Singer / Songwriter / Percussionist Shannon Gaye, described as “the slender singer with the big soulful voice,” cuts a powerful presence on stage.   From the most delicate melodies to sky high, roof-raising licks, Shannon is in full command of her voice.  With Acoustic Soul and R&B at its core, Shannon’s original material is expansive -  incorporating sophisticated jazz harmony, heavy blues riffs and modern hip hop elements.  Urban music with matter for the mind.

 

Shannon has recorded six solo CD’s and been a featured vocalist on many others; she’s been logging time in the studio writing, singing and producing since she was sixteen.  Shannon’s main collaborator, gifted multi-instrumentalist and producer Kristian Alexandrov, is as comfortable behind a drum set as he is playing piano.  Their song Willing & Able was included on a critically-acclaimed soul compilation CD "In The Groove" released in the U.K. and Europe, and a number of Shannon’s tracks have been featured in TV series and films in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.   

 

Shannon and her stellar band, led by Kristian Alexandrov, have captivated audiences with their compelling brand of acoustic soul at festivals, theatres and intimate venues across North America and Europe.  Beyond her solo work, Shannon has been a sought-after performer, lending her voice to numerous projects.  As a featured artist for many years in musician, actor, philanthropist Tom Jackson’s Huron Carole Concert Series, Shannon has completed seventeen cross-Canada tours as well as numerous national TV specials.

 

When asked about her childhood, Shannon describes tightrope walkers, gypsy caravans and the myriad entertainers who played and performed in her family’s cafés and dinner clubs in the BC interior.  Shannon’s middle name ‘Gaye’ was a nod to brilliant musician and social activist Marvin Gaye.   Oddly enough for a young girl growing up in rootsy British Columbia, she has always had an affinity for Soul, Jazz and R&B.   Early musical influences include the classics: powerhouse singers Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, as well as jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald and Anita O’Day.  Present day inspirations include artists like Lawrence, Alicia Keys, Jill Scott, Mac Ayres, Jazmine Sullivan and H.E.R.  From a songwriting perspective, Shannon finds herself drawn to the poets - great wordsmiths like Joni Mitchell, Citizen Cope, and Leonard Cohen.