Shaw Thang (named after drummer, Kenny Shaw) is a New York based funk-jazz-blues-rock-inspired band that fuses the musicality of professionally trained players with the humor of natural crowd pleasers. Because of this, Shawthang has developed a distinctive, fun, funky sound; they consistently exhibit strong songwriting ability combined with innovative exploration of improvisation.
Shaw Thangs roots are in funk (Parliament, James Brown, Dr. Wang, The Meters, Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire), rock (Jimi Hendrix, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Fire Flies, Phish, The Beatles, White Snake), jazz (Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, K. Dubs, Wes Montgomery, Al Foster, Freddie Green, Lil Harden), and hip-hop (Mos Def, The Roots, Danny Too Nice, Jay-Z, Nas, C Murda, Marky Mark). They are continually intrigued and influenced by music created worldwide.
Shaw Thang has performed at Shea Stadium, The Lions Den, Tribecca Rock Club, The C-Note, ICU bar, NYC; Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY; The Electric Company, Utica, NY; E. ODwyers, Saratoga Springs, NY; Dutchs, Rock Hill, NY; Madison Hall, The Blue Lantern, The Fort, Morrisville, NY; The Hairy Lemon, Fredonia, NY; The Hilltop, Purchase, NY; Performing Arts Center, Student Center, Campus Center South, Athletic building, Recital Hall, (SUNY) Purchase, NY.
orgin of THANG:
"As Evan Eisenberg has observed in 'The Recording Angel;' "funk suggests the following (dialectic): music having started out as a ritual, having then become a thing, now becomes a THANG. The difference is profound. A thing occupies space, a THANG occupies time and preoccupies people. A thing above all is private, a THANG can be shared. As THANG music is again communal and celebratory. Again it is spirit: again it is ritual"
taken from; Jimi Hendrix - Electric Gypsy, by Harry Shapirio, p. 169
