JIM TOMLINSON AND KAZUO ISHIGURO’S SONG, "THE ICE HOTEL" HAS WON FIRST PLACE IN THE JAZZ CATEGORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION. WWW.SONGWRITINGCOMPETITION.COM.
Influences
Stan Getz, Lester Young, Warne Marsh, Paul Desmond, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ravel, Joni Mitchell, Duke Ellington
Sounds Like
I get a lot of emails asking about my set up.
Here's what I play right now. SELMER REFERENCE 54 TENOR
V16 VANDOREN MOUTHPIECE CUSTOMISED BY JEAN-PAUL GAUVIN
REEDS - VANDOREN 2.5 or 3 or RICO ROYAL 3 (or thereabouts)
Perhaps best known for his work as the compelling counter-voice to singer and wife, Stacey Kent, Jim Tomlinson is increasingly recognised as a distinctive saxophone voice in his own right. The release of his debut album as leader, Only Trust Your Heart (Candid 2000), was greeted with enthusiastic and universal acclaim. His follow up CD, Brazilian Sketches (2003), was named Jazz CD Of The Week by the Observer newspaper in the UK.
Tomlinson did not study music formally until well into his 20s. He played saxophone and ran a band as a hobby whilst studying for his degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at University College, Oxford. It was only after graduating and finding himself drawn to London’s jazz scene that he enrolled at the Guildhall School Of Music in 1990. It was at the Guildhall that his musical and romantic relationship with Stacey blossomed.
Since then, Tomlinson has worked in a wide variety of groups, from Brian Ferry to experimental big band composer, Michael Garrick. His own quartet has appeared at clubs and festivals across Europe. Most recently, he has toured almost exclusively with Stacey in Europe, USA and the Far East, reserving time to perform in a quintet dedicated to the music of Lester Young with fellow saxophonist and Guildhall graduate, Mark Crooks.
When not performing, Jim shares his passion for skiing with Stacey, asport at which they both excel. Only touring commitments in March 2006 and 2007 prevented them from racing in the Nastar US Championships for which they both qualified in consecutive seasons.
Tomlinson’s latest CD, The Lyric (2005) features Stacey Kent extensively and is the first release on his own record label, Token. The album recently hit the charts in Poland, France, Spain, Hong Kong and the UK. The Lyric also won ‘Album of the Year ‘ at the 2006 BBC Jazz Awards.
Most recently, Jim has produced Stacey’s new Blue Note album, Breakfast On The Morning Tram, for which he has written four new songs with author Kazuo Ishiguro, one of which, The Ice Hotel, won first prize in the jazz category of the International Songwriting Competition.
Thanks so much for accepting my friend request. For me, you have the most gorgeous tone of any living tenor player ... or, at least, of any that I've ever heard.
Thank you Jim for adding me ! I love your music and am a real fan :) Was in birmingham, Francheville and Lyon Vert ! Please go on with the best, and why not trying Cheerokee ??? Greetings from France, Phil
Hi Jim! Your interview on aligre FM was really interesting! The subject of the jazz'evolution in the label blue note and the place of the lyrics in the new album, the place of the improvisation and the listening of the musicians... I liked your comments and the intelligence of your ideas. Thanks for this sweet moment! :)
