[1] During the 1980s, she performed in clubs in Seattle as a folk singer, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar.
[1] Although she had been working as a folk singer in clubs, she bought a method book to learn a few jazz standards.
[5] Mapleshade released Shank's debut album Afterglow on which she sang and played guitar.
[6] She met Frank Kimbrough through Horn, and he became a member of her quartet which recorded A Spirit Free (Challenge, 2007), a tribute to her mentor and friend Abbey Lincoln.
[3] She has also recorded with Gary Bartz, Peter Leitch, Ben Monder, John Stowell, and Larry Willis.