James Shannon was born in a small Texas town where he began music lessons at the age of 11. He helped pay for his first guitar with a paper route. His Mother was an accomplished pianist and artist. Both his Mother and Father loved music and were friends with a sax player who worked with the great Trombonist Jack Teagarden. It was this friend who said, "Keep up the music as no one can ever take that away from you!" James Mother would take a bus to Dallas to see the Jazz greats of the time. He began leading his own band in high school. James later attended the University of North Texas, and was a member of the renowned 1:00 Lab Band under Leon Breeden. His work in Jazz clubs paid his way through college and was a major factor in his musical development. Finding himself in such a fertile musical environment he was forced to learn fast and was largely self taught by experience and surroundings. Working with the Flo Green Trio and Bob Stewart and CO. were an important element of artistic growth.

While working with the Organ B3 group headed by Flo Green, and later, drummer Bob Stewart and leading his own group in the Ft Worth /Dallas area James performed with the following notable players: Red Garland and Ray Charles allumni Hank Crawford, David "Fathead" Newman, and James Clay. During the same years James also performed with Lou Donaldson, Julius Hemphill, Marchel Ivory, Mack Goldsbury, Organist Flo Green, Bob Stewart and Co, Organist Clyde George..

James has also performed with Organist Jimmy Smith, Billy Hart, Ed Soph, Lynn Seaton, Lee Konitz, Bassist Ed Schuller (son of Gunther Schuller) and The Les Elgart Orchestra among others. Billy Hart, Mack Goldsbury and Ed Schuller can be heard on his first record release.

More bio below:

Shannon has given concerts and clinics at the University of North Texas, Weatherford College, El Centro College, Brookhaven College, San Angelo Jazz Festival, Oklahoma Charlie Christian Jazz Festival as well as other colleges and schools. His quartet with saxophonist James Clay was selected to perform on the opening concert of Sammons Jazz in 1989 which became the premier Jazz concert venue in the southwest. Several of James former students are now noted professionals including internationally known Jazz Guitarist, Bruce Foreman. During his formative years, he studied with classical guitar master Regino Sanz De La Maza in Madrid and at Southern Methodist University. He also performed in master classes held by Pepe Romero and Jose Tomas.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CHECK OUT THE PICS/RECORDING CLIP AND CLUB FLAMINGO BELOW:__

The Flo Green Trio
At Club Flamingo, Fort Worth Texas

Left to right:
Bob Stewart, James Shannon, Floralyn Green, Sonny Green

James Shannon-James Clay on break. Shannon's group
with Clay was chosen as the first group to play for the
well known Sammons Jazz series in Dallas in 1989.
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Concert in Dallas: Left to right: James Shannon, Kenny Burrell,
Wright Lasater El Centro College President
Theater manager, name na.

Shannon's first Jazz Album was released to great reviews and solid air play. His CD recordings, Silent Voices and Out of the Blue, received reviews in the internationaly acclaimed Cadence Magazine. A quote from one review stated: "Intense and melodic. Bright and freewheeling and full of the bluesy accents that can't help but bring a smile to your face. A fun bent note swagger in his playing. This is very good jazz guitar"

James currently leads his own Jazz group and is active in recording and composition. He was Professor of music at at El Centro College in Dallas Texas for many years and subsequently at Brookhaven College School of the Arts in Dallas, from 2000-2009. While at both Colleges, he taught Jazz and Classical guitar plus Jazz Improvisation. James has won several awards for teaching including the Nisod Excellence in teaching award from the University of Texas at Austin and excellence in teaching awards from the Dallas County Community College District.
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James Shannon/Club Flamingo

In the soulful Detroit archives Floralyn Green
(upper left pic) was described as the following:

Floralyn s. Green...Queen of the Hammond B-3
An organist on par with Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland etc.
After killing them for years at various clubs and concert halls in Texas and surrounding states, she was well on the road to "brighter lights" until she was shafted by legendary producer Huey P. Meaux on payment of studio sessions. That one incident soured her on the recording industry. She decided to keep it local (Dallas/Ft Worth) for the following years. This included 5 years at the Club Flamingo in Ft. Worth until motherhood became her priority. She then retired from the Jazz scene to teach music, piano and organ.
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