Andy Shaw Band

“Own Resolve” offers an intriguing blend of emotionally resonant songwriting and head-bobbing groove.

The Andy Shaw Band, based out of Columbus, Ohio, presents an energetic mix of rock-n-roll, soul, and reggae in the 7 tracks of their new EP, "Own Resolve." The recording features the talents of Chris Shaw (Drums/Backup Vocals), Jim Shaw (Piano/Melodica), Matt Paetsch (bass), Theo Perry (Lead Guitar/Vocals) and Andy Shaw (Guitar / Lead Vocals). The seven tracks on this EP present a nice package of evocative songwriting and excellent guitar, while bending various genres into a seamless presentation. Andy Shaw's emotionally resonant, charged song-writing shines in the 7 tracks of "Own Resolve." This EP features 5 new songs and 2 "re-imaginings" of previous recordings, and will prove to be an excellent introduction for any new fans in the making.

"Own Resolve" begins with "We All Belong," which features Shaw's warm vocals and lingering keys. This inspirational song offers "community" and calm perseverance as keys to tackling the troubles that we all face as humans. The song closes with a playful flourish from Perry's lead guitar, and establishes a nice foundation for "Shuffleroo." This track displays a distinct Caribbean feel, featuring reggae-inspired rhythms and melodies, while "Own Resolve" exhibits a similar feel, but deeper, head bobbing grooves. "The Limits" features expressive guitar in its opening measures, sounding like the theme music of a modern Western gunslinger. The track coalesces around strong vocals and urgent guitar, and Shaw's yearning voice shines in the latter measures of the song.

Shaw's vocals shine at the beginning of "Righteous Ones" as well, and the track saunters forward on the back of an excellent groove. The song ratchets up its intensity, and Shaw's expressive voice shines when cast in such surroundings. Shaw sings with passionate sincerity that "no one in the world will listen to you more than I will," but offers a somewhat sardonic view of love in "Talking to You." This track is a "re-imagined" take on a track from a previous release. The band closes the EP with "Summer's Coming," another "re-imagined" bonus track. Jim Shaw's melodica inspires, leaving you wanting more, while Theo Perry's guitar closes the album with a muscular flourish.

The seven tracks presented on "Own Resolve" offer an intriguing glimpse into the music of Andy Shaw. His vocal style is assured and confident, while his band mates offer excellent contributions on their instruments of choice. Theo Perry's guitar shines through several of the tracks, while Jim Shaw offers spirited runs on keyboards and melodica. This recording hints at larger plans for the Andy Shaw Band and seems to be just the "tip" of the veritable iceberg. I look forward to future recordings and touring schedules.

-J. Evan Wade - Leeway's Homegrown Music Network

Here we have the sound of Andy Shaw Band coming into its own. Ways of the World exhibits a fully-formed unit that transcends the frat-rock limitations of whiteboy reggae in favor of something richer and fuller.

Imagine a friendly but unmemorable kid cousin who one day shows up to family reunion wearing your favorite band’s T-shirt and spouting fascinating insights about the latest headlines. Andy Shaw Band’s new album is that sort of head-turner.

Their pals the Floorwalkers, with whom they share lead guitarist Theo Perry, have obviously been a positive influence. Shaw’s songs still rest on a foundation of island riddim, but his vocal melodies and the band’s arrangements are more thoughtful and satisfying than on previous releases.

Shaw has never been one to settle for warmed-over “Ras Trent” dreck, but here he and his band have shown the positive consequences of playing as many shows as possible and constantly challenging themselves to up the ante. They’ve stepped toward accessibility and sophistication in one fell swoop.

The group has two more release parties planned after Friday’s event at the Thirsty Ear. April 27 they’ll celebrate at their weekly Monday gig at Ruby Tuesday; April 30 they’ll host an all-ages event at Wild Goose Creative.

By: Chris Deville
- Columbus Alive

If I've learned anything from writing about music and my recent return to performing music, it's that regardless of what you think of a band's recordings, you can't make a proper assessment without seeing them live.

So until last week, I owed Andy Shaw Band a big apology.

