Kevin Shea is valued as being a vital and original artist in the contemporary music scene. Shea’s originality is manifested not only by his personal approach to his instrument, but also throughout his constant search for new musical horizons unifying all the bands he has been involved in despite the parameters set for musicians by genre definition, or by historical icons.



The plurality of rigorous artistic aspirations and creative engagement that distinguish the discography of Kevin Shea are not the product of chance or merely taking advantage of opportunities -- but the result of labor, strong convictions, and a strong conceptual support -- a deliberate search for transitional territories away from the dogmas of boring and unnecessary conventions.



Trained in music from public elementary school straight through Berklee College of Music, and with 20+ years experience as a professional drummer/composer/performer and accomplice, Kevin Shea has recorded on 80+ albums in a mish-mash of contexts and performed in 40+ countries in some of the most highly acclaimed festivals -- including The Newport Jazz Festival, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Vancouver Jazz Festival, Moers Festival near Dusseldorf, Portalegre Jazzfest, Egersund Visefestival in Norway, Jazz em Augusto Festival in Lisbon, Jazzatlier Kaleidephon Festival in Austria, Bergen Jazz Festival, Taipei Arts Festival, Bordeaux Jazz Festival, Oslo Jazz Festival, Suoni Festival in Montreal, Tampere Jazz Festival, Meteo Jazz Festival, Kraak Festival in Belgium, Whartscape Fest in Baltimore, ZXZW Festival in Tilburg, Lollapalooza, Enjoy Jazz Festival in Mannheim, Azorean Islands Jazz Festivals, Ottawa Jazz Festival, etc.



Shea's drumming has been recently presented on albums by such artists/groupings as Rhys Chatham, People (w/Mary Halvorson), Get The People, Mostly Other People Do The Killing, Talibam!, Talibam! & Alan Wilkinson, Peeesseye & Talibam!, Peter Evans Quartet, Peter Evans & Kevin Shea Duo, Great Lakes, Puttin' On The Ritz, Combine Harvester, I Was A King, Sexy Thoughts, BarrSheaDahl, Livid Twitch, Yulenog, and so on. In the past Shea released albums with storm&stress, Coptic Light, etc. Other recent/future performances include TALIBAM!'s inclusion as part of choreographer Karole Armitage's Armitage Gone! Dance company, performing music composed by Rhys Chatham, David Linton, etc.