By Frank Alkyer | Published July 2025
Jaleel Shaw has been quiet. Not from a sideman standpoint; he’s been performing brilliantly with vibraphonist Stefon Harris and in Dave Holland’s Quartet. But it’s been 13 years since the soulful 47-year-old alto saxophonist has released a recording as a leader. Well, that all changes as of Friday, July 11. Shaw’s new recording, Painter Of The Invisible (Changu Receords), is a beast of beautiful storytelling that’s well worth the wait. This is a thoughtful, well-paced program of 11 songs written from the heart to remember people and places that have touched him along the road.
“Beantown” serves as a hip ode to Boston and Shaw’s days studying at Berklee College of Music. Bassist Ben Street lays down a bopping groove before pianist Lawrence Fields and Shaw kick in and start dancing around that groove. And Shaw comes strong with a fountain of ideas on saxophone — no clichés here, just solid, instant improvisation. “Distant Images” serves as a heartfelt homage to his grandmother who passed in 2016. You can hear every breath as it passes through the mouthpiece and into his horn, and out pours love. He’s joined here by guitarist Lage Lund, who lays down a touching solo. Drummer Joe Dyson swings strong and solid throughout the set, shining on tunes like “Baldwin’s Blues” (for writer James Baldwin) and “Tamir,” a hard-driving classic to honor the memory of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy who was killed by police in Cleveland, Ohio. Shaw unleashes his fury felt over the loss of a child at the hands of those who take an oath to protect and serve.
He writes and plays so beautifully about those we’ve lost. Vibraphonist Sasha Berliner joins him for the dreamy ballad “Gina’s Ascent,” written for his cousin who passed in 2020. Shaw’s alto blows slow and mournful on “Meghan,” written for music industry star Meghan Stabile, who passed in 2022 at the age of 39. The album finishes with “Until We Meet Again,” a short, lovely note to fellow saxophonist Casey Benjamin, who passed away last year at the age of 46.
The album drips with love lost but also reveals Shaw’s own growth and his dedication to the memories of those who have gone on. “When I say ‘painter of the invisible,’ it’s about a people who have always been overlooked in some way,” says Shaw. “That’s part of what this album is about — our experience. As a Black man, I’ve felt invisible at times.”
As long as Jaleel Shaw has a saxophone and stories to tell about people who teach us what it means to be alive, he’ll remain highly visible to those who are wise enough to listen.
