Rees Shad is a singer/songwriter, record producer, and educator who has spent the last 30 years crafting music that is both poignant and profound. His music jumps genres blending blues, country, folk, rock, and jazz into a unique blend which audiences become deeply and meaningfully engaged with. His album Porcelain Angel (2025) was celebrated by DJs and Journalists alike for “pushing the boundaries of musical storytelling” (Rogovoy Report). An essential element in articulating Shad’s musical vision, The Conversations are drummer Bobby Kay, bassist Jeff Link, and saxophonist Marcus Benoit. Bobby Kay has recorded with jazz pianist Cole Broderick and toured with the like of R&B singer Ellen Macilwaine, Kay began his musical tête-à-tête with Shad twenty-five years ago recording and touring half a dozen of Shad’s unique Americana accented albums. Kay’s life in rhythm began when as a child he’d entertain his family playing along to drum breaks on old 45’s using pencils as sticks on his first drum kit—a “hideous” lime green Naugahyde ottoman. A former Berklee faculty member, Jeff Link joined the discourse three years ago after spending two decades honing his musical fluency as a pit musician on Broadway and touring with rock luminaries such as Robben Ford and Albert Cummings. Link’s first concert performance was at 8 years old, and music has been (and always will be) his animating muse. Whenever the opportunity arises, Link, Kay, and Shad are joined by Benoit who dedicated 5 years as a bandsman in the USAF touring the world in support of air force public relations and recruiting (he even played at a presidential inauguration!), before moving to the Capitol region working with area hero’s such as Cole Broderick with whom he not only played but composed music for 4 of the pianist’s albums.