Biography
Tom’s versatility and creativity as a pianist establishes him as one of the most exciting, up and coming players in the UK. Tom’s style brings originality while still being firmly rooted in the Swing tradition. Tom has played with many of the UK's finest Jazz artists including Tina May, Zoe Francis, Jim Mullen, Mike Walker, Dennis Rollins, Andy Cleyndert, Alec Dankworth, Karen Sharpe, Alan Barnes, Enrico Tomasso, Simon Spillett, Allison Neale, Quentin Collins, to name a few. Growing up, Tom was always exposed to the sounds of Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner and Nat King Cole to name a few. He started playing the piano at the age of 5 and after completing his Classical studies he then decided to concentrate fully on Jazz. He studied at Leeds College of Music and graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Jazz Performance, receiving the Jazz Conservatoire Prize. Here he gained valuable playing experience and studied with some of the UK’s best players and teachers.
Tom also had the privilege of studying with David Newton (voted best UK Jazz Pianist 13 times in a row by the British Jazz Awards) and LA based pianist, Tamir Hendelman, (Tamir Hendelman Trio, Jeff Hamilton Trio). Now based in Bristol, Tom continues to play regularly across the UK. Tom was invited to perform at the prestigious Steinway Hall Concert in London in 2013, an event which showcased the achievement of Jazz students from Leeds College of Music. He was also involved in a BBC broadcast of ‘Songs of Praise’, providing accompaniment for the choir in the house band. Tom has worked alongside many top UK Jazz artists including Alec Dankworth at Cleo Lane’s Wavedon Festival, Mike Walker and Ian Dixon in a concert of Mike’s ‘Madhouse’ Album.
Now at the age of 27, Tom enjoys teaching and working with other creative musicians to discover new music and fresh approaches to Improvisation. Tom leads his own trio with Chris Jones on Bass and Mark Whitlam on Drums, 'Push It!' (Free to Download!), the trio's debut recording features a mixture of original compositions and a fresh take on some old classic Jazz Standards.