The reggae-infected rockers played every Monday at Ruby Tuesday for nearly two years. Every week, I got their Facebook invites. Every week, I didn't show. Meanwhile, they stayed active around town with lots of other gigs, a busy schedule that continued even after the Ruby's residency ended late last year.

Not every act deserves attention. Most bands are mediocre or worse. But such an active presence in Columbus music merits a closer examination.

Thus, when Shaw and company announced a "surprise show" at Ruby's last Wednesday, I finally showed up to take in a set. Sure enough, it upped my respect for the band by several notches.

I've always been of the opinion that whiteboy reggae is about as palatable as the sterilized Caucasian blues music baby boomers love so much - you know, like Eric Clapton or that Blueshammer band from "Ghost World." The reggae equivalent would probably be something like Andy Samberg's Ras Trent character from The Lonely Island.

With traces of '60s pop and various folky singer-songwriters in the mix, I knew Andy Shaw Band had more to offer than a genre parody. This isn't a reggae band so much as a reggae-influenced rock band. Yet even though the group's recordings boast songwriting skills and a vast array of influences, I was still a little nervous about what syncopated horrors might await me on stage.

Indeed, there was a bit of island riddim in the air, a feel that could get ugly fast in the right context. This wasn't that kind of show, though. Minutes after I arrived, Shaw and Theo Perry (also of Floorwalkers fame) combined for a Steely Dan-style harmonized guitar line that immediately eradicated my worst fears. This band had surprises in store. There was even a bit of a sonic freak-out at one point, the kind of curveball that keeps me engaged.

Each song felt full and formidable, even without usual keyboard player Jim Shaw in the mix. Drummer Chris Shaw and new bassist Matt Paetsch held the groove with nary a hiccup, creating dense textures for the guitarists to play around in.

And they sure did play, unfurling a smart balance of spotlight solos and between-the-cracks riffage. Perry handled most of the heavy lifting, but Andy Shaw chipped in occasionally with something a little more raw. It reminded me of dexterous Nels Cline and rambunctious Jeff Tweedy trading riffs at a Wilco show.

I grew a bit weary by the end of the set, as the songs began to blend together a bit. Ultimately, though, Andy Shaw Band left me wishing I would have seen them in action much sooner and thankful that there will be ample opportunity to do it again.

By: Chris Deville - Columbus Alive

Local rock-reggae act gives away waffles, grilled cheese
By Dana Stewart
Special to Metromix
February 18, 2009


Columbus is home to a uniquely thriving “house” culture that is an integral part of the city’s nightlife, from the Hoodoo Soul Band every Sunday at Rumba Café to house shows at venues like the Monster House and the Last House on the left. Enter into the picture the Andy Shaw Band, going into a second year playing their funky, jazzy version of reggae every Monday night at Ruby Tuesday’s on Summit Street. With easily identifiable musical talents, humble attitudes and a desire to make the world feel like one giant family, the Andy Shaw Band’s mission in life can seem like a true “Rastafarian” outlook on life. But these men would be truly happy just to bring smiles to the people of the Columbus community simply through their musical efforts.



And, by effort, these boys mean business. Not an over-the-top, fame and money equals happiness sort of business—“You don’t have to have a yacht to be able to support yourself,” explained Theo Perry, guitar player in the Andy Shaw Band. “Just so that you can know that you can pay your rent and bills on time and know that you are going to have a good time playing music, that’s all you can really ask for I think.”



Theo is joined in this theory by the band’s front man, Andy Shaw (28, guitar and vocals) Shaw brother Chris (24, drums), Shaw father, Jim (62, keys), and old friend Bobby Wildermuth (23, bass). When asked how the Shaw men found their non-related band mates, they exclaimed, “Well, there was a shelter downtown, and we just picked them up along the way, we took pity on them.” Family-like teasing aside, the band is held together by a drive to possibly leave all non-creative day jobs behind in favor of dedicating their lives to true talents and to giving back to the community.



“A guy once told me that if you put that same time that you put into working at Panera into writing more, practicing more, and working more, you’d be able to support yourself,” Theo reminisced of his time spent working for the café chain. “And I quit the next week.”



