The Undiscovered: Tom Wolfe

Being the director of jazz studies at the University of Alabama and a jazz performer might be enough for some musicians, but Tom Wolfe had a bigger dream. After years of teaching his students to 'let go' and to develop their own musical personalities, he realized to actualize his own vision would require a project of original music. Receiving an Artist Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts resulted in Simple Peace sixty-five minutes of dynamic, highly varied jazz, flavored with rock, and featuring top musicians. Wolfe is not afraid of tonal variety - he can go from Metheny-like cleanliness to overdriven fury to warm, resonant acoustic in a measure. A perfect example off of Simple Peace would be "Appalachia", which alone demonstrates Wolfe's guitaristic gifts and mature, yet ambitious, compositional style. His CD is highly recommended for jazz and fusion fans.

Performing professionally since the age of 17, Tom has had myriad experiences. From performing at theme parks while still in high school, performing as a sideman for Bob Hope at age 19, to touring Africa as a Jazz Ambassador, he has been involved in music at a very sophisticated level. Accustomed to the world of academia, Tom performs concerts and offers masterclasses for both high school and college level students. He is a core musician for the W.C. Handy Music Festival is addition to being on the faculty for the W.C. Handy Jazz Camp. Tom has performed as a sideman on several CDs, including Ken and Harry Watter's "Brothers II" and Louisiana Jazz 5's "Close To Home" and "Bayou Gypsy".

Wolfe continues to play live in support of Simple Peace, and in the jazz tradition, continues to improvise and interact with musicians to allow the music to constantly reflect the creative process of the moment.

Tom Wolfe
United States

Web site: bama.ua.edu/~twolfe/wolfebio.htm