Born in London in 1967, Tom Bancroft is a drummer and composer. He began drumming aged 7 and started off playing jazz with his father and identical twin sax playing brother Phil, singing sister Sophie, other siblings Rolf, Kurt, Liesl, Brigitta and Gretl, and parents Anne Bancroft and Mel Brooks. (some of the last bit isn't true). After studying medicine at Cambridge University he spent a year studying composition and arranging at McGill University in Montreal. Qualifying as a doctor in 1992 he then worked primarily as a musician and composer because he couldn't break away from the security and steady income of jazz, but dabbled occasionally to locum work as a hospital doctor in a vain attempt to score drugs and meet women wearing uniforms and...er....pretend like he was on ER (or more realistically- er?). This kind of went on until 1998, when he like most drummers he began to crave some control over his (and other people's) destiny and so began starting music related businesses....like Caber Music (see www.cabermusic.com)...He is married to singer Gina Rae and has two children - Sam and Sophie. In 2004 he received the prestigious Creative Scotland Award. He now runs ABC Creative Music (see www.applebananacarrot.com)
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As a drummer he has studied with Jo Morello, Joey Barron and Andrew Cyrille and played with many great musicians including Sun Ra, Joakim Milder, Charlie Mariano, Hamiett Bluiett, Lianne Carroll, Oliver Lake, George Colligan, David Berkman,Tommy Smith, Julian Argüelles, Emil Vicklicky, Martin Taylor, Sheila Jordan, Shooglenifty, Karen Mathieson, Reid Anderson, Mick McGoldrick, Billy Jenkins, Geri Allen, Mr McFalls Chamber, ARFI, and Martyn Bennett.
Orchestro Interrupto also features great musicians like:
Eddie Severn (lead trumpet), Claude Deppa, Colin Steele, Laura MacDonald, Phil Bancroft, John Telfer, Joost Buis, Patrick Charbonnier, Lorna MacDonald, Mischa Kool, Chick Lyall, Kevin MacKenzie.
In the past it has featured a whole range of great musicians including:
Brian Kellock, John Rae, Kenny Ellis, Paul Jayasinha, Rick Taylor, Karen Wimhurst, Jorrit Dykstra, Martyn Bennett, Charlie MacKerron, Mick Marra, Sophie Bancroft, Oren Marshall, Lindsay Cooper.
Influences
Duke Ellington, Prince, Carla Bley, Henry Threadgill, David Murray, Jeff Buckley, Charles Mingus, Keith Jarrett, Jelly Roll Morton, Geri Allen, Bill Frisell, Aphex Twin........loads more
Record Label
Interrupto Music
Type of Label
Indie
Tom Bancroft Orchestro Interrupto & Kidsamonium's Latest Blog Entry
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Kidsamonium is a fun, magical
musical event aimed at 6 to 14 year olds with a view to letting kids see the
exciting power and freedom of jazz & improvised music up close in a format they
can digest. Short contributions by a range of artists (including a join-in mass
'Percussion Discussion') combine with performances and interactive musical games
by a crack(pot) troupe of musical characters including the mysterious Trombone
playing 'Chickens in the Sky', the madcap 'Aviator' Billy Jenkins, the ‘Big
Tuba Kid’ Oren Marshall, the Princess Laura MacDonald, the ‘Boost’ Joost Buis
from Holland, ‘Monsieur Parp’ Patrick Charboonier from rance, and Judge Claude
Deppa from South Africa. It is all led by Tom Bancroft ‘the King’.
4 Star review in The Times 19-3-07
Alyn Shipton
" Kidsamonium” ensured that the centre was
packed with excited youthful audiences early in the morning, many of whom stayed
on for the free concerts that followed. Dressed as an outsize Elvis, Bancroft
has a sense of spectacle. The guitarist Billy Jenkins flew across the auditorium
on wires, then the band burst into the foyer pursued by a brass ensemble of
giant chickens, only to continue back inside with the whole crowd playing along
on give-away kazoos. On the concourse, Bancroft placed coloured discs on the
floor. When anyone set foot on them, a brass band on an upper level played a
chord. Branford Marsalis and Andy Sheppard were among the high profile disc-hoppers,
jumping from colour to colour, and improvising to the chords from above. The
result? Plenty of delighted shrieks and laughs from dozens of under12s, many
of whom were hearing live music for the first time."
Orchestro Interrupto:
Once called the Tom Bancroft
Orchestra this band is so called because it has been working together intermittently
since 1990, features the cream of the scottish jazz scene as well as some musically
charismatic interlopers from elsewhere. It doesnt play together so often but
when it does it tends to be an event. New studio album coming out in 2007 featuring Chick Lyall on piano!!
See review of last tour in blog
Tom Bancroft Orchestro Interrupto & Kidsamonium's Friend Space (Top 8)
Tom Bancroft Orchestro Interrupto & Kidsamonium has 476 friends.
Hi Tom Hope you're well. Looks like you're busy. Check this out if you're in town tonight. (She's got proper kit drum this time - Will Molleson (presume that's the bit you're interested in :-) )
I thought you might like to know that, according to a recent survey, I am considered by all of the people who know me to be a top friend. The survey was, of course, carried out by myself but nonetheless, when I asked them what kind of friend they thought I was, they both replied "top". Point proven I think you'll agree.
However, I haven't failed to notice that you haven't illustrated this fact on your myspace page. I trust this is merely an oversight on your part, and look forward to seeing your rectification soon.
Hiya Tom! Great hearing your music again, as always! My top five songs through all times is Cat n Mouse- Oooh, pumped up at full volume still isn't loud enough! Hope you're doing fine and please say hi to Phil for me. Now was it you or Phil who had me pretending to a poor, eager musican that I was an editor for some hot music mag? Was remembering that a while ago- think I may have meet him again in the next life and pay the karma off. You better be there to hold my hand! Keep well and sending a big hug. x
woooow you aint even gunna believe this...i completed this offer to receive a Coach handbag and wallet 100% FREE & it truly came!! since i KNOW its no joke now, i'm gunna act real fast and get more to give to people as a gift..you ought to go get some too LMFAO! isnt the one i received neat?
Just a wee note to say that we're doing a comparitively 'intimate' gig in Edinburgh on Sunday, along with our friends Jacob's Pillow. It's a full-on prog folk double bill!
Tickets available from Ripping Records (South Bridge)...
