About tom
“To teach is to learn twice…”
Joseph Joubert "In a live performance, it's a collaboration with the audience; you ride the ebb and flow of the crowd's energy."
Jon Baptiste
My home city of Oswego, New York, was instrumental in providing me opportunities in many areas, most significantly, imagining music as a career. In looking back on my ‘musical roots,' the first inspiration was likely my attraction to the popular music of the mid to late-1960’s as well as the musical path paved by my brothers, John and David. By this time, they were already rehearsing and performing locally in a 5-piece band. This was my first “close to home” glimpse into the possibility of pursuing a career in music. In 2026 I was inducted into the Oswego Music Hall of Fame for both the "Educator Award" and "The McGrath Brothers Generation Award." Fast forward… Early on, as I developed basic drum set skills, I began performing locally with a few groups. Soon after, I attended college for two years where I was able to meet other musicians while taking a few music courses. This experience led me to more performing, and I began my first formal drum set lessons with a big band drummer. He inspired me to learn about the wide world of music theory and to explore and listen to any and all music genres. After two years, I returned to academia. Soon, I began teaching privately and performing in parallel. Over time, a cohesive and fluid teaching method came about, some of which was based on skillsets passed on to me from other teachers. At the same time my performance foundation was also expanding. During this period, I received the Concerto Award for percussion performance and premiered several solo percussion. Following graduation with a degree in music, I continued on to graduate school to focus on percussion performance. After my first semester, I was fortunate to receive an adjunct position at a college in Salinas, California. As part of my graduate percussion performance degree I performed the West Coast premier of John Beck's "Concerto for Drum Set and Percussion Ensemble" and German composer Martin Redel's "Musik Fur Klavier und Schlaginstrumente." Following graduate school, I moved to New York City, where I remained active in teaching and performance for close to 30 years. Outside of my private teaching studio, I have held teaching positions at Hartnell College, Salinas, California; Drummers Collective (aka thecollective), NYC; Master classes at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland; SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY; Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY; SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY; and Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. In addition to teaching and performing in New York, I also developed the necessary skills as a recording engineer, eventually creating a music production recording studio (TomTom Recording). From 1985-2005 I produced, engineered and performed on scores of full length albums, specializing in recording singer/songwriters living in the Tri-state area. Here too, my teaching background and performance listening skills guided me in what can be a fun, creative and emotionally dynamic environment. During this time, I was fortunate to consult and attend mastering sessions with Greg Calbi, Ted Jensen and Bob Ludwig. While in New York, I performed in a variety of musical settings, including premier showcase clubs, colleges, dance clubs, Irish pubs, bars, arts and public schools and everyplace in between. As the engineer at TomTom Recording, I was fortunate to have recorded and/or performed with scores of singer/songwriters and instrumentalists, including violinist Shankar; composer John Cage; drummers Ginger Baker, Brian Blake, Shawn Pelton, percussionist Michael Pugliese, Bernard Purdie, Max Roach and Marvin “Smitty” Smith; guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli; pianists Franni Burke, Rusty Cloud, Paul Greenwood, Barry Levitt, Andy Monroe, Louis St. Louis and Spyro Gyra's founding member, Jeremy Wall; songwriters & vocalists Walter Egan, Steven Keene, Art Garfunkel and son James; contemporary folk duo Minus Ted, Carmin Turco; vocalists Dottie Burman, Bob & Cindy Coffin, Claire Pellegrini and solo artist, Catherine Russell; guitarists Jeff Mironov, Richie Naso, Oz Noy, Marc Shulman, Dan Wray; bassists Paul Binotto, Steve Count, Mark Egan, Rob Glick, Mark Lupone and a host of other performers.
Live performances include a variety of talented singer/songwriters and instrumentalists such as the fabulous songwriter & singer, Dee Archer, Steven Keene, Grant King, Andy Monroe, Minus Ted, and Carmin Turco; trumpeter Joe Wilder, Monk Rowe, John Hutson and Bob Sherwood; the "Do Good" big band, the cello and percussion duo "Cellovision" featuring Dawn Avery, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, Richie Havens, the graceful and kind Odetta, Guitarist Dan Wray and pianist Claire Cooper. I have shared the stage with Joe Cocker, The Stray Cats, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mtumbe, the singer/songwriter Paul Rodgers of the English group, Bad Company and composers Lou Harrison and Terry Riley. In addition, I have toured both nationally and internationally as a percussionist with the Manhattan Ballet Company, the Mimi Garrard Dance Company, and the David Parker Dancers.
(see Music Page for both audio and video recordings) I also performed on advertising jingles for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency and Fearless Music. In 1984, I appeared as a musician in the CBS movie “Svengali” starring Jodi Foster and Peter O’Toole. After leaving New York, I moved to central New York (CNY) State, where I continued to teach and perform in many settings including ballroom dances, colleges and college commencements, wineries, theatres, arts & education schools, big band specialty shows and the occasional wine bar and barbecue joint. Since 2019, I have been splitting my time between CNY and the state of Vermont. In the end...
A performer should know his/her audience and offer them the best of their inspiration and musical ability for all to enjoy. So, too, with teaching. A teacher is given an important responsibility, to offer the ‘student’ every possibility of developing their skills and finding their passion within a fun, creative and safe space. Not only in their study of music, but in the collaborative environment of making music with others. The influence of hundreds of audiences and students remains a permanent, wonderful, and important part of who I am today.
