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Eugene Shapiro

Composer - Musician - UAC Teaching Artist - Bandleader of the Shapiro Project Jazz Quartet

About the artist:

Eugene Shapiro is a Jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, bandleader of the Jazz Quartet the Shapiro Project, and educator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Jazz studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and teaches guitar for the College of Southern Nevada. Eugene Shapiro also leads a Las Vegas based Jazz quartet called the Shapiro Project. The Shapiro Project has two CD’s to their credit with his original compositions, “True Colors” (TNC Jazz Recordings) and “Open Road” (Shapiro Project Records, C&P;). Eugene Shapiro and the Shapiro Project have appeared at many music and Jazz festivals, including Spirit of Music Festival in San Francisco, CA; Lionel Hampton Jazz festival in Moscow, ID; Fremont Street Jazz Festival in Las Vegas, NV, and the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference in Los Angeles, CA. Eugene Shapiro is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He has received numerous awards from the Nevada Arts Council, including two Fellowships in Jazz Composition, ASCAP Pop awards and an honorable mention in the Billboard Songwriting Contest. He has shared the stage with such renowned jazz musicians and composers as Michel Legrand, Walt Weiskopf, Carl Fontana, Jiggs Wigham, Ed Soph, Stefan Karlsson, and Tom Warrington. Eugene Shapiro is endorsed by the Thomastik-Infeld strings, Martin Guitars, and many others. SHAPIRO PROJECT Shapiro Project is a Las Vegas based Jazz quartet led by guitarist and composer Eugene Shapiro. It also features Eugene’s brother Boris Shapiro on drums, Brian Triola on keyboards, and Phil Wigfall on saxophone. Shapiro Project is a Jazz group with a fresh approach to the Jazz idiom mainly through new works written by Eugene Shapiro and the creative musicianship that gives their sound a sparkling vitality. The band was organized in 2000 by four University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) graduate students pursuing Jazz studies degrees. All the members of the Shapiro Project are very experienced Jazz musicians with more than 10 years of performing experience in playing Jazz and commercial music all over the United States and the world-Japan, Israel, Germany etc. Shapiro Project have participated in many Jazz festivals such as Spirit of Music Festival in San Francisco, CA, Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, ID, Fremont Street Jazz Festival in Las Vegas, NV, and International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) Conference in Los Angeles, CA. Shapiro Project first CD “True Colors” featuring 11 original compositions written by Eugene Shapiro was released on TNC Jazz Recordings in January 2002. The quartet’s second CD “Open Road” was released in November 2005 and features 9 original compositions written by Eugene Shapiro. The music of the Shapiro Project ranges from straight-ahead to modal jazz, as well as funk, Latin, and contemporary Jazz. The members of Shapiro Project have played with many world known musicians such as Michel Legrand, Mulgrew Miller, Walt Weiskopf, The Temptations, The Mills Brothers, Dave Liebman and Cedar Walton. In Las Vegas Shapiro Project and it’s members have performed at Venetian Hotel and Casino, Paris Hotel and Casino, Caesars Palace, Bellagio Hotel and Casino, Wynn Hotel and Casino, MGM Grand etc. Shapiro Project also played numerous concerts for the Las Vegas Jazz Society, Las Vegas Clark County Parks and Recreations and for the City of Henderson Jazz and Cultural concert series. “…listening to this ensemble…you will hear the musical spirit which will carry them to greater heights and the success they deserve.” Eugene Shapiro is endorsed by Thomastik-Infeld strings and by Martin Guitars. He is also twice the recipient of the Nevada Arts Council Fellowship in Jazz Composition.