Born in Denver, Colorado, Shamie Royston is a pianist, composer and educator. The New York Times states: “She is a rhythmic vanguardist...who channels Kenny Kirkland, Geri Allen, Ahmad Jamal and McCoy Tyner.” Her exquisite style of piano playing is a combination of traditional and contemporary sounds, which embodies a deep-rooted and soulful spirit. Shamie has been a steady member of Grammy nominated Tia Fuller Quartet, and has performed and recorded with many other great artists such as: Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Allison Miller, Sean Jones, and many others. With her fiery, yet soulful piano playing, she has toured Europe and the United States having performed in many of the top jazz venues and festivals in the world such as: North Sea Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Bogota, to name a few.

Shamie has also been commissioned to compose and arrange works for Grammy-Winning vocalist Dianne Reeves, Allison Miller and Grammy nominated Tia Fuller, as well as other prominent musicians. In October 2022, Shamie was recently awarded a fellowship from the Berklee College of Music Jazz, Gender and Justice to do a 2 week long residency at the UCROSS Foundation, where highly acclaimed artist of all forms come to work on their craft. She is the first recipient to receive this from the Berklee College of Music. Shamie also wrote a song on the 2023 Grammy Award Winning album, The New Standard by Terri Lyne Carrington.

At the prestigious Berklee School of Music, Shamie held a full-time a professorship in the Jazz Composition Department. It was here, where she co-directed ensembles with Terence Blanchard, taught jazz composition and jazz arranging classes. Shamie is also on faculty with the prestigious Carnegie Hall NYO Jazz summer program for young musicians who audition from all 50 states held under the direction of Sean Jones and was also on faculty with the New Jersey Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Program for over 3yrs. Shamie continues to conduct, adjudicate and clinic bands from middle and high school through college level bands, and she is deemed celebrated as a Master Educator.

Shamie will forever be a leading force in music, and music education, and always on the precipice of innovation while remaining a preeminent voice in the jazz world.