Born: August 7, 1983 Primary Instrument: Drums
Drummer/ Composer Shawn Baltazor is a strong new voice amongst a thriving eclectic scene of performers and composers. He attended the renowned Jazz studies program at William Paterson University where he was featured in performance with Wynton Marsalis, Clark Terry, Joe Lovano, Kenny Garrett and Slide Hampton. After graduating with a B.M. Summa Cum Laude from WPU, Baltazor settled in New York City, to actively pursue his musical career. He has studied with numerous notable musicians, including Peter Jarvis, Kevin Norton, Kenny Washington, Bill Goodwin, and Dan Weiss. Baltazor has performed internationally at the Festival International des Musiques Noires d’Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire, the Jazzablanca Festival in Morocco and the Risonanze Festival at the Teatro Fondamenta Nuove in Venice, Italy. He has performed more locally at the JVC Jazz Festival, the River to River Festival, and the Sonic Circuits Festival, as well as other NY venues including: Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Aaron Davis Hall, BB King’s, the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, PNC Arts Center (NJ), the South Street Seaport, Sweet Rhythm, 55 Bar, CBGB’s, the Knitting Factory, and the Bitter End. In 2004, he was invited to attend the Staens Institute for Young Artists where he worked with Danilo Perez, Rufus Reid, James Moody, and Dr. David Baker. There he performed at the 100th anniversary of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. In December 2008, Baltazor was commissioned to compose music for a new production, Timebomb, by the New York City-based Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Co. He was commissioned again in 2009 to compose the score for another DGDC original production, Tribe, which premiered in October 2009 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Shawn Baltazor currently resides in New York City, where he actively plays and tours with a wide range of musical groups including Eric Reed, Ergo, New Tricks, the Nathan Eklund Group, Adam Gilbert, Beninghove’s Hangmen, and Rebecca Frezza.
Coin Flip
Nathan Eklund Group
OA2 Records
2010
Tracks: Rooicka's Castle; Professor Dissendadt; The Supernatural; Triple Shot Espresso; Happy's Sadness; Front Lawn; Coin Flip; One Year Ago Today; Chim's Paradise.
Personnel: Nathan Eklund: Trumpet,Flugelhorn; Craig Yaremko: Saxophones; Steve Myerson: Fender Rhodes; Kellen Harrison: Bass; Shawn Baltazor: Drums.
Multitude, Solitude
Ergo
Cuneiform Records
2009
Tracks: Rana Sylvatica; Vessel; She Haunts Me; Litlle Shadow; Endlessly (Multitude, Solitude); Actuator.
Personnel: Brett Sroka: Trombone, Computer; Carl Maguire: Fender Rhodes; Prophet Synthesizer, Electronic Effects; Shawn Baltazor: Drums.
New Tricks
New Tricks
New Tricks Records
2009
Tracks: Out Of Time; Old Dog; New Tricks; Jackie's Day; Ah Leu Cha; J's Other Bag; After Much Discussion Josie Moves East; Absence; In His Steps; Amble In; 1919.
Personnel: Mike Lee: Saxophones; Ted Chubb: Trumpet; Kellen Harrison: Bass; Shawn Baltazor: Drums.
Rockin' Rollin' and Ridin'
Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck
Big Truck Music
2009
Tracks: Big Truck (remix); Rock Like This; Hey-O; Motorcycle Boy; Robot Dancer; Rocketship; Smiling Moon; Superman (remix).
Personnel: Rebecca Frezza: Vocal, Acoustic Guitar; Fran Baltzer and Dania Liberti: Backing Vocals; Ivan Max: Electric Guitar; Kellen Harrison: Bass; Shawn Baltazor: Drums; Special Guest, Roscoe Orman: Vocal (Track 3).
Special Kind of Day
Rebecca Frezza
Big Truck Music
2008
Tracks: Come On Out; Clack-Ity-Clack; Butterfly; So Nice to Meet You; Sidewalk Chalk; Summer Sunshine; Carnival Ride; Birthday Song; Spooky Dance; Leaves Are Falling; Snow Day; Snow Shoe Shuffle; Magic.
Personnel: Rebecca Frezza: Vocal, Acoustic Guitar; Fran Baltzer and Dania Liberti: Backing Vocals; Ivan Max: Electric Guitar; Kellen Harrison: Bass; Shawn Baltazor: Drums.
Fishing For Water
Adam Gilbert
2008
Tracks: Break Through Today; Give the World a Chance; Only One; October; All of Us Are Missing; Danny Knows; Funk Trio; All About You; Monkey; Lover's Waltz; Right On; Fall Into You; Credo.
Personnel: Adam Gilbert: Vocal, Piano, Keyboards; Steve Bernstein: Guitars; Matt Aronoff: Basses; Shawn Baltazor: Drums; Adam Waite: Organ; Leena Gilbert: Violin.
Atiquis
Atiquis
2005
Tracks: The Price of Breaking Bread; Breakhearts and Spare Parts; Bright Blue; Dead Dog on Summer Pavement (Eulogy); Panderman; Amateur Refraction; September.
Personnel: Sebastien Kreuger: Guitar, Clarinet; Brett Sroka: Trombone; Matt Silberman: Saxophones; Gabe Fonnorow: Bass; Shawn Baltazor: Drums.
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