About Tom Tallitsch

Tom Tallitsch is a Saxophonist, Origin Records Recording Artist, Composer, Music Educator, and Jazz Radio Host, and currently lives in Hamilton, NJ. He is also an accomplished pianist, clarinetist, and flutist. Since his arrival in 1996 from the Midwest, he has established himself as a major player on the jazz scene in Philadelphia and New York, maintaining a rigorous performance schedule. Tom has played and recorded with many of the area's top musicians and has 3 albums to his name on ‘Jazzweek Magazine’s Best Jazz Label of 2009’, Origin Records. His ensembles have regularly performed at such jazz clubs and festivals as Ortliebs Jazz Haus, Smalls, Chris’ Jazz Café, Zanzibar Blue, Tritone, Mellon Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Baltimore Music Festival, Trenton Jazz Festival and many more.

The self release album Duality (11/05) marked Tom’s debut as a recorded leader, and features guitarist Dave Manley in an intimate duo setting. It received fantastic critical reviews and is on jazz play lists throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States. He has performed live broadcasts and interviews on Philadelphia’s WRTI Temple public radio.

Tom's second album 'Medicine Man' was released 2/19/08 on the Seattle based Jazz Label Origin/OA2 Records, featuring Philadelphia musicians, Tony Miceli (vibraphone), Victor Baker (guitar) , Paul Gehman (bass) , and Dan Monaghan (drums). It has received critical acclaim and is on radio playlists throughout the United States and abroad. During Medicine Man's first month after it's release, it rose up the Jazz Week Radio Charts from to #107 in the United States. It is currently on radio and internet playlists throughout the world. On December 2nd, 2008 Tom's composition 'Yellow' from 'Medicine Man' was featured at the 2008 IFP Gotham Film Awards in NYC.

His third album 'Perspective' was released with Origin/OA2 Records (2009 JazzWeek Label Of The Year), on November 17th, 2009. It features Philadelphia greats, John Stenger - Piano, Paul Gehman - Acoustic Bass, Victor Baker - Guitar, Justin Leigh - Drums, and Tom - Soprano and Tenor Saxophones. Like his previous two albums, it explores his own compositions.

In addition to having his compositions and arrangements played by vocalists and musicians throughout Philadelphia, Tom has had his works performed by individual dancers from the Martha Graham Dance Company at various choreographer showcase venues.

Tom owns a highly recommended music tutoring business in Princeton, NJ and is a popular jazz educator and clinician. He is the founding director of the Central NJ Homeschool Bands, works as a piano tutor to students with autism at The Princeton Child Development Institute, and was a member of the artist faculty at Mercer County Community College from 1999-2006. He has taught at The Westminster Conservatory, Philadelphia Clef Club, Creative Music Studios, The Groove Academy, and many more. He is a gifted music educator who has given lectures and clinics at many top high schools including The Lawrenceville School and The Pennington School, and has had students continue on to pursue professional careers at conservatories throughout the country.

During the spring of 2009 Tom organized a non-profit arts organization called 'Living Arts Outreach, Inc.' This organization is committed to creating charitable fund raisers, educational programs, arts awareness events, performance opportunities, and community outreach programs for performing artists; including musicians, dancers and visual artists. More information about Living Arts Outreach events will be posted in the coming months.

He hosts his own jazz radio show titled "The Modern Jazz Radio Show" on the Mercer County Jazz Station WWFM Jazzon2 89.1 HD2. The show features Tom's own personal jazz picks and commentary, and airs every Thursday evening from 8:00 to 10:00 pm.

Tom is originally from Cleveland, Ohio where he began his musical training on the piano, clarinet and saxophone. He has a Bachelors of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM), and has participated in clinics with Joe Henderson and Chris Potter. He has studied with saxophonists Rick VanMatre, Ernie Krivda, Mike Lee, Ben Schachter, Seamus Blake, and pianist Phil DeGreg.

Tom Tallitsch joined the JazzTimes community on Jun 05, 2010