In light of this ambition, the Andy Shaw Band works hard. In addition to what they refer to as a “residency” at Ruby’s every Monday, the group has numerous gigs and recording times for their easy-going, jam session-like music that really helps a person wind down after a long day at an office. The sound is an incredibly approachable tap into the reggae genre that is initially disguised by an almost alt-country feel and intense technical tightness, commanding audience respect, especially live.



Aside from playing as a band, each member has another creative work connection. Jim teaches general music to elementary students; Andy and Chris perform a stripped-down folk duo and teach various instrument lessons; Theo works with the Floorwalkers, another Ruby’s band-in-residence; and Bobby works on numerous projects involving music for his sanity in his time away from a day job at California Pizza Kitchen.



“It’s really the only thing I do that’s not music. I found something that’s flexible so that I can work more and focus on music and keep my sanity by doing art and music. I went to school for art. When Andy asked me to play in the band it was good because I wasn’t playing and I was very, very insane for a little while.”



So, just how much time goes into being a full-time musician and band? The guys explained that the job often feels like much more work is being put into it than a person would for an average job, what with gigs (Ruby’s- three hours, weekends- 10 hours), individual and full band practices, recording and promotions, plus musical work aside from the Andy Shaw Band.



“I try to spend an hour to two hours a day just writing, or writing and practicing,” Andy said. “And then practice is kind of a separate thing from that. It’s a lot of putting your own work in and being your own manager of life. You have to really be on top of yourself and be a multi-tasker to the extreme. That’s the thing that I actually really enjoy. You’re making a lot less money, but you end up being happier.”



Playing regularly at a bar like Ruby’s is great practice for any band, especially one hoping to improve their material and to get decent feedback.



“You just get really tight. It’s like any job I think. When you do something on a regular basis long enough, you get used to it, you get better at it. But I think it’s more like working out—the more you do it the more endurance you have and the better you are at it. And that’s what’s happened to us over the last year.”



Another perk for the Andy Shaw Band as a regular act in Columbus is meeting members of the community that are supportive, with feedback that allows the band to figure out what works in new songs and to get instant responses to changes on a weekly basis. This also inspires the fellas to get their musi - Metromix.com

Shaw discovered his singersongwriter voice while attending the University of North Texas, where he majored in trumpet. He proceeded to study in Chicago, where he performed his songs in clubs.

Returning to Columbus, he formed a band that includes his brother, drummer Chris.

An appealing blend of Beatles and modern rock, Shaw’s new release, The Relay Sessions, is a tantalizing slice of pop charm and rock grooves. - The Columbus Dispatch

On the new album Summer's Coming, the Andy Shaw Band -- a family affair featuring the band namesake, father Jim, brother Chris and non-Shaw Bobby Wildemuth -- deals in good-vibes jams.

Here is Andy Shaw on the band, the mood and the songs:

Q How do you describe your music on Summer's Coming?

A It's a really good mix of all of our influences. We always say we play "reggae rock," but it's reggae, rock, pop, blues and groove rock. I like to think of people like Ben Harper, Jon Butler Trio and Jack Johnson, who cross defined genres.

Q If it weren't for (blank), the Andy Shaw Band wouldn't exist.

A Family, for one, . . . but also a love for music. We just really love to play music, especially together.

I think what makes us work is that we kind of play together on a more mature level. I guess it's just from always performing together growing up.

Q What is your favorite quote about the band?

A Someone said once that they love how original we are because it's different from a lot of cookie-cutter, mainstream bands.

Q Why should someone spend tonight with the Andy Shaw Band?

A If you love original music that can groove, you won't be disappointed.

-- Aaron Beck

abeck@dispatch.com
- Columbus Dispatch - Aaron Beck

By Rick Allen

Three things most critics hate are jam bands, jazz chords and Sublime. As such, I should have rightly hated the Andy Shaw Band’s Ways of the World, which is never too far from the three aforementioned mortal musical sins.

