Teacher Profile: Jeff Shirley

About Jeff Shirley

Originally from Liberty, Missouri, Jeff Shirley has dedicated his life to music as a means of discovery, expression, and connection. He began piano at age 7 before taking up the guitar at 13, first drawn to fingerstyle guitar and later inspired by artists ranging from Steve Vai to Pat Metheny. His love of jazz developed early, perhaps fittingly, since his first word was “Bird.”

Jeff is a guitarist, composer, bandleader, recording artist, and teacher based in Kansas City. He began his formal studies at Central Missouri State University, where he studied with trumpeter and arranger David Aaberg, and later graduated with a degree in jazz performance from the University of North Texas, one of the country’s most respected jazz programs.

As a performer, Jeff has become an active voice in Kansas City’s jazz community, known for blending tradition with modern harmony, improvisation, and original composition. He has performed extensively at venues including Green Lady Lounge and Black Dolphin and has worked with artists such as Jenna Bauer, Tate Berry, Kelley Gant, Max Levy, and Baby J. In 2021 and 2023, JAM Magazine readers nominated him as one of Kansas City’s top four jazz guitarists.

Jeff’s recordings reflect a wide creative range. His 2018 release Point of the Story explored modern acoustic quartet writing with Bob Bowman and Roger Wilder. Blue Gold, released in 2022, expanded his sonic palette through electric and acoustic guitar, fretless bass, guitar synthesizer, sitar, lap steel, and 12-string guitar. His 2024 albums Contigo and Modes of Nature continued his evolution as a composer and bandleader, and his music has also appeared in the nationally distributed feature film The People’s Joker.

In 2025, Jeff released Trio Live at Green Lady Lounge, his first live album, documenting the energy of his original trio music in one of Kansas City’s most iconic jazz rooms. He has continued to release new music, including Periharp and The Limits of the Sky, featuring Jenna Bauer, while developing new works such as Starway, Perfectionist, and Tides.

Teaching is also central to Jeff’s musical life. He enjoys helping students develop real musical confidence, creativity, rhythm, and self-expression, whether they are beginners or more advanced players. For Jeff, music is not only a craft, but a doorway into deeper listening, lifelong learning, and creative freedom.

Jeff’s work has been reviewed by outlets including Plastic Sax, and he has appeared on Joe Dimino’s Neon Jazz podcast as well as Jazz Afternoon with the Jazz Canadian on Kansas City’s 90.1 FM KKFI with Brad Gregory.

He is currently working on his next album, continuing to explore the meeting place between jazz, composition, improvisation, and personal expression.