John Shannon
John Shannon is a visionary guitarist, composer, and sonic mystic whose music is a bridge between worlds—earth and sky, tradition and innovation, the seen and the unseen. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, John began playing guitar at the age of six and soon found himself immersed in a lifelong path of musical and spiritual discovery. As a teenager, he studied under local masters of various instruments—bassist Dwayne Dolphin, saxophonist Eric Kloss, and pipe organist Mike Ross—each deepening his awareness of tone, space, and the power of improvisation as a channel for transcendence.
At Berklee College of Music, John honed his craft under the guidance of modern guitar sages Mick Goodrick and Wayne Krantz, further refining his singular voice through harmonic exploration and rhythmic complexity. During this time, he formed the group Waking Vision Trio, blending jazz fusion with expansive, cinematic soundscapes that earned the group acclaim across Europe and beyond.
As a freelance musician in New York City, John became a sought-after guitarist and collaborator across genres, performing with Hiromi, Gary Go, Karsh Kale, Bob Reynolds, Pyeng Threadgill, and Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz. He also released three solo albums with revered indie-jazz label ObliqSound, showcasing his original fingerstyle techniques, alternate tunings, and a lyrical, spirit-driven songwriting style that felt as ancient as it was fresh.
Drawn to the archetype of the modern bard, John ventured to Australia to embody the character of Moondog in a surreal rock-and-roll circus—a chapter that sparked a wild embrace of ‘80s shred guitar and the primal energy of the stage. This phase crystallized with the formation of theSHIFT, a power-rock trio whose high-octane performances, radio success in South America, and fearless message embodied a fusion of raw electricity and consciousness.
Returning to his roots in Pittsburgh in 2019, John co-founded Con Alma—a jazz club and sanctuary for music, food and drink alchemy—where he now serves as co-owner and music curator. Reconnected with the deep jazz lineage of his hometown, he reignited his passion for straight-ahead jazz while continuing to compose original works steeped in beauty, mysticism, and inner truth.
John’s forthcoming album A Day in Tarifa is slated for release Fall 2025, and captures his latest chapter: a meditative sun soaked suite of jazz compositions both inspired by not only the jazz legacy of his hometown but also the windswept edge of southern Spain—Tarifa – a place where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and where sound becomes a vessel for light.
