Artist description Tom Pierson is a pianist/composer active in 3 formats-solo, trio, and big band. His music combines elements of bop, modal, and free jazz. Pierson's compositions are characterized by a unique harmonic approach combined with a strong sense of form.

Music Style modern jazz

Musical Influences Gil Evans, Herbie Hancock, Dave Brubeck

Artist History A classical piano prodigy, Tom Pierson soloed with the Houston Symphony while in his early teens and later studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He went on to conduct Leonard Bernstein's Mass at the Metropolitan Opera and to score films for Robert Altman and Woody Allen, but left promising careers in conducting and film scoring in order to write his own music. Pierson has led jazz orchestras in Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo. Since moving to Japan, he has also made many appearances as a solo pianist. He has released five albums and two concert videos.

Group Members Tom Pierson's band members have included saxophonists Blue Lou Marini, Scott Robinson, and Don Byron, trumpeters Michael Philip Mossman and Mac Gollehon, bassist Tom Barney, and drummers Pheeroan akLaff, Yoron Dael Israel, and Kenwood Dennard.

Instruments piano, composition

Albums 1. Tom Pierson (Applause LP - electric quintet) 2. Tom Pierson II (Auteur CD 1171 - solo piano) 3. Tom Pierson III (Auteur CD 1194 - acoustic trio) 4. Planet of Tears (Auteur CD 1229 - avant-garde fusion big band - selected by The Smithsonian Institute for 5-CD historical retrospective of big bands) 5. Unchained Melody (Auteur CD 1310 - solo piano) 6. soon to be released - The Hidden Goddess (second big band album)

Press Reviews The great jazz master Gil Evans called Tom Pierson "the best unknown composer I know."The Los Angeles Times wrote "highest praise for Tom Pierson's haunting music".The Philadelphia Daily News described Pierson's music as "brilliant".Columnist Mathew Lippman wrote "a performance I shall never forget . . . an exhaustingly beautiful experience". Dr. George Butler of CBS Sony said about Pierson's jazz orchestra, "From my vantage point, this is the most exciting, original, and creative big band in the world."Producer John Snyder called Pierson "world-class". Richmond Shepard in The Wall Street Transcript referred to Pierson's "exciting, moving, profound compositions . . . the best, most original jazz I've heard in a long time . . . he's a brilliant artist . . . a treat to be remembered and treasured". Nihon Keizai Shimbun called Tom Pierson "a genius".

Additional Info 1. Tom Pierson Trio - Live Recording Session (video released by Wynton's House V-2195) 2. Tom Pierson Big Band Live (video released by Wynton's House WH-19991) 3. The title track from Tom Pierson's big band CD Planet of Tears is included in the Smithsonian Collection of Recordings' 5 CD historical retrospective of big bands Big Band Renaissance. This excellent compilation is available at MUSIC FROM THE SMITHSONIAN ONLINE CATALOGUE: JAZZ 2 http://www.si.edu/youandsi/products/sipress/music/jazz2.htm 4. Tom Pierson's work can also be heard in Robert Altman's films Quintet, A Perfect Couple, and Popeye, Woody Allen's Manhattan, and Milos Forman's Hair.

Location Tokyo, Tokyo - Japan

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