Jazz pianist Travis Shook plays his originals in this explosive album. Hardcore jazz.

7 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo, JAZZ: Bebop



Details:
ACCOLADES
"He has well earned the prize 'Special Discovery' . . . At 22 years, he possesses an extraordinary technique, one can also speak of his knowledge, but especially he frees himself in his playing with an exceptional intensity that he also shows in his own compositions . . . Yes this Travis Shook is a phenomenon and it is clear that they will be talking about him."
- Nord Matin, French Jazz Critic

Among the super talented, Travis Shook, who has opened the umbrella, can be an exceptional figure."
- Philippe Méziat, Jazz Mag

Under his appearance of a student with glasses, Shook is a supreme pianist by his maturity, his assurance, his irresistible punch and the electricity that frees itself from his playing."
- Par Henri Marchal, Cannes

"Man, you're a really good player!"
- Ornette Coleman

ABOUT AWAKE
From the liner notes for Awake by Travis Shook (Dead Horse Records, DHR2722)

"In February of 2000 we decided it was time to go into the studio, and so recorded three albums in a two and a half day period at Systems Two Studio in Brooklyn, NY. Most of the tunes were done first or second take, with rarely a third and never a fourth. This is the second album in the series (which I fondly call the Systems Two Trilogy). The first, American Lullaby, was released under Veronica Nunnâs name a few years back and the third is the upcoming Travis Shook Plays Kurt Weill.

Awake represents the music I was playing in the clubs in the years between my Sony/Columbia Records debut in 1993 and the current album's recording date of 2000. I recorded these tunes mostly so I could stop playing them. I feel the current album is a very strong representation of my playing, and I hope someone can get something worthwhile out of it. I really fully enjoyed this session."

â Travis Shook, 2005

Personnel:
Travis Shook â piano
Jennifer Vincent â bass
Jaz Sawyer â drums
Ron Westray â trombone
Kebbi Williams â tenor sax
Veronica Nunn â vocalist (on Nothing Like You)


BACKGROUND
Travis Shook was born in Oroville, California in 1969. At age 10 he moved to Olympia, Washington with his family. He earned a BA in Jazz Performance in 1990 from William Paterson College in Wayne, New Jersey, where he studied with Rufus Reid, Harold Mabern, Steve Turre, and Joe Lovano. He returned to Olympia, Washington where his family currently resides to further hone his craft, playing and recording with local legends Buddy Catlett and Jay Thomas.

In 1991 at the age of 22, he won the Jacksonville Jazz Festival's Great American Piano Competition. This led to his being signed to Sony (then Columbia Records).

His 1993 debut album, Travis Shook, featuring alto saxophonist Bunky Green and the late legendary jazz drummer Tony Williams, received a 5-star rating in the All Music Guide to Jazz and was selected by France's Jazz Magazine as one of the albums of the year. He also received recognition from Keyboard Magazine as one of "Tomorrow's Jazz Piano Giants."

That same year he moved to New York where he was picked up by jazz legend Betty Carter, touring as part of her trio throughout the United States, Europe, Brazil, and Australia.

After being sought out by Marian McPartland, he was featured on her nationally broadcast radio show Piano Jazz in October of 1997.

Travis has recorded with Tony WIlliams, Sonny Simmons, Michael Franks, Veronica Nunn, Jay Thomas, Reggie Workman, Ira Coleman, Cindy Blackman and he has performed with Betty Carter, Eddie Harris, Chuck Israels, Ernestine Anderson, Branford Marsalis, Benny Golson, Bob Hope, and Gino Vanelli.