

Shades and Degrees: A Journey of Conscious Creativity
“Some believe that divine intervention provides the inspiration needed to change our world. Others see it as a connection to a global or even universal consciousness. While I can’t say which is true, my life has certainly been shaped by a series of random occurrences and coincidences that have led me to where I am today.”
Randy Zahara
Shades and Degrees is more than just a band; it’s a manifestation of a creative partnership built on decades of musical exploration, emotional honesty, and a search for deeper meaning. Co-founded by Randy Zahara and Jim Shaw, the group brings together years of songwriting experience with an openness to tapping into the mysteries of the creative process itself.
Jim can still recall hearing songs on the radio that, as a young child, he should have been too young to remember. When the Beatles took over the musical landscape in the 60’s, he was captivated by their music. He wasn’t just listening to their songs, but feeling something deeper, and was already aware of the song structures, the melodies, the harmonies, and little subtleties in the arrangements. Soon he was experiencing all music that way and hearing things that he really didn’t understand or should have understood. Jim knew that he had discovered something incredible, although at that point he wasn’t aware of how profoundly it would affect his life.
Randy, the youngest of three children in a working-class family, grew up surrounded by music. His artistic sister introduced him to icons like Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, and Janis Joplin, while his athletic brother’s taste for bands like CCR, Pink Floyd, and Deep Purple helped shape his early influences. His own path in music began with a love for poetry, nurtured by supportive English teachers, and blossomed into songwriting after reconnecting with a childhood friend who invited him to write lyrics for a regional band.
But it wasn’t until Randy connected with Jim, who had become an incredibly insightful and talented composer from Truro, Nova Scotia, that a lasting musical collaboration took root. Meeting through the early days of the internet on a site called The Muses Muse, Shaw and Zahara began a prolific partnership that has spanned more than 200 songs. What sets their work apart is not just the volume, but the deep mutual respect and creative freedom they give each other, allowing for an exploration of life’s most intimate and profound experiences.
Their latest album, Enlighten Me, is the culmination of these decades of creativity. Crafted with some of Canada's top musicians and vocalists, the album blends roots, blues, rock, pop, and country into a thoughtful reflection on the human condition. Songs like "Starlight", a ballad adapted from a poem Randy wrote for his wife on the night of their engagement, and "I Never Thought You Would", a raw expression of grief following the suicide of a close friend, reveal the emotional depth at the core of their songwriting.
Enlighten Me also delves into broader philosophical territory. The title track, inspired by 18th-century philosopher Immanuel Kant, reflects on the challenges of achieving self-awareness in a society that often discourages deep reflection. Similarly, the song "Hope", which echoes themes from Emily Dickinson’s famous poem “Hope is a Thing with Feathers”, was written as an anthem of optimism during difficult times, a reminder that even in moments of darkness, hope can take flight.
The creative process behind these songs is both intuitive and enigmatic. Some tracks felt like they were channeled from an unseen force, as though Shaw and Zahara were conduits for a universal consciousness, capturing the emotions and energies of a world in flux. This openness to external influences—whether divine, universal, or subconscious—gives Shades and Degrees a unique voice in the world of adult contemporary music.
Now that both Shaw and Zahara are retired from their previous careers, they’ve been able to focus fully on their musical endeavors, pulling together a talented studio team for the recording of Enlighten Me. The flexibility of this team, with different musicians and vocalists featured on different tracks, allows the album to flow naturally across genres and themes.
The band’s name, Shades and Degrees, reflects their creative ethos—capturing the complexity of human experience in all its variations. Their music explores the shades of emotion, the degrees of consciousness, and the layers of meaning that define our lives.
As Randy and Jim look to the future, they are excited to continue sharing their music with the world. Enlighten Me stands as a testament to their journey so far, a multidimensional exploration of life, love, and everything in between. Whether listened to for its poetic lyrics or its beautiful compositions, the album speaks to the heart of what it means to be human.