James Shaw’s Vesuvius Big Band

James Shaw’s Vesuvius Big Band is an 18-piece ensemble dedicated to creating new works that expand the language of the modern Big Band. Founded in 2017 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, by composer, arranger, and bandleader James Shaw, the ensemble has become a vibrant platform for ambitious large ensemble writing and collaboration.

The ensemble released Live at Open Waters Festival in 2021, capturing the group’s electrifying energy and adventurous spirit. In 2023, Vesuvius premiered Hearing Halifax, an ambitious, genre-blurring project that brought together many of the city’s most compelling voices bridging jazz, hip-hop, soul, songwriting and experimental music in a vivid portrait of Halifax’s musical landscape.

Shaw’s big band work has been presented across North America, from Vancouver to Nashville, earning Vesuvius a reputation as a dynamic contributor in contemporary large ensemble music.