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“Shannon Gaye presents 'Pretty Pictures' - sophisticated urban music with matter for the mind. On stage, Shannon and her exceptional three piece band F.U.J.A. (Funked Up Jazz Ambassadors) deliver evocative, groove-driven, self-penned material featuring Shannon (a chick?!) on percussion. And she can sing with a capital “S”. From the most delicate melodies to sky high, roof-raising licks, Shannon is in full command of her voice. Music writer James Muretich described her as: the slender singer with the big soulful voice – the kind that knocks you for a loop.”

There, that’s the sell, now onto more interesting things. My middle name 'Gaye' is a nod to brilliant musician and social activist Marvin Gaye. Oddly enough for a young girl growing up in rootsy B.C., I’ve always had an affinity for soul, jazz and R&B. Early musical inspirations include powerhouse singers Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan and Stevie Wonder, as well as funk institutions Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. Present day influences change on a pretty regular basis, but lately I’ve been listening to Corinne Bailey, Marc Broussard, Rahsaan Patterson, and Nikka Costa. From a songwriting perspective, I’ve always been drawn to great wordsmiths like Leonard Cohen, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan), Joni Mitchell, and Ricky Lee Jones. I also always have at least three books on the go – latest great read is 'On Beauty' by Zadie Smith.

But enough about me, let me tell you about my main collaborator and co-producer for my latest CD Pretty Pictures. It’s Kristian Alexandrov, a gifted pianist & drummer who also happens to be longstanding music director for Calgary’s Decidedly Jazz Danceworks, and our band F.U.J.A.’s fearless leader. We all share an intense musical bond - true passion for rhythm, a strong melodic sense and a fiery approach to improvisation. Our undeniable connection keeps me inspired and on track.

Since the release of Pretty Pictures, I’ve had a pretty crazy schedule. This past December I once again joined the Singing for Supper Christmas Tour. We put on 22 shows across Canada in 27 days, met some really great people along the way, and raised a whole bunch of money for the local foodbanks. This June we once again performed for three sold-out nights at the Medicine Hat Jazz Festival and the Calgary Jazz Festival and had a blast! In July we hit the road again performing some decidedly non-country shows for the Calgary Stampede, followed by a golf/music tour in Western Canada (now that's a good gig!). Other performance highlights include opening for David Sanborn, Colin James and FutureMan (Bella Fleck).

Travel is my second favourite thing to do, and it's a good thing since it's such a big part of a musician's life. In April 2005, I ventured on a promotional tour of London (U.K.) and Sofia (Bulgaria), complete with interviews on Jazz FM and Free Radio Europe. We also stopped in Paris – what an amazing experience. In other travel news of sorts – I have made the big move to Vancouver on the westcoast of beautiful British Columbia, the province that has never stopped feeling like home.