The Blake Shaw BIG(ish) Band is an action packed, fun ensuing, dream band lead by bassist/vocalist Blake Shaw of Iowa City. Shaw writes and arranges all the music using the Duke Ellington model of exploiting all his friends’ talents and strengths on their instruments. The show contains many burning solos, grooves for days, and plenty of eye candy. The rest of the band is made up of some of the best improvising musicians Iowa has to offer ranging from music professors, retired band directors, public school educators, and the most popular local musicians. 

Blake Shaw is a composer/arranger, bandleader, double/electric bassist, vocalist, private lessons teacher, and jazz professor at Cornell Cornell and Kirkwood Community College. Originally from Lisbon, Iowa, Blake has earned an Associate of Arts degree from Kirkwood Community College as well as a Bachelor of Music (‘13) and Master of Arts (‘17) degree both from the University of Iowa. He has called Iowa City, IA home for the past 13yrs where he has provided insight on festival boards for a little over half that time for the Iowa City Jazz Festival and the Iowa City Pride Fest. Shaw is a frequent performer and band leader in many different groups across Iowa and the US. He can also be found teaching private lessons to young dedicated classical and jazz double bass players. Shaw has had the pleasure of playing with jazz greats like Carmen Bradford, Wycliffe Gordon, Rachel Eckroth, Dave Pietro, O’had Talmor, and Dick Oatts. He’s also been in groups opening for bands like Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, Lake Street Dive, Donny McCaslin, Margaret Glaspy, John Raymond and the Real Feels, Bridget Kearney, Caroline Smith, The Marcus King Band, and Euforquestra. You may go “like” all of his cute pics on instagram @theeblakebass