Percussionist

Grammy Award winning percussionist Shane Shanahan has cultivated his own unique and highly sought after sound by combining his studies of drumming traditions from around the world with his background in jazz, rock and western music. His interest in other cultures has led to extended visits to Turkey, India, and Tajikistan, among others where he has performed alongside local musicians.

Shanahan is a founding member of the Silk Road Ensemble. He is also a member of TaKaDiMi Ensemble and the Provenance Project. He has performed and/or recorded with Bobby McFerrin, Aretha Frankin, Philip Glass, Alison Krause, Sonny Fortune, Deep Purple, Jordi Savall, Fantasia, Chaka Khan, G. E. Smith, Simon Shaheen, Jamey Haddad, Cyro Baptista, Anindo Chaterjee, Sandeep Das, Shahram Nazeri, Alim Qasimov, Kayhan Kalhor, Howard Levy and Steve Gorn, among others.

He was one of the two high-profile guest musicians in Sam Medes’ Bridge Project from 2010. His first solo album was released in January 2011. Shane Shanahan has appeared on radio and television programs in North America, Europe and Asia. He has taught at major universities, including Princeton, Harvard and the University of New York.