Combining the musical forces of Alex Harvey and Jordan Shapiro, SHINBONE ALLEY is a folk duo that reimagines ancient street ballads and songs of the sea. Alex and Jordan take listeners on a contemporary journey through the vernacular music and work song of the British Isles during the Age of Sail. From Shanties to Broadsides and everything in between.
Prepare to sing along
Jordan Shapiro
Multi instrumentalist Jordan Shapiro has been performing in various styles of music for over 25 years. Classically trained on piano, he graduated from The University of Michigan School of Music where he studied jazz and composition. Jordan has performed on keyboards as a member of a number of ensembles, including touring in a Zappa tribute band, featuring former Zappa vocalists. In 2015, Jordan toured Australia as a member of Gary Lucas' Gods and Monsters, performing the music of Tim and Jeff Buckley with Martha Wainwright and other vocalists. Jordan plays keyboards on "World of Captain Beefheart", a new band put together by former Beefheart guitarist Gary Lucas and ex-Labelle vocalist Nona Hendryx. Jordan also leads a psychedelic jazz-fusion Balkan folk project called "Choban Elektrik", which released its debut CD in 2014. His long running NYC based bluegrass band "Astrograss", formed in 2003, performs yearly at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and has released 3 full length CDs of original music.
He currently lives in Beacon, NY with his wife and 2 young children, where he performs regularly with the new and innovative Beacon-based progressive string band "Bees in the Barn". He has been performing with fellow sea shanty enthusiast Alex Harvey for 10 years, in various styles of music and is now thrilled to have a dedicated space to explore their mutual love of the folk music of the British Isles and maritime folk music
Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey is a multi-instrumentalist who works in vernacular improvisational music styles that range from Bebop to Bluegrass to Dixieland and beyond. Growing up playing Mandolin and Piano he now plays a variety of string family instruments as well as Shakuhachi Flute and Mbira Dzavadzimu. Alex was creator and founding member of the 5000 Jazz Assassins a traditional swing band that he lead with Jono Waldman and Lorenzo Wolff. For the Assassins he and Lorenzo produced the album RIVERBOAT POP. Alex and Lorenzo went on to produce ASTROVS LOUNGE LIVE AT JOES PUB for the Chekhov Project. Alex plays mandolin for the hudson valley bluegrass band BIG DRAW as well as Michael Cerveris’ LOOSE CATTLE. Alex co-composed the live score for Buster Keaton's THE BALLOONATIC for The Public Theater's 2010 Under the Radar Festival, as well as music for the 2016 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning Documentary, WEINER. He can also be seen playing his mandolin nationally on all twelve of Geico’s “Happier than” ad campaign spots. In collaboration with his dear friend and band mate, Jordan Shapiro, Alex produced the New York John Hartford festival. Alex is also a full time feature film director and editor and lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife and son.