The Mile High Freedom Bands is happy to announce the appointment of Shawn Williams as Assistant Artistic Director and Director of MHFB Swing, effective immediately.

MHFB Artistic Director Derek Hebert said, “We are thrilled to welcome Shawn to the Mile High Freedom Bands family. His extensive experience in jazz will be an incredible positive force in the continued advancement of MHFB Swing, guiding the ensemble to new musical heights. I can’t wait to see what he and our wonderful musicians can and will accomplish together!”

MHFB Board President Brandon A. Lujan said, “The Mile High Freedom Bands is entering a new and exciting chapter, as we are pleased to welcome Shawn Williams to our family. Shawn will engage with our talented artistic team as the leader of MHFB Swing. He is the ideal artistic leader for this ensemble at a time when entertainment and music in our community is needed most. With his passion and jazz/swing education, he will help the organization to new horizons.”

Shawn Williams’ Bio

Shawn Williams is a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator currently scheduled to complete his Doctor of Arts degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado in Fall 2020. 

Prior to moving to Colorado, Shawn thrived in the San Francisco Bay Area where he established himself as an educator and performer. Among the many intuitions he taught at, Shawn served as the adjunct jazz trumpet instructor at Chabot College in Hayward, CA. While in the Bay Area, Shawn performed with groups such as: Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, Foreverland, RAFA, the Bad Five, Dick Bright Orchestra and the Shawn Williams Quintet. Shawn has performed at the San Jose Jazz Festival, the Stanford Jazz Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Most recently, Shawn has performed with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra and the Colorado Jazz Orchestra. You can hear Shawn on many recent recordings, including: All in One (2018) featuring compositions by David Caffey, and Time Child (2019) featuring trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and compositions by Erik Applegate. In 2019, Shawn was invited to join the United States Air Force Academy Band and Falconaires Jazz Ensemble as a manning assistant on multiple tours in Colorado, Alambama, and Georgia.

Shawn has gained nationwide attention through his involvement with the National Trumpet Competition, where he was a finalist in 2011, 2015 and 2016 and received third place in both 2015 and 2016. In 2012 and 2013, Shawn held the jazz trumpet chair in the Glenn Miller Orchestra of which he travelled to forty-seven states, Japan and Portugal. In January 2013, Shawn played on the orchestra’s latest record In the Mood. Additionally, Shawn has travelled to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands as a trumpeter for Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Shawn holds a B.M in Jazz Studies from California State University, Northridge (2009), an M.M in Jazz & Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music (2011) and an M.A in Teaching from Santa Clara University (2016). Shawn is expected to complete his Doctor of Arts degree in Jazz Performance/Composition from the University of Northern Colorado in December 2020. His doctoral dissertation Three in One: The Style, Structure, and Sound of Thad Jones as a Jazz Trumpeter, gives focus to the analysis of Thad Jones’ improvisation and composition style.