Latest Track: green$leeves (released December 14, 2023) - a fresh take on a classic english ditty we associate with christmas.
Petite Feet’s latest single Fig Leaf Rag is out now on all streaming platforms.
(Petite Feet revamps ragtime for a contemporary twist….scroll for more info).
Shane’s solo debut EP My Digital Wife features what he calls his “cyborg piano music.” Find it here.
His piano playing can also be heard on the soundtrack to popular VR game I Expect You to Die 2 from Schell Games.
In 2020, Shane was commissioned by Chatterbox. Watch their performance of I feel so sad, but it’s as if i have no more tears left to cry, but then when i finally do cry i feel so sick of crying. You know what i mean? here.
Shows:
2024
June 7th in Brooklyn, NY @ Owl Music Parlor with Ryan Power
May 21st in Brooklyn, NY @ Sultan Room with Ryan Power
May 20th in Brooklyn, NY @ Filthy Diamond with Pfeete
April 23rd in Queens, NY @ Sundown with Ryan Power
February 24th in Brooklyn, NY @ Mudhouse with Carrie’s Fantasy
2023
December 20th in Brooklyn, NY @ Filthy Diamond with Nora Stanley
December 15th in Queens, NY @ Stone Circle Theatre with TAVIS
October 27th in Brooklyn, NY with TAVIS
October 3rd in Brooklyn, NY @ Scholes Street Studio
August 4th in Brooklyn, NY @ Gold Sounds with Carrie’s Fantasy
August 3rd in Philadelphia, PA @ Launderette Records with Carrie’s Fantasy
July 13th in Farmington, ME @ Emery Community Arts Center with Matt Pavolka
July 12th in Farmington, ME @ Emery Community Arts Center with Priya Carlberg
July 11th in Farmington, ME @ Emery Community Arts Center with Alex Ridout, Rahul Carlberg & Mwanzi Harriott
July 10th in Farmington, ME @ Emery Community Arts Center with Jeremy Udden
July 9th in Farmington, ME @ Emery Community Arts Center with Christine Correa & Michael Sarin
June 19th in New York, NY @ Forsyth Plaza with Biophony Pop-Up NYC
May 22nd in Queens, NY @ The Keep with Ryan Weisheit
May 11th in Brooklyn, NY @ Bar Lunatico with Tucci Swing
March 31st in Queens, NY @ Windjammer with Carrie’s Fantasy
March 25th in Queens, NY @ Ridgewood
March 18th in Brooklyn, NY @ Young Ethel’s with Petite Feet
February 8th in Queens, NY @ Sundownstairs with Carrie’s Fantasy & Petite Feet
January 21st in Brooklyn, NY @ Young Ethel’s with Petite Feet
Recordings:
green$leeves - 2023
next to of course god - 2022
Fig Leaf Rag - 2022
My Digital Wife - 2021
I Expect You to Die 2 (Official Soundtrack) - 2021
The Big Flattening: Volume Two - 2020
Radio Broadcast by Petite Feet - 2020
Nude Piano by Petite Feet - 2019
Fusion by Yasmine Azaiez - 2016
Petite Feet
Though self-described as “just your neighborhood ragtime band,” the trio comprising saxophone, piano, and drums draws inspiration from such diverse influences as EDM, glitch art, minimalism, free jazz, and memes. Jazz pianist Ethan Iverson calls the trio’s debut record Nude Piano: Iconic Rags of Scott Joplin, “an engaging surprise.” Petite Feet combines a traditional employment of acoustic instruments with contemporary electronic post-production. In the liner notes for the album, Ted Reichman describes Nude Piano as “approach[ing] some kind of an ideal where the music of the mechanical past and the techniques of the digital present can exist in harmony.”
Bio
Shane Simpson is a multi-faceted pianist, keyboardist, and composer with a passion for jazz, experimental music, and all things musical. Hailing from the North Shore of Chicago, Shane has taken his musical talents to cities across the US, Canada, Panama, and Spain. With over two decades of piano study, he honed his skills at the New England Conservatory, where he was mentored by renowned musicians like Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, Ran Blake, Anthony Coleman, and Bruce Brubaker, and developed a deep understanding of music theory and the teachings of Nadia Boulanger.
As a performer, Shane has graced the stages of esteemed venues such as the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Wally's Cafe in Boston, as well as the Queens-based avant-music venue Trans-Pecos. He values creativity and is constantly seeking new musical experiences, from ragtime to early music to synth pop. Despite his diverse interests, he remains dedicated to keeping the jazz tradition alive and exploring the intersection of technology and the piano, a 19th-century instrument.
Shane is a founding member of the trio Petite Feet, a unique musical outfit that reimagines the ragtime genre for the 21st century. With the help of Travis Bliss and Jonathan Starks, the group combines traditional instruments with contemporary technology to create a unique, constantly-evolving sound. While their studio recordings feature prominent electronic elements, Petite Feet's live performances are predominantly acoustic, with the trio re-creating the electronic glitches and distortions from the recordings through their playing techniques. Their single “Fig Leaf Rag” (2022) and debut album Nude Piano (2019) have received praise for their playful and imaginative approach to the music.
In addition to his work with Petite Feet, Shane's other recordings showcase his versatility and musical range. In 2022, he released a single with singer Priya Carlberg, which features a quirky, humorous, synth-jazz setting of a poem by e e cummings. In 2021, he released his eccentric solo EP "My Digital Wife," which showcases his unique brand of "cyborg piano music" alongside traditional acoustic piano performances. His pianism can also be heard on the soundtrack of the popular virtual reality game "I Expect You to Die 2."
When Shane is not performing, composing, or recording, he is a dedicated educator. He has served as a music theory faculty member at the New England Conservatory and Massachusetts Institute of Technology and as a teaching artist for the New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers. Today, he is a sought-after piano instructor in Brooklyn, NY, where he teaches through Soyulla Artists and maintains a thriving private teaching practice.
Teaching Philosophy
Shane believes it is his duty to help people of any age tap into their inner artist. He believes that learning in the arts transfers to all other areas of life. It changes the way one perceives the world, and it is a gateway to developing abstract thinking and creative problem solving, vital skills in a burgeoning society. Shane is a passionate, dedicated teacher. He makes learning music fun, and he offers a diverse wealth of musical knowledge, providing his students with a well-rounded education. Shane teaches lessons in piano, composition, improvisation, music theory, ear training, and sight-singing. He teaches all ages, levels, and styles.
Contact
For private lessons or bookings, contact Shane directly at ssimpsonmusic@gmail.com.