Early influences were Spike Jones and his City Slickers, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Cozy Cole, Sandy Nelson, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, James Brown. Seeing Ray Charles at 9 years of age opened my eyes to performing on stage. My grade school band instructor, Claude Smith played Basie and Ellington and Neil Hefti records for me. Then I got into congas and percussion more by listening to Mongo Santamaria, Ray Barreto, Carlos Santana, and Cal Tjader. A local St.Louis drummer, Phil Hulsey helped me get more into the percussion thing also. I used to go see him play at a club in St.Louis when my mom had to go with me to get me in..There I met my real mentor. A St. Louis conga player in the Ray Barreto style..my brother now for over 40 years, Rich Tokatz...he still "kills" when he plays even at 71.
My musical heroes are first and foremost Hal Blaine...I read an article on him in Downbeat in 1965 and it was the first time I heard the words "studio musician"....I thought to myself that playing on other people's records was what I wanted to do....Ralph McDonald...the master of taste, time , and feel..If I've ever tried to emulate anyone ...it would be Ralph..the master...and now a "Parrothead" ...Peter Gabriel...the most influential person I know in getting "World Music" to be heard.. someone I would truly like to meet one day....Drummers...Jim Keltner because he just doesn't play like anyone else and he has never repeated a drumfill in his whole career...Roger Hawkins....he taught me how to play in a studio environment and I consider him to be another "brother" to me. Roger taught me that sometimes knowing what and when not to play is just as important as knowing what and when to play ...do your self a favor and Google Roger Hawkins...and just sit back and read. Jeff Porcaro, Larry Londin, Eddie Bayers, Russ Kunkel, Steve Gadd of course and my dear departed friend Carlos Vega...I miss him...all of these are or were masters of time and feel also...I guess those two elements in drumming are primary for me...flash, chops, speed.....keep it...allowing a percussionist to add to the mix and letting everyones egos go away is what it's all about for me.
I admire Lenny Castro for his heart and feel...Mr. Pocket... Luis Conte....what can anyone say about Luiz but he is Awesome! Michito Sanchez...fire in his playing and strong.. and Walfredo Reyes Sr. and Jr....both are bad asses...and the late "Chino Pozo".. I had the extreme pleasure of sitting next to him for 4 years on Paul Anka's gig... a real gentleman and my favorite "bongocera"...he looks down on me all the time at my home..God Bless You Chino..that about covers it for my likes and influences..I've left a few out but I respect a lot of players...too many to mention all here...
Tom grew up in the St.Louis area and still loves to visit with old friends there on occasion. He played with Phil Driscoll in 1972-73 and through that connection met Charlie Chalmers, an original member of the Memphis Horns. Tom started doing recording at this time in Memphis and eventually Charlie suggested moving to Muscle Shoals to get more work...there he worked at the Fame recording studios working with artists like Mac Davis,Tom Jones,Candi Staton, and Paul Anka...then he was befriended by the the guys at Muscle Shoals Sound...through their efforts he got to record with a vast array of different artists form Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel to Mavis and Pops Staples to The Sanford Townsend Band...He had the joyous pleasure of working with Jerry Wexler on many different artists projects through the years...working with Jerry is still a personal and professional highlight for him.
In 1978 he moved to Los Angeles while working on the road with Paul Anka. While living in L.A. he was in Don Randi and Quest , the house band at the Baked Potato in North Hollywood and still considers it one of the most fun gigs he ever has done. He also worked with The Fifth Dimension for about a year while living in Los Angeles.
Tom has been a studio percussionist primarily for 34 years and for the last 25 years has resided in Nashville. He has a home studio, Big Bang Theory Studio and does quite a bit of recording out of there.. He is currently co-producing a young new artist, John Colombo, a young man with a very bright future.
Tom has toured with many artists like James Taylor, John Denver Ricky Skaggs , The Fifth Dimension and Paul Anka. He has played on numerous R&B, Folk, Bluegrass, Jazz, Rock, and Country multi-platinum recordings, many of which have been nominated and won Grammy Awards,CMA Awards,and ACM Awards. The list of artists he has worked with is long and impressive.
