Record producer, broadcaster, raconteur, pianist and one of Europe’s finest male jazz vocalists, Ian Shaw has it all. Named Best Vocalist of the Year twice at the BBC Jazz Awards and most recently 2018 Parliamentary Jazz Awards "Vocalist of The Year", the multi-award-winning Ian Shaw is a huge talent with the most engaging personality and an ability to make every song his own. Described as “the voice of the decade”, it is not by chance that he was the first British Jazz vocalist to be signed to American label, Milestone, which resulted in a number of highly acclaimed US recordings. A wry, witty and intelligent showman, Ian has an international reputation, including sell-out tours of the US, Canada and Australia.
‘What’s New’, the album (Silent Wish records), was a timely coming together of three players whose collective interest in ‘the moment’ – i.e. musical improvisation, in cahoots with a true love of classic song forms - makes the live experience of the album an ever-growing, yet representative, gig. The material is about human connections - friendships, relationships, positive and otherwise - and plunders 80 years of the popular song form. These are new arrangements of songs of love and hope – from the title song of their recording to Bernstein’s “Some Other Time” as well as the Bacharach/David classics “Alfie” and “You’ll Never Get To Heaven” alongside works by Legrand, Jobim and Ellington.
Primarily saxophonist, Iain Ballamy’s idea (via the songs that his late father loved), the exciting young pianist, Jamie Safir (a recent contributor to the highly praised ‘Alone Together’, the Decca release of some of the most innovative young pianists around) was the natural choice. He both provides the harmony and drive of this bass and drumless chamber sound but also joins in the dazzling flights of sheer improvisation that fires up this hugely popular show.
Three great jazz voices entwining. Captivating. - BBC Radio London
an eye-watering vocal range and bucketloads of soul - BBC
One of the scene's class acts - The Guardian
an artist on top of his game - Jazzwise
Ian Shaw // voice
Iain Ballamy // saxophone
Jamie Safir // piano