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Todd Collins performs mainly in the northeastern United States, with forays as far as New Mexico, Maine, Scotland, and England. He performs in a variety of settings ranging from traditional and progressive bluegrass to swing (Blueswing Trio), contemporary jazz, acoustic blues (The Booglerizers), rock (The Humphries), and classical (John Skehan). He has performed with some of the most gifted acoustic musicians on the planet, including legendary fiddlers Vassar Clements and Kenny Kosek, banjo guru Bill Keith, Peter Rowan, banjoist Tom Hanway and Butch Baldassari's Nashville Mandolin Trio. Todd collaborated with former David Grisman arranger/guitarist John Carlini to form an eclectic acoustic band, Over the Edge. They covered the gamut of musical styles by fusing together traditional bluegrass with jazz, classical, and world music. Their CD received wide recognition and airplay across America. His current traditional bluegrass recording, "Blue Soul", is also receiving national and international airplay. A new release of classical mandolin duets with John Skehan of Railroad Earth is now available along with "Blue Soul" at; www.cdbaby.com/cd/skehancollins.
Collins' recording credits include film and television, along with recording session work on many CD's. He played mandolin for the Disney film soundtrack "Tom and Huck" and a Polaroid commercial. Collins is also a producer who is in demand mainly in acoustic music and jazz, with commercially released recordings by Over the Edge, The Lost Ramblers, banjoist Terry McGill, singer/songwriter Tom Nieman and his own "Blue Soul" and "Mandolin Duets of Emanuele Barbella" CD's.
Todd has been teaching private lessons on mandolin and guitar for over twenty years developing a comprehensive approach. Depending on the student, lessons can include fretboard study, solo construction, improvisational concepts, harmony, sight reading, solo analysis and developing repertoire.
Todd is an assistant professor and the coordinator of the Music Technology program at County College of Morris (CCM) located in Randolph, New Jersey. At CCM he has assembled and conducted numerous workshops, seminars, and concerts including the annual event in April, "Day of Bluegrass". He also gives workshops for guitar and mandolin in the States and abroad. Todd was the mandolin instructor for the "Bluegrass Masters Workshops" at the popular Big Apple Bluegrass Festival in New York City. His first book of Bill Monroe transcriptions titled "Monroe Instrumentals", is a "best seller" for Mel Bay Publishing and his second book, "Classic Bluegrass Solos (Bill Monroe)", has also been released by Mel Bay Publishing. His third book, "Absolute Beginners Mandolin" has been released by Amsco Publishing.
Collins has been commissioned to compose works for modern dance companies in the New York/New Jersey area, including Beyond Dance, Inc., the Montclair State University Dance Department, and the County College of Morris Dance Department.
Todd Collins earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Music from Montclair State University.
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