Following decades of industry experience, Creative Director and Producer Woody Shaw III is now taking the invaluable lessons learned from his illustrious background in the international art world to launch his latest venture, Perfect Pitch, a new media company, record label, and creative production studio. The company specializes in original content creation, audiovisual production, publishing, and music distribution, and offers a variety of specialized digital and creative consulting services to select clientele. The new outfit kicks off with a set of curated releases by historic musical artists as well as a series of productions for digital, physical, and print media.
Rooted in a rich tradition of artistic excellence, innovation, and family entrepreneurship, Woody Shaw III has successfully set himself apart by remaining steadfast amid the many changing tides of the American cultural landscape. Shaw has established himself as a multi-talented entrepreneur, curator, and innovative thought-leader with expertise across a wide range of creative and cultural domains. His story is as impressive as it is unique, defined by his role as the purveyor of an esteemed musical tradition, and as one of the rising trailblazers of his generation.
Woody Shaw III is a graduate of Columbia University with a Master’s in Arts Administration, a B.A. in Ethnomusicology from Hobart College, and a B.F.A. in Music from New School University. He holds certifications in finance and intellectual property law from Columbia University and New York University and is a recipient of the Hutchins Fellowship from the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University. His work as a longstanding preservationist, producer, spokesperson, and authority on his forefathers’ artistic heritage (through the music widely known as ‘Jazz’) has set a new example of what a visionary entrepreneur and creative professional is, and can be.
Born and raised in New York City, Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw III was named after his father, late jazz trumpet innovator Woody Shaw Jr. (1944-1989), and for worldwide musical icon and jazz trumpet luminary Louis Armstrong. Woody III is the son of former music manager, executive producer, and award-winning author, Maxine Gordon, and is the stepson and administrative director of the legacy of the iconic tenor saxophonist and Academy Award-nominated actor Dexter Gordon (1923-1990).
Woody III has worked across nearly every facet of the creative industry — in licensing, publishing, branding, production, design, law, performance, digital media, and as a musician, published writer, and gifted multidisciplinary creator. He has learned his trade through the many logistical challenges and creative lessons faced by artists, entrepreneurs, and elite industry professionals, as well as through the preservation of his family’s esteemed musical legacy.
The first project to be released on Perfect Pitch, entitled Woody Shaw: The Awakening, includes a limited edition 7-CD collection of classic 1970s recordings by the late musical genius, trumpet master, and innovator Woody Shaw Jr. (father of Woody III). The project is a retrospective of the contribution of musicians to the fight for social justice and artistic equality during the 1970s and dedication to artists concerned about the state of the world today. It is “meant to be a light of hope and a sound of strength”, as the renowned trumpeter himself put it. The release will focus on curation, redesign, and remastering of some of the trumpeter’s most seminal 1970s recordings, plus other merchandise. Specific titles TBA in 2022.
