He is a guitarist, an arranger and a composer, but most of his formalassociation with music has been cerebral – he studied music therapy at HowardUniversity.After years of playing the guitar atvarious gigs around the region, Shaw decided to do Jazz Studies at Howard, butafter a discussion with a trumpeter, Ravi Best, he changed his major. Best wasdescribing his courses for music therapy and they seemed so much moreintriguing to Shaw that he immediately switched and graduated with a Bachelor’sDegree in Music Therapy Cum Laude in 1995.

Perhaps his introspective nature drew himto study the way music can affect moods, perhaps the courses made him moreattuned to the relationship between man and melody, in any case, when hereturned home to Trinidad, he did a Post Graduate Diploma in Education at theUniversity of the West Indies, and now works with young minds though the mediumof music.

Shaw’s relationship with music was precededby his love for art. He painted – acrylics, watercolours, pastels – and evenexhibited with the Trinidad Art Society (renamed the Art Society of Trinidadand Tobago in 2004). Music crept upon him like a Christmas present one daywhile he was still at primary school. His mother bought him a four-stringedplastic guitar, and his cousin tuned it and started playing. It set offfirecrackers in the Belmont boy’s imagination.

The music took such a hold of him that itbecame the centre. All through St James Secondary he was known for his guitarplaying. They didn’t have much by way of formal instruction or equipment – itwas basically a teacher, a piano and a class – but a group of them (AnthonyGreer, Russell Durity, Ryan Romany) got together often and their impromptusessions would have the entire school thronging to hear “Shaw and dem playing.”

Shaw is mainly self-taught, applying hismethodical nature diligently to learning music formally. He bought music booksand, devising his own formula for reading key signatures; he practised, hewrote and passed musical exams, and he sought help from elders like FrankieFrancis, and then later the community of musicians at university.

When he returned to Trinidad, he felt hiscareer should have music at its core. He had already done some work with theAutistic Society, and was distressed by its lack of support and resources. Heeventually began teaching music at San Juan Secondary Comprehensive School, andnow teaches also at COSTAAT.

Somehow between gigs, work and raising a family,all the dreams he’d harboured about producing his own work seemed distant – somethingfor later on.

In 2000, the death of his younger sister,Lisa, from cancer was a stark reminder of the temporal nature of life and hebegan to work in earnest on producing his debut collection. In 2003, herecorded The Sojourn, and it was well rated bycritics.

The success of the CD, as well as theexperience he had acquired from performing around the world withinternationally acclaimed acts helped to focus his mind on his next project.

He had performed with Lord Pretender andtoured England with The Roaring Lion. He’d played all around the Caribbean withthe Kaiso Jazz Workshop, with Michael Tobas. His recording credits includedFrench vocalist Philippe Lavil and pannist Liam Teague. He’d accompanied theMighty Sparrow, Cuban pianist Ernán López-Nussa and the multi-faceted BobbyCarcasses, Jeff Haynes, Tony Mason, Arturo Tappin, David Rudder, Andy Narell,Ella Andall, Andre Tanker, Len Boogsie Sharpe, Mavis John, The Noble DouglasDance Company and the Trinidad Theatre Workshop.

Shaw is a well known feature of the jazzcircuit; he has been featured at the 2002 edition of Pan Ramajay, the 2003edition of Caribbean Jazz Waves in New York and Washington D.C., the We BeatFestival 2004, Jazz on the Hill 2004, and Jazz on the Greens 2005.

With experience and exposure, Shaw feelsthat he has arrived at a more solid place with his music, but is wary ofseeming to be either dated or losing touch with current times.

On a friend’s suggestion, he isparticipating in a five-month long, IDB-funded course offered by the LaventilleTechnology and Continuing Education Centre. Although he already knows most ofwhat is being taught, he sees it as a way to formalise some of his knowledge inthe modules being offered on the science of sound, microphone techniques,studio, digital and audio recording, and sound mixing.

He considers himself a work in progress,that is, someone always open to receiving new ideas. “There is something thatyou can get from everything, even the negative,” he says. “It depends on howyou interpret it.”

Shaw has an optimistic outlook on life, andfeels that every experience is charged with the capacity to transform. Hismusical journey has endured many obstacles and shifts, but he has persevered,because he believes every travail enlarges him.

He adopted the philosophy that all thatmattered was making the most of the moment, and that led him to begin work acouple of years ago on this second CD, Right Here, Right Now, which is the first release from the newly formed Foreday MorninEntertainment Company.

Foreday Mornin wants to establish itself asa home for much of the region’s musical and lyrical masterpieces that haveeither faded from consciousness or have never reached the markets they deserve.Whether new or old, the idea is to expose works in a way that would reflect andreinforce the full depth of their meaning, past and present. Foreday wants toprovide a home for these artists in a range of genres to issue their worksfully loaded with all their historical, musical and lyrical intensity.