Instead, I found the album captivating almost immediately. Shaw belts out his vocals like he has no idea that the age of crooners is long gone, which is a blessing. Where singers like Mike Patton and Gene Ween occasionally play the crooner, to usually impressive effects, there is a difference between playing and being.

Take the opening track, “Falling Faster.” Andy Shaw, while not the most gifted singer in the world, fearlessly stretches his vocal cords for all they’re worth with the assured grace of Dion and Christopher Cross, who is somehow blind to his own cheesiness and therefore continues breaking hearts to this day.

The band also overcomes some of the inherent jam-isms you get from playing to fans of Santana and the Doobie Brothers, as well as the college kids who keep the surviving members of Bradley Nowell’s one trick in beer money.

There is a little Stevie Wonder, a little Steely Dan and a lot of fun to be found in the terrific little surprise that is Ways of the World.

A CD release party will be held at 10 p.m. Friday at the Thirsty Ear, 1200 W. Third Ave. - The Other Paper

Andy Shaw Band

3 p.m. Sunday

Gazebo Stage

A band influenced by Jack Johnson, Sublime and Dave Matthews often results in a misguided dorm-room mess. Not so with the Andy Shaw Band, which uses the best elements of its mentors to create unique, laid-back grooves. Shaw and cohorts, among the hardest working musicians in town, have honed their trademark sound at a Monday night gig at Ruby Tuesday and regular appearances elsewhere around Central Ohio. During a very appropriate Sunday afternoon set in a gazebo, the band will run through the outstanding "Best of Us" and other breezy selections from Summer's Coming, released last year.

By John Ross
- Columbus Alive

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
By Chris DeVille

It's fun to watch a band build its own universe starting from scratch. It's even more fun to be that band.

Just ask Andy Shaw. Little by little, pieces have fallen into place around the singer-songwriter in the four years since he moved back to Columbus, leaving him with a fully fleshed-out lineup, an extensive community of likeminded bands and a friendly pub to act as their hub.

After playing solo during his stint at Columbia College in Chicago, Shaw recruited friends and family to perform his music, a set of jammy pop tunes steeped in reggae and classic rock. Shaw's father, Jim, and his brother, Chris, give the lineup a familiar feel.

As Andy Shaw Band took shape, they began to form a network of similar acts around Columbus, a community that includes the likes of The Floorwalkers and Jared Mahone Band. The bands congregate around decades-old Summit Street hangout Ruby Tuesday, where Andy Shaw Band plays every Monday.

These factors have come together to make this the best year yet for Andy Shaw Band. To celebrate, they'll cap off 2008 with a free New Year's Eve show at Oldfield's on High, an event they hope will be a fun, recession-proof alternative to the lavish, expensive New Year's Eves of yore.

"We just feel like everybody's so broke, including us," Shaw said. "The only reason we even did [a New Year's show] was because we could do a free thing or something that would cater to people who need something different."

Despite the budget price, the band promises this gig will be "over the top," with appearances by the Wet Darlings and the Ooh La Las burlesque troupe. Along with drink specials, the group thinks its New Year's shindig will have something for everyone: "It's called sex, booze and rock 'n' roll," bassist Bobby Wildermuth said.

Despite moving to Oldfield's for the New Year's bash, Andy Shaw Band remains inextricably linked with Ruby Tuesday, where they will continue to play nearly every Monday for the foreseeable future.

The residency has been a big momentum builder for the band. Every week they get a chance to test out new material, perfect older tunes and develop a large catalog of music. If a crowd shows up, the band gets to shine. If not, they get to practice.

Along with the addition of guitarist Theo Perry, who joined around this time last year, the constant appearances have helped Andy Shaw Band to hone their sound as they prepare to release their second album this spring.

They hope to host multiple release parties, including an all-ages event that will probably happen at the new Wild Goose multipurpose space near Rumba Cafe, and perhaps a bigger event at one of the city's more sizable clubs.

And of course they'll always come back to Ruby's, where every week has become a celebration of sorts for Andy Shaw Band and the scene that continues to bloom around them.

- Columbus Alive

"Get ready to move and groove with the Andy Shaw Band! Live or on tape, get ready to rock!" - Maggie Brennan, Music Director