“To teach is to learn twice…”
Joseph Joubert "In a live performance, it's a collaboration with the audience; you ride the ebb and flow of the crowd's energy."
Jon Baptiste
My home city of Oswego, New York, was instrumental in providing me opportunities in many areas, most significantly, imagining music as a career. In looking back on my ‘musical roots,' the first inspiration was likely my attraction to the popular music of the mid to late-1960’s as well as the musical path paved by my brothers, John and David. By this time, they were already rehearsing and performing locally in a 5-piece band. This was my first “close to home” glimpse into the possibility of pursuing a career in music. In 2026 I was inducted into the Oswego Music Hall of Fame for both the "Educator Award" and "The McGrath Brothers Generation Award." Fast forward… Early on, as I developed basic drum set skills, I began performing locally with a few groups. Soon after, I attended college for two years where I was able to meet other musicians while taking a few music courses. This experience led me to more performing, and I began my first formal drum set lessons with a big band drummer. He inspired me to learn about the wide world of music theory and to explore and listen to any and all music genres. After two years, I returned to academia. Soon, I began teaching privately and performing in parallel. Over time, a cohesive and fluid teaching method came about, some of which was based on skillsets passed on to me from other teachers. At the same time my performance foundation was also expanding. During this period, I received the Concerto Award for percussion performance and premiered several solo percussion. Following graduation with a degree in music, I continued on to graduate school to focus on percussion performance. After my first semester, I was fortunate to receive an adjunct position at a college in Salinas, California. As part of my graduate percussion performance degree I performed the West Coast premier of John Beck's "Concerto for Drum Set and Percussion Ensemble" and German composer Martin Redel's "Musik Fur Klavier und Schlaginstrumente." Following graduate school, I moved to New York City, where I remained active in teaching and performance for close to 30 years. Outside of my private teaching studio, I have held teaching positions at Hartnell College, Salinas, California; Drummers Collective (aka thecollective), NYC; Master classes at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland; SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY; Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY; SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY; and Hamilton College, Clinton, NY. In addition to teaching and performing in New York, I also developed the necessary skills as a recording engineer, eventually creating a music production recording studio (TomTom Recording). From 1985-2005 I produced, engineered and performed on scores of full length albums, specializing in recording singer/songwriters living in the Tri-state area. Here too, my teaching background and performance listening skills guided me in what can be a fun, creative and emotionally dynamic environment. During this time, I was fortunate to consult and attend mastering sessions with Greg Calbi, Ted Jensen and Bob Ludwig. While in New York, I performed in a variety of musical settings, including premier showcase clubs, colleges, dance clubs, Irish pubs, bars, arts and public schools and everyplace in between. As the engineer at TomTom Recording, I was fortunate to have recorded and/or performed with scores of singer/songwriters and instrumentalists, including violinist Shankar; composer John Cage; drummers Ginger Baker, Brian Blake, Shawn Pelton, percussionist Michael Pugliese, Bernard Purdie, Max Roach and Marvin “Smitty” Smith; guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli; pianists Franni Burke, Rusty Cloud, Paul Greenwood, Barry Levitt, Andy Monroe, Louis St. Louis and Spyro Gyra's founding member, Jeremy Wall; songwriters & vocalists Walter Egan, Steven Keene, Art Garfunkel and son James; contemporary folk duo Minus Ted, Carmin Turco; vocalists Dottie Burman, Bob & Cindy Coffin, Claire Pellegrini and solo artist, Catherine Russell; guitarists Jeff Mironov, Richie Naso, Oz Noy, Marc Shulman, Dan Wray; bassists Paul Binotto, Steve Count, Mark Egan, Rob Glick, Mark Lupone and a host of other performers.
Live performances include a variety of talented singer/songwriters and instrumentalists such as the fabulous songwriter & singer, Dee Archer, Steven Keene, Grant King, Andy Monroe, Minus Ted, and Carmin Turco; trumpeter Joe Wilder, Monk Rowe, John Hutson and Bob Sherwood; the "Do Good" big band, the cello and percussion duo "Cellovision" featuring Dawn Avery, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, Richie Havens, the graceful and kind Odetta, Guitarist Dan Wray and pianist Claire Cooper. I have shared the stage with Joe Cocker, The Stray Cats, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Mtumbe, the singer/songwriter Paul Rodgers of the English group, Bad Company and composers Lou Harrison and Terry Riley. In addition, I have toured both nationally and internationally as a percussionist with the Manhattan Ballet Company, the Mimi Garrard Dance Company, and the David Parker Dancers.
(see Music Page for both audio and video recordings) I also performed on advertising jingles for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency and Fearless Music. In 1984, I appeared as a musician in the CBS movie “Svengali” starring Jodi Foster and Peter O’Toole. After leaving New York, I moved to central New York (CNY) State, where I continued to teach and perform in many settings including ballroom dances, colleges and college commencements, wineries, theatres, arts & education schools, big band specialty shows and the occasional wine bar and barbecue joint. Since 2019, I have been splitting my time between CNY and the state of Vermont. In the end...
A performer should know his/her audience and offer them the best of their inspiration and musical ability for all to enjoy. So, too, with teaching. A teacher is given an important responsibility, to offer the ‘student’ every possibility of developing their skills and finding their passion within a fun, creative and safe space. Not only in their study of music, but in the collaborative environment of making music with others. The influence of hundreds of audiences and students remains a permanent, wonderful, and important part of who I am today.