Blake Shaw Quintet

Blake Shaw is an upright/electric bassist, composer, bandleader and private lesson teacher from Lisbon, Iowa who now resides in Iowa City. Shaw started on double bass at the age of 17 after becoming familiar with electric a year or two before.  He started his college career in the fall of 2008 at Kirkwood Community College. This is where he had his first classical lessons on double bass with Jeanette Welch. He moved on to the University of Iowa to pursue a Bachelor’s of Music in classical double bass performance, studying with professor Volkan Orhon and completing that degree in 2013.

Along with playing in the University of Iowa Symphony Orchestra and UI Chamber Orchestra, Shaw played in a variety of jazz ensembles. These ensembles included guitar ensemble and small jazz ensembles both led by Prof. Steve Grismore. Some time was spent in Latin Jazz ensemble led by Prof. Jim Dreier and the Jazz Repertoire ensemble led by Prof. Brent Sandy as well. Shaw was fortunate in his senior year to play in the top jazz big band, “Johnson County Landmark” and in the Jazz Vespers. Both were under the direction of jazz area head Prof. John Rapson.