The
freedom to compose and create a dynamic body of work is afforded to a
special few artists of each generation, musicians who deftly coordinate
the chemistry of exceptional talent and exceptional opportunity. Itaal
Shur is one of these rare and free musical craftsmen, with a career that
includes top-shelf status as a songwriter, producer, and a Grammy Award
for Song of the Year for the multi-Platinum hit “Smooth,”, recorded by
Carlos Santanna and Rob Thomas. Having experienced great success in the
commercial music industry and the diverse array of opportunities that
comes along with it, Shur has marked his career with the same innate
eclecticism that marks his person. He is never just one thing. He fills
several roles, in several styles and genres, and in this way his music
is defined not by what he does, but who he is.
A left field guy
who hits a home run in right field every once in a while, Shur found
his music lust while growing up in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Cincinnati
in a family where artistry was the norm and a desire to be a doctor or
lawyer was black sheep territory. His composer father and choreographer
mother set him to work learning Classical piano, but it was his brother
teaching him to play blues piano at age 10 that cast the dye. “My
brother would play on the left side of the keyboard and I would play on
the right, and I learned how to just jam with someone and relate to them
musically. From that point it was clear to me. I was only going to make
music for the rest of my life.” Since then, he has pursued music first
as something he loves, trusting that if the work was great, success
would eventually result. He was right. To continue, Please click “MORE”!