Artist Description
"Soaring, emotional, lushly extravagant and dramatic, Shipley's songs have real power and originality, gelling his influences into a charming new whole that's moody, intense, and ambient simultaneously." -allaboutjazz.com
While growing up in the wild, wild, west of northern Nevada, John Shipley, at four years of age, put away his cowboy hat and began diligently studying piano. Today his multiple hats are those of an innovative jazz pianist, conductor, arranger, songwriter, producer and recording artist. As a founding member of the groundbreaking Japanese jazz/fusion recording group "Hiroshima" (Epic Records), he fell for the eclectic jazz influence and ultimately developed his current recording style."
"SHIPPED" is the latest smooth jazz CD release from John Shipley that features sophisticated, urban sounds with some of the world's finest jazz musicians including friends, Dan and June Kuramoto (from Hiroshima), Larry Klimas, (sax player with Manhattan Transfer and Tony Williams), Randy Hall (guitarist/vocals with Miles Davis Band), drummer/percussionist, Alex Acuna from Weather Report, Greg Wright (producer/keyboards for Diana Ross, Natalie Cole and Marvin Gaye), and jazz bassist, Abe Laboriel. The resulting synergies are realized on the album's ten tracks, eight of which were all penned by Shipley.
In the mid 1970's, John began his career working for Bill Harrah as part of the John Carleton house band in the showroom of Harrah's Reno, working with stars such as Don Rickles and Gladys Knight and hanging out Sammy Davis Jr. He moved into the lounge at Harrah's, working for Fredrick Apcar in "BARE TOUCH". Hollywood and the Los Angeles jazz scene were next for John. There he met Dan & June Kuramoto and joined their band "Hiroshima". Las Vegas followed. There John wrote music for the acclaimed Vegas show "DREAM STREET", which won awards as Las Vegas show of the year, two years running. He was also the Conductor and Arranger for the main showroom house orchestra at the Fremont Hotel, the Musical Director in the showroom at the Rivera Hotel for "SEARCH for GOLD", and the Assistant Conductor and pianist/synthesist for "BRAVO VEGAS" at the Imperial Palace Hotel. His dance bands held court on Cleopatra's Barge in Caesar's Palace.
Over the past several years John has performed in several concerts with jazz saxophonist Michael Lington and with Roberto Vally (bassist Spyro Gyra and songwriter with Bob James and Rick Braun). Shipley's band (with Roberto) opened for Grammy jazz flutist, Nestor Torres and received a standing ovation. Dan and June Kuramoto joined John in a concert reunion "Jazzmas" and June performed with John in an acoustic concert, "Koto and Keyboards". He has opened for the 70's nostalgia band "Firefall" and also for "Al Stewart". When opening for Al, John performed as an acoustic duo with Michael Lington to a very appreciative audience who gave them a standing ovation before Al even took the stage. He teamed up again with Michael Lington and his band, in May 2006 for The Cinco de Marathon concert in Reno, NV.
Sept. 2006 John performed with country recording artist, Lacy J. Dalton, as her chosen accompanist, piano and voice, for a major event sponsored by The Tahoe Arts Foundation.
Discography:
"SHIPPED"
"dance of the jacaranda tree"
John can be contacted through his booking agent at Lake Tahoe Entertainment toll-free at (888)667-8250
or by going to www.tahoeentertainment.com
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