Shawn Salmon - Chicago Guitarist, Educator, Composer/Arranger, and Bandleader
Dr. Shawn Salmon is the Director of Jazz Studies and head of the guitar studio for the Music Department at Saint Xavier University in Chicago, IL. Dr. Salmon is the director of the SXU Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, and SXU Guitar Ensemble. In addition to directing, Dr. Salmon teaches courses in jazz history, jazz theory and arranging, improvisation, and applied guitar. In 2015 Dr. Salmon created and developed the SXU Music Department's newest degree track: a Bachelors of Music in Performance with a Jazz Emphasis. To coincided with the new degree track, Dr. Salmon also runs several jazz events at Saint Xavier including the SXU Jazz Combo Festival, SXU-Southside Summer Jazz Camp, and SXU Jazz Guitar Workshop Day.
Shawn performs regularly with his own trio as well with various jazz, rock, and blues groups in and around Chicago. Shawn has performed at such Chicago venues as The Jazz Showcase, The Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club, The Park West, Navy Pier, the Chicago Shedd Aquarium, Pete Miller's Steak House, Reggies Music Hall, and Hard Rock Cafe.
In 2014 Shawn join the Chicago jazz quintet Tenor Madness with bassist Paul Musser, drummer Peter Mack, and saxophonists Casey Fitzpatrick and Rytas Vygantas. Tenor Madness released their debut album Convergence on CD Baby in 2016.
Convergence is available for download at:
You can also stream Convergence
Dr. Salmon maintains a busy schedule as a guest clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer. Shawn has presented at the 2017 JEN Conference in New Orleans, the 2013 Leeds International Jazz Educators Conference in Leeds, England, 2010 College Music Society's National Conference in Minneapolis, and the 2010 Western Illinois International Guitar Festival.
Shawn Salmon is an active composer and arranger and is published with Really Good Music. Inc.. Shawn's composition, Belden Bottom Line, won the 2009 Michael Arenson Award from the University of Delaware for best original big band composition and arrangement.
Dr.Salmon holds a Doctor of Arts degree from Ball State University in Guitar Performance and Theory and Composition. His dissertation focused on examining Charlie Christian's influence on Wes Montgomery's approach to improvisation. Shawn also received a Masters in Music in Jazz Studies from DePaul University and a B.A. in Jazz Studies from Eastern Illinois University. Dr. Salmon has also been published in DownBeat Magazine. Shawn has performed with a range of great jazz artists including Ed Shaughnessy, Buddy DeFranco, Hal Galper, Bobby Watson, Jim Snidero, Jamey Aebersold, and Karrin Allyson.