R&B artists such as Percy Sledge,Wilson Pickett, Mavis Staples,Pop Staples, Clarence Carter, Millie Jackson, Bobby Womack, Etta James, Delbert McClinton, Johnny Taylor, Don Covay, and Shemekia Copeland
Rock and Pop acts such as Michael McDonald, Andy Gibb, The Sanford /Townsend Band, Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Pure Prairie League, Dr. Hook, Roy Orbison, Emmylou Harris, Bob Seger, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Kim Carnes, The Freddy Jones Band, Mac McAnally, Joan Baez, The Iguanas, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steve Forbert, Paul Anka, Tom Jones, Donovan, Etc.
Bluegrass and Americana artists like Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, New Grass Revival, The Grascals, Rhonda Vincent, Maura O'Conell, Sally Fingerett, Kathy Mattea, Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, Robert Lee Castleman, Ronnie Bowman, Mark Elliot, Kim McKlean, and Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time
And Country acts : The Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, Kenny Chesney, Alabama, Brooks and Dunn,Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Ledoux, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Sara Evans, Tom T. Hall, Randy Travis,Trick Pony, Reba McEntire, Pam Tillis, Tanya Tucker, Hank Williams Jr., Dan SealsSuzy Bogguss, K.T.Oslin, Kenny Rogers, Lee Ann Womack, Chely Wright, Clay Walker, T.Graham Brown, Mark Chestnut, Randy Scruggs, Tracy Byrd, Bryan White, Steve Wariner ,Jo Dee Messina, Lonestar, Ricochet and Lee RoyParnell
Tom has been very blessed to have played on many Christian /Gospel projects..Phil Driscoll, The Issacs, Russ Taff, Mark Lowry, and his good friend Will McFarlane
In December of 2006 he played shows in London with the David Gest's All-Star Soul Spectacular..starring Peabo Bryson, Deniece Williams, Dorothy Moore, Billy Paul, Russell Thompkins Jr. and the New Stylistics, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Candi Staton, Carl Carlton, William Bell, Freda Payne, and Bonnie Tyler.
Tom has done numerous percussion clinics and master classes and has performed many times at the annual Percussive Arts Society conventions. He endorses Toca Percussion, Paiste Cymbals and Effects,Regal Tip Sticks and Mallets,Evans Heads,DW Drums and Hardware,Shure Microphones ,Zendrum, the Mandala Drum and FXpansion
He has a CD ZENDRUM: ONE TRIBE that has been critically reviewed and praised in magazines like Modern Drummer, Keyboard and Electronic Musician..His music has been played on the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Oxygen, The Playboy Channel, The Spice Channel, The Travel Channel , Braves Baseball, and International Cable broadcasts.
Thanks for adding me. I'll keep an eye on your page and see what your up to. Please let me know when your buying merch and I'll help ya make it look sweet and at a great price...
I have new specials on my page every Monday so be sure to check them out....
Thanks so much and good luck! Bill Nishanian Music Imprints bill@musicimprints.com 615-829-6858
THANK YOU SO MUCH TOM... FOR PERFORMING IN THE DIABETES BENEFIT LAST WEEKEND!! IT WAS REALLY COOL TO BE ON STAGE WITH MOVIE STAR "JOHN CORBETT", MISTI LONG, ALANZO, WAIRNER, ZACH SPENCER, COPPER ROAD, CASEY KELLY, LESLEY ELLIS, TODD CIRNEY, EDEN'S CRASH, BOBBY DEYOE.. AND MORE. WOW!!! YOU WERE GREAT, AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THE CONCERT! NOW...IF IT COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN A LITTLE COOLER OUT. LOL!! ;) GOD BLESS YA TOM!!! HEATH (COPPER ROAD WITH JADEN, TREY HENSLEY, MOORE & MOORE WITH JADEN, JOHN CORBETT THE MOVIE STAR)
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