Shane Cox
performer/recording artist/educator
Band Leader
Shane is a multi-brasstramentalist, bandleader, educator, and composer who has founded and directed multiple projects in California and Minnesota.
His musical roots started in his home state of Idaho, playing reggae, afrobeat, and americana. After graduating his school, he moved to New Orleans to perform with local brass bands. Later he moved to California and performed Balkan style brass band music, cumbia, and commercial music. There he also began leading multiple projects across different genres, all with the purpose of reinventing ways of using brass instruments. From covering heavy metal tunes, to developing new techniques for performing sousaphone, and contributing unique arrangements to the New Orleans traditional brass band sound.
Shane composes, arranges, and directs these groups in Minneapolis, Minnesota. These projects include Heavy Metal Brass Band, Shane Cox & the Funky Spuds, and Funky Spuds Brass Band.
Recording Artist
Shane has arranged and recorded for dozens of tracks of varying genres.
full horn sections including trumpets, trombones, flugelhorns, and sousaphone
New Orleans and Balkan-style brass band style, swing, funk, and modern pop style horn sections
recorded for video game and independent movie soundtracks
solos in many styles including jazz, salsa, funk, latin jazz, and more…
Educator
Shane has taught for prestigious programs in San Fransisco and Minneapolis, as well as privately, both in person and online.
Shane worked for San Fransisco Symphony’s “Adventures in Music” program where he curated a show on brass band history and performed for thousands of 3rd to 5th graders. He then joined their “Music and Mentors” program, providing brass and music theory education to middle and high school students throughout the city.
In Minneapolis, Shane has worked with Macphail Center for Music teaching adult jazz combos as well as private lessons on trumpet, trombone, euphonium, and tuba from ages 8-70. He also participates in school partnerships where he teaches sectionals in jazz and classical styles.
