A profile of Outstanding Student Blake Shaw
–by Adam Wesley, Kirkwood Communique’
“There are a lot of things that make it great, but the one thing about bass…you are able to touch so many people.” –Blake Shaw, Liberal Arts/Music major, 2010 Kirkwood Community College Outstanding Student
A native of Lisbon, Iowa, Shaw started playing the guitar eight years ago, only switching to bass a couple years later because the band he was in needed a bass player. Shaw then played in Lisbon’s high school jazz band, converting from electric to upright acoustic bass, his main instrument for the past four years.
“The driver of the band” is how Shaw describes the role, and his passion to be that driver is sparked largely by the comprehensive role of the bass. He says the bass player is “always integrally involved,” not only during solos.
Describing his musical tastes as “diverse,” Shaw said his main genre of interest has evolved from punk rock in his early musical days, to jazz during his time at Kirkwood. When not performing with any of Kirkwood’s jazz groups, he uses his free time to play bass in a non-college band, the Gypsy Jazz Band. Not only focusing on his bass, Shaw vocalizes with Kirkwood’s Jazz Transit and is the percussionist with the Kirkwood Concert Band.
The University of Iowa is next for Shaw as he plans a musical future, starting by majoring in music therapy with a minor in performance. He ultimately strives for a career in music therapy.
[Photo and story by Adam Wesley, Kirkwood Student Publications. Copyright 2010; used by permission.]