BATH — What began as just another jam session for Henry Raker and Shawn Russell blossomed into a new duo: Melon Shades.

Based mostly around prompted improvisation, Melon Shades dives through space, genres and time, leading listeners to a unique musical experience never heard before and never to be heard again.

According to acloserlisten.com: “Guitar, sax and clarinet make their homes on the jazzy, finger-snapping Melon Shades, a self-titled release from Shawn Russell and Henry Raker; a mouse eats cantaloupe on the cover, and the music is similarly playful.” 

Both from Maine, Russell and Raker have been playing music together in a separate band, The Astral Pines, for two years now, and they both felt that it was time to see what they could come up with as a duo, leading to their debut album.

Russell lives and plays around Maine in venues like Blue in Portland. Raker splits his time between New York and Maine, and he has played in venues like The Bitter End and The Bowery Electric and has worked with musicians like Darius Jones and Meaner Pencil.

Melon Shades is Russell on guitar and Raker on clarinet and saxophone.

For more information about the band or their new album, email melonshadesband@gmail.com or henryrakermusic@gmail.com, or call/text Henry at 207-440-3435.

Maine musicians Shawn Russell and Henry Raker have formed the duo Melon Shades, and are releasing their first album of the same name.

Henry Raker, left, and Shawn Russell are the Maine-based band Melon Shades.

Maine-based musical duo Melon Shades’ premiere, self-titled album is set to officially release on Jan. 11 across all major streaming platforms, but it is publicly available to preorder on iTunes and bandcamp.com.

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