Musician – Professor – Social Commentator
Musician:
Dr. Shawn ‘Thunder’ Wallace is a versatile performer, recording artist, composer, clinician and arranger, skilled in jazz music and equally comfortable with classical, contemporary Christian and gospel music. He has been seen and heard nationally on CBS, BET, NBC and NPR. In addition to receiving recognition from many newspapers and publications including Billboard and Contemporary Christian Music Magazine, he is a winner of Downbeat magazine’s Outstanding Soloist award. He has released eight CDs, is a multi-instrumentalist (saxophone, flute, clarinet, piano, bass, and guitar), and is the leader of Doctor Thunder Quartet (Live Streamed Concerts 2nd Thursdays @ 7pm).
Professor:
Dr. Wallace is the director of Jazz Studies and associate professor of jazz saxophone at The Ohio State University. He is also the minister of music and worship arts at Second Baptist Church. At Ohio State, he leads The Ohio Jaztet (jazz faculty group), The Ohio Show Band (commercial music ensemble) and The University Jazz Ensemble (Ohio State’s top big band). Dr. Wallace is a Vandoren Artist and endorses Gary Sugal Mouthpieces and Gemeinhardt musical instruments.
Thunder appeared in the 2017 movie Miles Ahead and has authored two books; How to Improvise over Chord Changes (Hal Leonard, 2018) and Hot Licks: 365 Transcribed Licks for Treble Clef and Bass Clef (self published e-book, 2020). A 2nd e-book is in the works which will present over 50 jazz etudes written over the chord changes to selected jazz standards. He recently released his first classical album (Doctor Thunder Plays the Commissioned Works of Marcel Mule, 2020). Dr. Wallace tours frequently with The Count Basie Orchestra and also regularly performs with The Columbus Jazz Orchestra.
Social Commentator:
Doctor Thunder has a podcast/ interview series on YouTube (Conversations with Doctor Thunder) with over 113 episodes (Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Victor Wooten, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and growing and a weekly live stream (Thunder’s Thoughts). He is very active on social media (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Tumblr, SoundCloud) and has a bi-weekly program with TK Coleman (Thunder & TK). Thunder also has a monthly program with Ike Ogiamien (Getting $h1t Done) which streams live on Ike’s YouTube and Facebook page.
For more information visit his website, www.doctorthundermusic.com.