Shawn Purcell, originally hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator based in the Washington DC region. Purcell has shared the stage, recorded with, and/or toured with Walt Weiskopf, Pat Bianchi, Terell Stafford, Regina Carter, Steve Fidyk, Chip McNeill, Sean Jones, Steve Allee, Brian Charette, Tim Warfield, Lucas Pino, Peter Erskine, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, Jim Pugh, Eddie Daniels, Chris Potter, Jason Tiemann, Nicholas Payton, National Symphony Orchestra and many others. Purcell has appeared at prominent jazz venues and festivals both across the U.S. and internationally. His performance credits include legendary venues like The Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, Smalls, The Jazz Kitchen, The Bop Stop, Con Alma, Rite of Swing Jazz Cafe, Sharp9 Gallery, Keystone Korner Baltimore, An Die Musik, The Blue Wisp, JazzB in São Paulo and Aalt Stadhaus in Luxembourg as well as major festivals and venues such as Umbria Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Fest, Indy Jazz Fest and Savannah Jazz Festival.
As a recording artist, Purcell’s guitar work can be heard on nearly 40 albums. Notable recordings include The Whirl (Chip McNeill), Heads Up! and Allied Forces (Steve Fidyk), Two Seconds to Midnight and Prime Time (Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra featuring Doc Severinsen), Push the Limits and The Way of the Groove (Ben Patterson), Vital Frequencies (Ben Patterson Jazz Orchestra featuring Chris Potter), as well as projects with The Capitol Bones, Mike Tomaro, and multiple releases by vocalist Darden Purcell, including her latest release Love’s Got Me In a Lazy Mood (OA2 Records). His debut as a bandleader, Symmetricity, came out in 2019 on Armored Records, followed by 180, released on Origin Records in 2022.
Purcell dedicated over 20 years as a member of the military big bands in Washington DC. From 1996-2004, Purcell was the guitarist in the US Air Force jazz ensemble, The Airmen of Note. During his time with “The Note,” Purcell has performed around the globe including England, Germany, Turkey, Luxembourg, The Azores, Belgium, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Kuwait, and Bahrain. He recently finished his tenure as the guitarist with the Washington DC based US Navy Band “Commodores” jazz ensemble.
As an educator, Purcell currently serves as adjunct professor of jazz guitar, jazz combos and jazz arranging at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA). He has served on the jazz faculty at West Viriginia University, Towson University, Middle Tennessee State University, and was a Visiting Lecturer in Jazz Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, under the direction of David Baker. He has led master classes at major universities throughout the country. He has also served on the faculty for camps such as Mason Summer Jazz, The National Jazz Workshop, Maryland Summer Jazz Camp, JazzWire Summer Summit, Frisco Arts Jazz Camp, and The National Guitar Workshop. Purcell has also penned educational articles for Premier Guitar, Jazz Guitar Life, and DownBeat Magazine.
Purcell holds a BM in Recording Arts & Sciences from Duquesne University, an MA in Music from Middle Tennessee State University, and a DMA in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.