Open Road by Shapiro Project

Shapiro Project have participated in many Jazz festivals such as Spirit of Music Festival in San Francisco, CA, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, ID, Fremont Street Jazz Festival in Las Vegas, NV, and International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Conference in Los Angeles, CA.

Shapiro Project first CD "True Colors" featuring 11 original compositions written by Eugene Shapiro was released on TNC Jazz Recordings in January 2002. The quartet's second CD "Open Road" was released in November 2005 and features 9 original compositions written by Eugene Shapiro. The music of the Shapiro Project ranges from straight ahead to modal Jazz, as well as Funk, Latin, and contemporary Jazz.

The members of Shapiro Project have played with many world known musicians such as Michel Legrand, Mulgrew Miller, Walt Weiskopf, The Temptations, The Mills Brothers, Dave Liebman and Cedar Walton.

In Las Vegas Shapiro Project and it's members have performed at Venetian Hotel and Casino, Paris Hotel and Casino, Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino, Bellagio Hotel and Casino, Wynn Hotel and Casino, MGM Grand etc. Shapiro Project also played numerous concerts for the Las Vegas Jazz Society, Las Vegas Clark County Parks and Recreations, and for the City of Henderson Jazz and Cultural concert series.

"...listening to this ensemble...you will hear the musical spirit which will carry them to greater heights and the success they deserve."

Eugene Shapiro is endorsed by Thomastik-Infeld strings company. He is also a recipient of the Nevada Arts Council Fellowship in Jazz Composition.

EUGENE SHAPIRO

Eugene Shapiro is a Jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator. He holds a Master's Degree in Jazz studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and teaches guitar for the Community College of Southern Nevada.

Shapiro also leads a Las Vegas based Jazz quartet called the Shapiro Project. The Shapiro Project has two CD's to their credit with his original compositions, "True Colors" (TNC Jazz Recordings) and "Open Road." Shapiro and the Shapiro Project have appeared at many music and Jazz festivals, including Spirit of Music Festival in San Francisco, CA, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, ID, Fremont Street Jazz Festival in Las Vegas, NV, and the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference in Los Angeles, CA.

Shapiro is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He has received numerous awards from the Nevada Arts Council, ASCAP Pop awards, and an honorable mention in the Billboard Songwriting Contest.

He has shared the stage with such renowned Jazz musicians and composers as Michel Legrand, Walt Weiskopf, Carl Fontana, Jiggs Wigham, Ed Soph, Stefan Karlsson, and Tom Warrington.

Shapiro is endorsed by the Thomastik-Infeld strings company.

BORIS SHAPIRO

Boris Shapiro holds Master's Degree in Jazz Studies (Drum Set) from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

His major drum teachers include Billy Higgins, Gregory Hutchinson, and Steve Houghton.

Boris has performed at many Jazz festivals, including Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho where he also won the Jazz Competition for young drummers. Other major festivals include Cape May Jazz Festival (New Jersey, NJ), Eilat Red Sea Jazz Festival (Eilat, Israel), IAJE (Los Angeles, CA), and Stanford Jazz Festival (Stanford, CA).

Boris Shapiro has lived and worked in Philadelphia, PA for a few years, where he was a protege of the great drummer Mickey Roker. He has worked with such renown Jazz musicians as Mulgrew Miller, Cedar Walton, Rufus Reid, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, Art Harper, John Swana, Mark Levin, Valery Ponomarev, Cecil Payne, Ingrid Jensen, Joey Calderazzo, and many others.

HERE'S MORE INFO ON THE CD, INCLUDING THE CREDITS:

1. Open Road (7:05)

2. The Naked Soul of Blues (6:44)

3. Untitled (6:07)

4. Resolution (6:29)

5. Inner Rage (6:01)

6. Mr. Scofield (7:49)

7. A Wide Field (7:34)

8. Lazy Move (7:27)

9. Omen (7:30)

EUGENE SHAPIRO-guitar

BORIS SHAPIRO-drums

Rusty Blevins-saxophones

Kevin Thomas-bass

All compositions written by Eugene Shapiro, except No. 7 ("A Wide Field")-a Russian Folk Song-arranged by Eugene Shapiro. All compositions are published by ASCAP. C&P 2005. Shapiro Project Records.

Produced by Eugene Shapiro and Boris Shapiro. Recorded and mixed at the SonSongs Studios in Las Vegas, NV by "T-Bone" Demman. Mastered by Jonathan Marcus at the Orpharion Recordings in Long Beach, CA.

Design and layout by Eugene Shapiro and Boris Shapiro. The CD's are manufactured by Disc Makers in Pennsauken, NJ.

ABOUT THE CD ("OPEN ROAD"):

BY EUGENE SHAPIRO (COMPOSER OF ALL THE SONGS)

1. Open Road. The title track. Beautiful melody, charming chord progression in 3/4, and great playing. Solos: guitar, tenor sax, bass.

2. The Naked Soul of Blues. Great grooves, ear-catching melody. You can trace influences of R&B, Funk, and, of course, Blues. Solos: guitar, alto sax.

3. Untitled. Gorgeous composition with very expressive playing by the band. You will be mesmerized by this tune. Played with a "free time" concept, this is a real jewel. Solos: soprano sax, guitar.

4. Resolution. Nice, groovy Bossa-Nova. This shows our Latin influence, especially Brazilian. Solos: tenor sax, guitar, bass.

5. Inner Rage. Modal, energetic and intense Jazz, We don't "sleep on the job" like many other bands on the West Coast do. We do like and practice East Coast style. Solos: tenor sax, guitar, drums.

6. Mr. Scofield. You will definitely hear John Scofield's writing influence in this composition. Especially his more simplistic and great style of basic urban Funk. Grooves really hard and the Shapiro Project's playing is engaging. Solos: guitar (with light distortion), tenor sax (with an octave effect).

7. A Wide Field. I took a melody of the famous Russian Folk song "Wide Filed" and arranged it as a Jazz tune. Russia is where me and my brother Boris were born, so it's showing our roots and how we apply them to Jazz. Originally "Wide Filed" is in 4/4, but I made my version a 3/4 intense modal and swinging tune. The guitar/sax Soli you hear throughout the tune and the Intro/Ending is my original contribution to the song. I am sure they will capture your ear and mind. Solos: tenor sax, guitar, drums.

8. Lazy Move. The most commercial tune on this CD. Very danceable and groovy, reflects an influence of an early 70's R&B and soul Jazz, and also Funk and Fusion. The Soli after the solos is probably the best part of the song. Solos: tenor sax, guitar.

9. Omen. Last, but not least on this CD. Back to modal, expressive, "on the edge," hard swinging Jazz. Starts with a great drum intro. Throughout the CD the band's playing is engaging, and this tune is not an exception. The fastest on the CD. Solos: drums, guitar, alto sax, drums.

Enjoy!

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