Jazz Police - Reason for “Optimism”--Jaleel Shaw’s CD Release at the Jazz Gallery, May 2-3

“Mr. Shaw’s sound on alto saxophone can variously suggest Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean or his mentor, Bobby Watson—it’s brawny and full-bodied, but capable of quick silver actions—and his improvisational method is surefooted and exploratory,” – Nate Chinen, New York Times

Drum legend Roy Haynes tours these days with the aptly named Fountain of Youth Quartet. Through Haynes, we were introduced a few years ago to the keyboard phenom Martin Bejerano and the soon-to-be highly acclaimed tenor saxophonist, Marcus Strickland. With Strickland busy leading his own ensembles and other committments, the sax chair was filled about two years ago by young altoist, Jaleel Shaw. Proving his chops with the Mingus Big Band, Roy Hargrove, and Arturo Sandoval as well as in his continuing role with Haynes, Shaw has since earned accolades leading his own group and for his debut recording, Perspective. Proving it was no fluke, Jaleel will celebrate the release of his follow-up recording on his own lable (Changu), Optimism, with sets at the Jazz Gallery in Manhattan on May 2-3.

Philadelphia native Jaleel Shaw counts among his early mentors John Blake, Byard Lancastar, Alfie Pollit, and Grover Washington, Jr. He attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston with a full tuition scholarship, earning a dual degree in Music Education and Performance in 2000. At Berklee he received the Billboard Endowed Scholarship for Outstanding Academic and Musical achievement (1998), two Woodwind Department Chair Awards, The Outstanding Student Teacher Award, and The Boston Jazz Society Award (1999). From Berklee he went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music, receiving his Masters in Jazz Performance in 2002, the same year in which he was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition.

Jaleel Shaw©Andrea Canter

A past instructor at Temple University in Philadelphia, the 30-year-old Shaw has played with Clark Terry, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Arturo Sandoval, Nicholas Payton, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, and the Count Basie Orchestra; currently he is a member of the Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Quartet, the Charles Mingus Big Band, the Jeremy Pelt Quartet and the JazzReach education group. In the past year he has also toured with Stefon Harris and Jason Moran. His debut recording, Perspective, was released in 2005 on Fresh Sound/New Talent; named one of the top debut albums of the year by All About Jazz, the first cut, Shaw’s original, “The Heavyweight Champion”—a tribute to his hero John Coltrane—earned him an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.

Optimism features a supporting cast of the hottest young talents in the business. From Shaw’s debut CD, cohorts pianist Robert Glasper, Norwegian guitarist and fellow Berklee classmate Lage Lund, and childhood pal and drummer Jonathan Blake return, along with bassist Joe Martin and (on two tracks) young monster trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. Continuing his evolution as an award-winning composer, Optimism includes nine original tunes as well as two arrangements of jazz standards, “Love for Sale” and “If I’m Lucky.” Among the original tracks is Shaw’s second winner of an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer’s Award (2008), “Flipside.”

With a sound steeped in Coltrane, Shorter and McLean, Jaleel Shaw is one of the Young Lions on the modern jazz scene, one who has already proven that his skills are far more than academic. Hear tomorrow’s legend today and join in the celebration of one of the hottest releases of 2008 at the Jazz Gallery, May 2-3.

The Jazz Gallery is located at 290 Hudson Street, Manhattan; www.jazzgallery.org. Sets at 9 and 10:30 pm. Personnel for the CD release include Shaw on alto, Lage Lund on guitar, Aaron Parks on piano, Jonathan Blake on drums, and on Friday—Joe Martin on bass and Jeremy Pelt on trumpet; on Saturday—Ben Street on bass and Avishai Cohen on trumpet. More on Jaleel Shaw at www.jaleelshaw.com