for Alto Saxophonist of the Year, sharing the honor with Phil Woods, Lee Konitz, Bunky Green and Kenny Garrett. In 2013, he released his third album of original compositions entitled The Soundtrack of Things to Come (Changu Records). The album features his current working quartet, and has been favorably received by various publications including the New York Times, New York City Jazz Record, and All About Jazz.
News & Updates
I N D O W N B E A T
8.10.2015 - Jaleel's first blindfold test in the August 2015 issue of Downbeat Magazine
E U R O P E
In January, Jaleel will be touring throughout Europe with Jaimeo Brown's Transcendence.
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Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of my album - “The Soundtrack of Things to Come”. Available on @bandcamp, iTune… https://t.co/UxzsWBq8pO -
Happy 80th Birthday to the Great, George Benson 🎉 https://t.co/vNppGlfXzk
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I truly enjoyed performing with at @TheCookersMusic at @birdlandjazz in NYC this week. We have one more night tonig… https://t.co/PwSKyYKdYy
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RT @nycjazzrecord: So much jazz history on one stage @birdlandjazz with The Cookera this week. And they have gotten younger since I he… https://t.co/uX9OT597nK
DISCOGRAPHY
ECHOES | Changu Records 2021
Solo Saxophone
Alto & Soprano Saxophone
SOUNDTRACK OF THINGS TO COME | Changu Records 2013
Jaleel Shaw (alto & soprano saxophones)
Lawrence Fields (piano)
Boris Kozlov (bass)
Johnathan Blake (drums)
OPTIMISM | Changu Records 2008
Jaleel Shaw (alto saxophone)
Lage Lund (guitar)
Robert Glasper (piano)
Joe Martin (bass)
Johnathan Blake (drums)
Jeremy Pelt (trumpet)
PERSPECTIVE | Fresh Sound 2005
Jaleel Shaw (alto Saxophone)
Lage Lund (guitar)
Robert Glasper (piano)
Vicente Archer (bass)
Johnathan Blake (drums)
Mark Turner (tnr sax)
FEATURED on...
I Wish I Didn't Know
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Jaleel Shaw
Jaleel Shaw meets the George Colligan Trio - Wayne Shorter tribute. 2011 Tel Aviv Jazz Festival, Special Festival Production Jaleel Shaw -- alto saxophone George Colligan -- piano Boris Kozlov -- contrabass Donald Edwards -- drums ג'ליל שואו ושלישיית ג'ורג' קוליגן - מחווה לוויין שורטר.
Jaleel Shaw, Live at the Artists quarter. With Chris Lomhiem on piano, Billy Peterson on bass & Kenny Horst on drums. March 07, 2008
Buy your copy of Al McLean & Azar Lawrence's iconic CONDUIT now!
Al McLean - Tenor Saxophone Jaleel Shaw - Alto Saxophone Bryn Roberts - Piano Jason Davis - Bass Montreal based saxophonist Al McLean joins New York alto master Jaleel Shaw on Monk's 'Bemsha Swing'.
Buy your copy of Al McLean & Azar Lawrence's iconic CONDUIT now!