Ross Tompkins
Encyclopedia
Ross Tompkins was an American jazz
pianist.
Tompkins attended the New England Conservatory of Music
, then moved to New York City
, where he worked with Kai Winding
(1960–67), Eric Dolphy
(1964), Wes Montgomery
(1966), Bob Brookmeyer
/Clark Terry
(1966), Benny Goodman
(1968), Bobby Hackett
(1965–70), and Al Cohn
and Zoot Sims
(1968–72). He moved to Los Angeles
in 1971, playing with Louie Bellson
, Joe Venuti, and Red Norvo
in the 1970s and Jack Sheldon
in the 1980s. He was perhaps best known for his longtime association with Doc Severinsen
's Tonight Show band, in which he played from the 1970s until 1992. He recorded prolifically for Concord Jazz
as a leader in the second half of the 1970s.
Tompkins died of lung cancer
in 2006.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist.
Tompkins attended the New England Conservatory of Music
New England Conservatory of Music
The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest independent school of music in the United States.The conservatory is home each year to 750 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate studies along with 1400 more in its Preparatory School as well as the School of...
, then moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he worked with Kai Winding
Kai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
(1960–67), Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
Eric Allan Dolphy was an American jazz alto saxophonist, flutist, and bass clarinetist. On a few occasions he also played the clarinet and baritone saxophone. Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain prominence in the 1960s...
(1964), Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
(1966), Bob Brookmeyer
Bob Brookmeyer
Robert Brookmeyer is an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer.-Biography:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Gerry Mulligan's quartet from 1954 to 1957. He later worked with Jimmy Giuffre...
/Clark Terry
Clark Terry
Clark Terry is an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the fluegelhorn in jazz, educator, NEA Jazz Masters inductee, and recipient of the 2010 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award...
(1966), Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
(1968), Bobby Hackett
Bobby Hackett
Robert Leo "Bobby" Hackett was an US jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman in the late thirties and early forties.-Biography:...
(1965–70), and Al Cohn
Al Cohn
Al Cohn was an American jazz saxophonist and arranger and composer.-Biography:Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff...
and Zoot Sims
Zoot Sims
John Haley "Zoot" Sims was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor and soprano.-Biography:He was born in Inglewood, California, the son of vaudeville performers Kate Haley and John Sims. Growing up in a performing family, Sims learned to play both drums and clarinet at an early age...
(1968–72). He moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1971, playing with Louie Bellson
Louie Bellson
Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni , better known by the stage name Louie Bellson , was an Italian-American jazz drummer...
, Joe Venuti, and Red Norvo
Red Norvo
Red Norvo was one of jazz's early vibraphonists, known as "Mr. Swing". He helped establish the xylophone, marimba and later the vibraphone as viable jazz instruments...
in the 1970s and Jack Sheldon
Jack Sheldon
Jack Sheldon is an American bebop and West Coast jazz trumpeter, singer, and actor. He is a trumpet player and was a comedian on The Merv Griffin Show, as well as the voice heard on several episodes of the educational music television series Schoolhouse Rock.-Biography:Sheldon was born in...
in the 1980s. He was perhaps best known for his longtime association with Doc Severinsen
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen is an American pop and jazz trumpeter. He is best known for leading the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.-Early life:...
's Tonight Show band, in which he played from the 1970s until 1992. He recorded prolifically for Concord Jazz
Concord Jazz
Concord Jazz is a subsidiary of Concord Records, owned by Concord Music Group.-Dozens of albums:*Charlie Byrd*Ruby Braff*Dave McKenna*Marian McPartland*Rosemary Clooney*Scott Hamilton*Tito Puente*George Shearing*Gene Harris*Mel Tormé*Monty Alexander...
as a leader in the second half of the 1970s.
Tompkins died of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in 2006.
As leader
- A Pair to Draw To (Concord JazzConcord JazzConcord Jazz is a subsidiary of Concord Records, owned by Concord Music Group.-Dozens of albums:*Charlie Byrd*Ruby Braff*Dave McKenna*Marian McPartland*Rosemary Clooney*Scott Hamilton*Tito Puente*George Shearing*Gene Harris*Mel Tormé*Monty Alexander...
, 1975) - Scrimshaw (Concord, 1976)
- Live at Concord 1977 (Concord, 1977)
- Lost in the Stars (Concord, 1977)
- Ross Tompkins and Good Friends (Concord, 1978)
- Festival Time (Concord, 1979)
- Street of Dreams (Famous Door, 1982)
- Solo Piano (Progressive RecordsProgressive Records-Artists:*Harry Allen*Laurie Altman*Milt Buckner*Chris Connor*Alice Cooper*Buddy DeFranco*Tommy Flanagan*Don Friedman*Al Haig*Sir Roland Hanna*Hank Jones*Lee Konitz*Stan Mark*Red Norvo*Maddy Prior*Derek Smith*Steeleye Span*Sonny Stitt*U.K. Subs...
, 1994) - Music (Progressive, 1996)
- Heart To Heart (HD Records, 1998) Ross Tompkins and Cathy Segal-Garcia
- Ross Tompkins Celebrates the Music of Harold Arlen (Progressive, 1999)
- Younger than Springtime (Arbors RecordsArbors RecordsArbors Records is an independent American jazz record label based in Clearwater, Florida. It was founded by the family team of Mat and Rachel Domber in 1989, initially devoted to the recordings of their friend Rick Fay.-History:...
, 2001)
As sideman
With Kai WindingKai Winding
Kai Chresten Winding was a popular Danish-born American trombonist and jazz composer. He is well known for a successful collaboration with fellow trombonist J. J. Johnson.-Biography:...
- The Incredible Kai Winding TrombonesThe Incredible Kai Winding TrombonesThe Incredible Kai Winding Trombones is an album by American jazz trombonist Kai Winding featuring performances recorded in 1960 for the Impulse! label.-Reception:...
(Impulse!, 1960)