Tenor Sax
Started in 1998
Musical Background: Played in high school bands and in the Erie Community College Jazz Ensemble
Favorite Musicians: Sonny Rollins, Ben Webster, Houston Person
Favorite Music: Blues featuring great tenor or bari sax players
Wishes he could play like: Sonny Rollins
Family: Wife Eileen, Children Charlene, Elizabeth, Melissa, Amanda
School: Alden High School, Erie Community College - AAS in Chemistry, RIT - B.S. in Chemistry
Vocation: Organic Chemist at Eastman Kodak since 1980
Hobbies/Interests: Playing saxophone, learning clarinet and flute, woodworking, raising guide dog puppies.
Why the Greece Jazz Band? Tom found out about the Greece Jazz Band from a newspaper article featuring a performance at the Greece Summerfest. He contacted Chuck, came to a rehearsal, and has been playing ever since. He joined to once again enjoy the music like he did in high school. He keeps coming back due to the challenging charts, serious efforts, and socialization. For Tom, the best part of the band is the encouragement to improve. He knows that he has improved musically since joining the band, and hopes to continue in that direction through the environment created by the band. His favorite performance is the annual Wegmans Concert by the Shore in July/August, where we get our largest crowd.
Interesting Facts/Stories: Tom is on the band Executive Committee, and built our fantastic stands for the saxes and trombones! All of his children play woodwinds. Charlene just made the RYPO on oboe. Elizabeth is a fine clarinetist, Melissa joins the band on baritone sax from time to time, and Amanda shares her flute with me. The family is their own woodwind quintet! Tom has an old Selmer Varitone Tenor and is working on restoring the emp/effects back to working order. He would like to use it on day for a performance. Eddie Harris and Rusty Bryant both featured the unique Varitone.